Cross-posted from Blue Virginia February 20, 2023
On Tuesday, February 21, 2023, Virginians will welcome our very first Black Congresswoman, Jennifer McClellan. As the only declared candidate in the race for House District 81, Terrence Walker enthusiastically joins thousands of voters, elected officials, and influential policy makers to witness this history in the making. Jennifer McClellan has served in Virginia’s General Assembly for nearly 20 years, setting the bar sky high for candidate hopefuls like Terrence looking to make their indelible mark on our Commonwealth’s history.
Senator McClellan serves the ninth Senate District, representing parts of Richmond City, Henrico County, Hanover, and Charles City. She will serve Virginia’s fourth Congressional District in a week’s time. Her constituents know her and love her. What’s more, Virginians outside of her district easily recognize her for a host of reasons, from her historic run for Governor in 2021 to her efforts as champion of the 2020 Reproductive Health Protection Act. Terrence is among a legion of supporters who have stood shoulder to shoulder with Senator McClellan over the years, carefully observing her deft legislative skills.
Senator McClellan speaks often about her experience as the first pregnant person to stand on the House floor, legislating impeccably. To a candidate like Terrence, whose memory of his late wife pregnant with their son remains fresh in his mind, watching a person he respects making parenthood look easy inspires him to push for more. He looks to Senator McClellan as the model for how to advocate for paid family leave; how to override institutional bias to champion criminal justice reform; and how to prioritize the people she was elected to serve.
What Senator and soon-to-be Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan and candidate Terrence Walker have in common is their commitment to center the lived experiences of their constituents. Virginians deserve representatives at the General Assembly who are guided by the values they espouse. As Senator McClellan’s political career evolves, breaking barriers along the way, Virginians have the opportunity to elect leaders like Terrence Walker to continue working for the people, just as she has and will continue to do in Congress.
Terrence Walker donation link
Walker for Virginia website