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Jennifer McClellan

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Jennifer McClellan
File:Jennifer McClellan photo.png
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
SpouseDavid Mills
Children2
EducationUniversity of Richmond (BA)
University of Virginia (JD)
WebsiteOfficial website

Jennifer Leigh McClellan (born December 28, 1972) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the Virginia state senator from the 9th district since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, she was previously elected to the Virginia House of Delegates from 2006 to 2017, representing the 71st district. She is vice chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, and is a former president of the Virginia Young Democrats, vice chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, and member of the Democratic National Committee.[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 is the Democratic nominee in the 2023 Virginia's 4th congressional district special election.[2][3]

Early life and education

McClellan was born in Petersburg, Virginia.[4] She grew up as the child of a Virginia State University professor involved in civil rights activism. McClellan attended Matoaca High School in Chesterfield County, where she was valedictorian.[5] 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.[6][7]

Career

After law school, McClellan began practicing law at Hunton & Williams.[5] 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.[5][8]

In 2010, McClellan became the first pregnant Virginia delegate to participate in a legislative session.[5] When Terry McAuliffe was elected governor of Virginia in 2013, she headed the transition team.[9]

McClellan has served as vice chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia.[10] 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.[11] She is also vice chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus[12]

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.[13] 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.[14] Her seat was once held by Governor Douglas Wilder.

McClellan works as regulatory counsel for Verizon Communications.[15]

2021 gubernatorial campaign

Main article: 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election

In June 2020, McClellan announced she would run for governor of Virginia in 2021.[8] She, like fellow candidate Jennifer Carroll Foy, would have become the first female governor of Virginia, the second Black governor after Douglas Wilder, and the first Black female governor of the United States if elected.[16] However, in the Democratic primary, Terry McAuliffe, the former governor running for reelection, was renominated, with Carrol Foy taking a distant second place, and McClellan not far behind Carroll Foy in third place.[17]

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][18] 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.[19][20] She would be the first Black woman elected to Congress from Virginia if elected.

Personal life

McClellan lives in Richmond with her husband David and two children. She is a Presbyterian.[7]

Her mentor, Tim Kaine, officiated her wedding ceremony.[5]

References

  1. ^ "About – Virginia Legislative Black Caucus". Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  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. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ Woo, Megan (October 23, 2016). "Governor McAuliffe accepts civil rights award". NBC12. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Jennifer McClellan's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ Portnoy, Jenna (September 8, 2016). "Bobby Scott: The congressman who could make history. Again". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  10. ^ "Ninth District Senate election pits McClellan, Fauconier". Henrico Citizen. January 10, 2017. Archived from the original on January 11, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  11. ^ "Democractic Party Super Delegates -- 2008". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ Chaney, Matthew (January 11, 2017). "Jennifer McClellan wins Virginia's 9th Senate District election". WRIC. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  14. ^ Freeman, Jr., Vernon (January 9, 2017). "9th Senate District seat up for grabs in special election Tuesday". WTVR.com. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ Moomaw, Graham (April 7, 2020). "Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy files paperwork to run for governor". Virginia Mercury. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  17. ^ "DDHQ Election Results". results.decisiondeskhq.com. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ 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.
  20. ^ "Rep. Don McEachin dies". Cardinal News. November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jennifer McClellan.
Senate of Virginia
Preceded by Member of the Senate of Virginia
from the 9th district
2017–present 		Incumbent
Virginia House of Delegates
Preceded by Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 71st district
2006–2017 		Succeeded by
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