Virginia is ground zero of electoral politics in 2017. With the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and all 100 seats in the House of Delegates on the ballot, there’s no shortage of action in the Old Dominion.
While Democrats currently hold only 34 out of 100 districts in the heavily gerrymandered House, this fall presents a unique opportunity to make major progress toward flipping the 17 needed to pull even with the GOP. Jennifer Carroll Foy presents Democrats with an opportunity not only for a key pickup of House District 2—a Republican-held open seat in Northern Virginia—but to also add a rising star to their caucus while increasing the presence of voices of color in the Virginia General Assembly. Daily Kos is pleased to endorse this remarkable candidate.
Foy’s personal history is an important part of what makes her such an exceptional choice. Born and raised just south of Richmond, Foy received a full scholarship to Virginia Military Institute and was part of just the third class of women cadets to ever attend the historically all-male school. She went on to earn a master’s degree and spent some time as an adjunct professor before attending law school. She graduated law school with honors and went on to become a public defender, where she serves some of Virginia’s most vulnerable citizens. Foy also advocates for foster children and orphans through a nonprofit she founded, and she’s a foster mother herself—and a brand-new mother of twins.
Foy’s current work as a public defender is a significant part of the reason she’s advocating for criminal justice reform on the campaign trail, but she’s also continuing her ongoing activism against local water polluters and expanding it to oppose new pipeline construction in Virginia. She also supports raising the minimum wage and expanding Medicaid.
Foy has gotten something of a late start in the general election. She won the June primary by just 10 votes, and her Democratic opponent demanded a recount, which took over a month to resolve (and expanded Foy’s margin of victory to 14 votes).
Please give $3 to elect this amazing progressive woman of color to Virginia’s state House!
But her GOP opponent has gotten an even later start. After Republican Laquan Austion was caught falsifying his education credentials, he withdrew from the race earlier this month, and local Republican committee member Michael Makee was just named as the replacement candidate. Makee is a defense contractor who so far has taken no policy stances aside from parroting familiar GOP tropes like “controlling spending” while boldly proclaiming himself “pro-education” and “anti-traffic.”
The 2nd District is a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats this fall. Hillary Clinton won this seat 58-37, and Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe likewise carried it 53-42 four years ago. However, the district favored the Republican in two out of the past three elections, though the retiring GOP incumbent currently occupying the seat eked out his last re-election here by just 125 votes two years ago.
But while recent results give us reason for hope, Foy’s late start in the race has placed her at a fundraising disadvantage, and the support of the Daily Kos community will have a dramatic impact on this rising star’s campaign.
Help elect Jennifer Carroll Foy to the Virginia House by donating $3 to her today!