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Jennifer McClellan

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Jennifer McClellan
Member-elect of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 4th district
Assuming office
TBA
SucceedingDonald McEachin
Member of the Virginia Senate
from the 9th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 13, 2017
Preceded byDonald McEachin
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 71st district
In office
January 11, 2006 – January 13, 2017
Preceded byViola Baskerville
Succeeded byJeff Bourne
Personal details
Born
Jennifer Leigh McClellan

(1972-12-28) December 28, 1972 (age 51)
Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
David Mills
​
(m. 2008)​
Children2
EducationUniversity of Richmond (BA)
University of Virginia (JD)
WebsiteCampaign website

Jennifer Leigh McClellan (born December 28, 1972) is an American lawyer and politician, who is the member-elect to the United States House of Representatives from Virginia's 4th congressional district. She has served as the Virginia state senator from the 9th district since 2017, as a member of the Democratic Party. Once she takes office, she will be Virginia's first Black congresswoman.[1]

McClellan was a candidate in the Democratic primary for governor of Virginia in the 2021 election, coming in third place and losing the nomination to former governor Terry McAuliffe.[2] She was the Democratic nominee in the 2023 Virginia's 4th congressional district special election,[2][3] and defeated Republican Leon Benjamin on February 21.[4]

Early life and education

McClellan was born in Petersburg, Virginia.[5] Her parents worked for Virginia State University (her father as a professor and her mother as a counselor) and were involved in civil rights activism.[6] She attended Matoaca High School in Chesterfield County, where she was valedictorian.[7] She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and political science from the University of Richmond in 1994, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1997.[8][9]

Career

McClellan speaking at the Virginia Pension Protection Coalition press conference in March 2012

After law school, McClellan began practicing law at Hunton & Williams.[7] In 2005, she ran for office for the first time, seeking a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates vacated by Viola Baskerville, who stepped down to run for lieutenant governor of Virginia. McClellan won the election and from 2006 to 2017 represented the 71st district in the Virginia House of Delegates, which comprised parts of the city of Richmond and Henrico County.[7][10]

In 2010, McClellan became the first pregnant Virginia delegate to participate in a legislative session.[7] When Terry McAuliffe was elected governor of Virginia in 2013, she headed the transition team.[11]

McClellan has served as vice chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia.[12] As the highest-ranking female party officer, she was also automatically a member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). As a DNC member, she was a superdelegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.[13] She is also vice chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus[14]

McClellan was an outspoken critic of Governor Bob McDonnell's efforts to overhaul the state pension system in 2012. She opposed the cuts to retirement benefits for teachers and public safety employees, and argued that Republican lawmakers had rushed the legislation to minimize any scrutiny from Democrats and labor unions.[15][16]

McClellan was elected to the Virginia Senate in a special election held on January 10, 2017, to fill the 9th district seat vacated by Donald McEachin's election to the U.S. House of Representatives. She defeated Libertarian Party opponent Corey Fauconier.[17] In the race, she received endorsements from McEachin, as well as Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and Governor Terry McAuliffe.[18] Her seat was once held by Governor Douglas Wilder.

McClellan works as regulatory counsel for Verizon Communications.[19]

2021 gubernatorial campaign

Main article: 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election

In June 2020, McClellan announced she would run for governor of Virginia in 2021.[10] In the Democratic primary, Terry McAuliffe, a former governor running for a non-consecutive term, was renominated, with Jennifer Carroll Foy taking a distant second place and McClellan not far behind in third place.[20] McAuliffe went on to narrowly lose the general election to Republican Glenn Youngkin.[21]

Had either McClellan or Carroll Foy won the election, they would have become the first female governor of Virginia, the second Black governor after Douglas Wilder, and the first Black female governor in the United States.[22]

2023 U.S. House special election

Main article: 2023 Virginia's 4th congressional district special election

McClellan is the Democratic nominee in the 2023 special election for Virginia's 4th congressional district.[3][23] The seat became vacant when incumbent Donald McEachin died from colorectal cancer on November 28, 2022. A firehouse primary was held on December 20, 2022, with the general election scheduled for February 21, 2023.[24][25] She would be the first Black woman elected to Congress from Virginia if elected. McClellan is now the projected winner of the race.[26]

Personal life

McClellan married David Mills on November 15, 2008.[27][28] Her mentor, Tim Kaine, officiated the wedding ceremony.[7]

She and her husband live in Richmond with their two children. She is a Presbyterian.[9]

