Donna Charles
{{for|related races|2025 Virginia gubernatorial election}}
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{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox candidate
| image = File:1S7A3488-Edit DCharles supercropped.jpg
| birth_name = Donna Onike Charles
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1976}}
| birth_place = Elmhurst, Queens, New York, U.S.
| died =
| resting =
| education = Pennsylvania State University (BS)
Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (MA)
| website = [http://www.donnaforva.com Official website]
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Donna Charles (born 1976), is an American civil servant and political candidate.
Charles formally entered the race for governor of Virginia in May 2025{{cite web |last1=Schmidt |first1=Markus |title=From the top down, Virginia's 2025 elections are packed with contenders |url=https://virginiamercury.com/2025/04/08/from-the-top-down-virginias-2025-elections-are-packed-with-contenders/ |website=Virginia Mercury |date=April 8, 2025 |access-date=24 May 2025}} and is competing against former U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee,{{cite web |title=Earle-Sears, Spanberger secure nominations for Virginia Governor |url=https://www.12onyourside.com/2025/04/07/earle-sears-spanberger-secure-nominations-virginia-governor/ |website=12 on your side |date=April 7, 2025 |access-date=24 May 2025}} and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican nominee. If elected, she will become Virginia's first female governor and the first black female governor in U.S. history.{{Cite news |last=Vozzella |first=Laura |date=December 1, 2024 |title=Four Centuries In, Virginia Could Be On Track For Its First Woman Governor |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/12/01/virginia-woman-governor-earle-sears-spanberger-2025/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}{{cite web |last1=Norlian |first1=Allison |title=In 244 Years, America Has Never Elected A Black, Female Governor. Virginia's Jennifer Carroll Foy Could Change That. |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/allisonnorlian/2021/03/23/in-244-years-america-has-never-elected-a-black-female-governor-virginias-jennifer-carroll-foy-could-change-that/ |website=Forbes |access-date=24 May 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Chang |first1=Emily |title=New Jersey governor race heats up ahead of primary -- with Trump's impact on the line |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/new-jersey-governor-race-heats-ahead-primary-trumps/story?id=122079421 |website=ABC News |access-date=24 May 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Brent |title=New Jersey Primary Election 2025: What to know about this year's governor's race |url=https://www.nj.com/politics/primary/ |website=NJ.com |access-date=24 May 2025}}
Background
Donna Charles' background in public service is largely tied to her two decades of experience as a U.S. Air Force officer and a U.S. federal civil servant, during which time she was detailed to the National Security Council as a director for counterterrorism policy and operations.{{cite web |title=Donna Charles for Governor |url=https://donnaforva.com/ |website=donnaforva.com |access-date=24 May 2025}} Public records indicate that she served as a foreign affairs committee staffer for the U.S. House of Representatives.{{cite web |title=Donna Charles, Previously held position |url=https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/397626/Donna_Onike_Charles.html |website=LEGISTORM |access-date=24 May 2025}} Donna Charles has also served as an expert witness for the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence.{{cite web |title=Addressing the Rise of Terrorism in Africa |url=https://www.congress.gov/118/meeting/house/116390/documents/HHRG-118-HM05-WList-20230927.pdf |website=Congress.gov |access-date=25 May 2025}}{{cite web |title=SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING ON TERRORISM THREATS IN AFRICA |url=https://homeland.house.gov/2023/09/26/tomorrow-at-10am-subcommittee-hearing-on-terrorism-threats-in-africa/ |website=Homeland Security Committee|access-date=25 May 2025}}
Her platform as an independent candidate focuses on public safety, bolstering vocational education, and expanding healthcare in Virginia.{{cite web |title=Donna Charles for Governor |url=https://donnaforva.com/ |website=donnaforva.com |access-date=24 May 2025}} While Virginia has never elected an Independent to become governor, several states have done so in recent history, including Alaska, Rhode Island, Minnesota, and Maine.{{cite web |title=Third Party Candidates Successfully Elected As US State Governors |url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/third-party-candidates-successfully-elected-as-us-state-governors.html |website=World Atlas |date=June 5, 2017 |access-date=24 May 2025}}