Charniele Herring

Herring was born in the Dominican Republic. A self-described "Army brat", she traveled frequently as a child.{{cite web|title=Political Leaders 2006 Profile: Charniele Herring |publisher=Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership |date=2006-08-14 |url=http://www.sorenseninstitute.org/newsroom/entry/political-leaders-2006-profile-charniele-herring |access-date=2009-01-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721102717/http://www.sorenseninstitute.org/newsroom/entry/political-leaders-2006-profile-charniele-herring |archive-date=2011-07-21 }} When she was 16 years old, her mother lost her job, and the two lived in a homeless shelter for six months.{{cite news | last = Lans | first = Michael | title = Candidates Hustle for Attention in Sprint to Replace Moran | date = 2009-01-11 | page = C05 | work = Washington Post | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/10/AR2009011001998.html| access-date = 2009-01-13}}

Herring studied for three years with the Virginia Ballet School and Company. She earned a B.A. in economics from George Mason University in 1993 and a J.D. from the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America in 1997.{{cite web | title = Meet Charniele | work = Charniele Herring | url = http://charnieleherring.ngpvanhost.com/about | access-date = 2013-06-04}} (campaign website)

Herring was a VISTA volunteer.

At age 13, during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, Herring testified before a government commission about health care coverage for military dependent children.

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine appointed Herring to the state's Council on the Status of Women. In 2006, she attended the Political Leaders Program at the University of Virginia's Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership.

Delegate Brian Moran resigned his House seat on December 12, 2008 to spend full-time on his 2009 campaign for governor. Herring immediately announced her candidacy for the vacancy. In a caucus on December 16, Herring won the Democratic nomination, defeating Ariel Gonzalez, director of governmental affairs for the American College of Radiology, 191–43.{{cite news | last = Craig | first = Tim | title = Herring Defeats Gonzalez; Murray Wins GOP Nod | work = Washington Post | date = 2008-12-16 | url = http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2008/12/herring_defeats_gonzalez_murra.html | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120728105533/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2008/12/herring_defeats_gonzalez_murra.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = July 28, 2012 | access-date = 2008-01-07}}

In the special election on January 13, 2009, she defeated Republican nominee Joe Murray, an aide to Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC), by 16 votes. Murray requested a recount, which was resolved in Herring's favor; she was sworn in on January 26.{{cite news | last = Meola | first = Olympia | title = Va. House swears in delegate after recount | work = Richmond Times-Dispatch | date = January 26, 2009 | url = https://www.richmond.com/news/va-house-swears-in-delegate-after-recount/article_ee04e3e9-51bf-5df7-aa64-3fc48b0f42ad.html| access-date = January 19, 2019 }}

Herring was the first African-American woman ever elected to represent Northern Virginia in the General Assembly. She was elected to serve as the Chairwoman of the Democratic Party in Virginia in 2012 and remained in the role until 2014. In 2015, she was elected Chair of the House Democratic Caucus. After the Democratic Party gained control of the House of Delegates in 2019, Herring was elected to serve as the Majority Leader. She is the first woman and African-American and served in this role until the Republicans regained control of the House of Delegates in 2021.

She currently serves as the chair of the Courts of Justice Committee, and she is the first woman and African-American to hold this role as well. She also serves as a member of the Rules committee and Joint Rules Subcommittee.{{Cite web|title=Virginia House of Delegates Member Listings|url=https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php?id=H0208|website=virginiageneralassembly.gov|access-date=2020-05-27}}

Herring has a lengthy career advocating for criminal justice reforms in Virginia, and after serving on the Crime Commission for 9 years, she was elected as the Chair of the committee in 2020.

• 2009 Virginia House of Delegates election
• 2011 Virginia House of Delegates election

{{reflist}}

• {{cite web | title = Charniele Herring | publisher = Virginia Public Access Project | url = http://www.vpap.org/candidates/profile/home/65422}} (campaign finance)
• {{cite web | title = Delegate Charniele Herring (D-Alexandria) | work = Richmond Sunlight | url = http://www.richmondsunlight.com/legislator/clherring/}}
• {{cite web|title=Election Results |publisher=Virginia State Board of Elections |url=http://sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429112846/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults.html |archive-date=2013-04-29 }}

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{{s-ttl|title=Majority Leader of the Virginia House of Delegates|years=2024–present}}

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{{Virginia statewide political officials}}

{{U.S. State House Floor Leaders}}

{{Virginia House of Delegates}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Herring, Charniele L.}}

Category:1969 births

Category:20th-century African-American politicians

Category:20th-century African-American women politicians

Category:20th-century American women politicians

Category:21st-century African-American politicians

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:African-American state legislators in Virginia

Category:21st-century African-American women politicians

Category:Columbus School of Law alumni

Category:George Mason University alumni

Category:Living people

Category:Democratic Party members of the Virginia House of Delegates

Category:Politicians from Alexandria, Virginia

Category:Virginia lawyers

Category:Women state legislators in Virginia

Category:21st-century members of the Virginia General Assembly