Electoral history

2017 Virginia Senate special election, District 9[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennifer McClellan 7,849 91.3
Libertarian Corey Falconer 692 8.1
Total votes 8,596 100
Democratic hold
2019 Virginia Senate election, District 9[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennifer McClellan (incumbent) 49,451 80.1
Libertarian Mark Lewis 11,707 19.0
Total votes 61,771 100
Democratic hold
2021 Virginia gubernatorial Democratic primary[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Terry McAuliffe 307,367 62.10%
Democratic Jennifer Carroll Foy 98,052 19.81%
Democratic Jennifer McClellan 58,213 11.76%
Democratic Justin Fairfax 17,606 3.56%
Democratic Lee J. Carter 13,694 2.77%
Total votes 494,932 100.00%

References

  1. ^ Jennifer McClellan will win special election and become Virginia’s first Black congresswoman, CNN projects, Chandelis Duster, CNN. February 21, 2023
  2. ^ a b "Jennifer McClellan is poised to become Virginia's first Black woman in Congress". NPR. Associated Press. December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Flynn, Meagan; Vozzella, Laura (December 13, 2022). "State Sen. Jennifer McClellan seeks to fill McEachin's seat in Congress". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 13, 2022.
  4. ^ https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/21/jennifer-mcclellan-virginia-congress-00083883
  5. ^ Schneider, Gregory S. (May 22, 2021). "Two women chasing history put the spotlight on one Virginia city with a compelling history of its own". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  6. ^ "Meet Jenn". Jennifer McClellan for Congress. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e Moomaw, Graham (December 23, 2016). "After 'devastating' 2016 election, McClellan plans next political chapter". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  8. ^ Woo, Megan (October 23, 2016). "Governor McAuliffe accepts civil rights award". NBC12. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Jennifer McClellan's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  10. ^ a b Schneider, Gregory S. (June 18, 2020). "State Sen. Jennifer McClellan announces she'll run for Virginia governor in 2021". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  11. ^ Portnoy, Jenna (September 8, 2016). "Bobby Scott: The congressman who could make history. Again". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 9, 2016. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  12. ^ "Ninth District Senate election pits McClellan, Fauconier". Henrico Citizen. January 10, 2017. Archived from the original on January 11, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  13. ^ "Democractic Party Super Delegates -- 2008". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  14. ^ Martz, Michael (June 18, 2020). "Richmond Sen. Jennifer McClellan launches campaign for governor in 'unique times'". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Archived from the original on June 18, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  15. ^ Vozzella, Laura (March 29, 2012). "Delegate urges McDonnell to veto pension bill members didn't have time to read before passing". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  16. ^ McNeil, Tommie (March 29, 2012). "'Virginia Pension Protection Coalition'". Virginia Public Radio. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  17. ^ Chaney, Matthew (January 11, 2017). "Jennifer McClellan wins Virginia's 9th Senate District election". WRIC. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  18. ^ Freeman, Jr., Vernon (January 9, 2017). "9th Senate District seat up for grabs in special election Tuesday". WTVR.com. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  19. ^ Wilson, Patrick (February 3, 2017). "Sen. Jennifer McClellan, working for Verizon on wireless infrastructure bill, recuses herself from vote". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  20. ^ "DDHQ Election Results". results.decisiondeskhq.com. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  21. ^ "2021 November General". results.elections.virginia.gov. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  22. ^ Moomaw, Graham (April 7, 2020). "Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy files paperwork to run for governor". Virginia Mercury. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  23. ^ Flynn, Meagan (December 22, 2022). "Jennifer McClellan wins Virginia 4th District primary for McEachin's seat". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  24. ^ Kealy, Caroline (November 29, 2022). "Rep. Donald McEachin passes away at 61 after battle with colorectal cancer". CBS 6 News Richmond WTVR. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  25. ^ "Rep. Don McEachin dies". Cardinal News. November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  26. ^ https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/21/politics/jennifer-mcclellan-virginia-congress/index.html
  27. ^ Cain, Andrew; Martz, Michael (December 14, 2022). "Kaine endorses McClellan for McEachin's congressional seat". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  28. ^ @JennMcClellanVA (November 16, 2022). "How it started. How it's going. Anniversary Edition" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  29. ^ "Elections Database". Virginia Board of Elections. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  30. ^ "Virginia State Senate District 9". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  31. ^ "2021 June Democratic Primary". Archived from the original on June 9, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jennifer McClellan.
Virginia House of Delegates
Preceded by Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 71st district
2006–2017 		Succeeded by
Senate of Virginia
Preceded by Member of the Virginia Senate
from the 9th district
2017–present 		Incumbent
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member-elect of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 4th congressional district
2023–present 		Elect
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