Jennifer Carroll Foy

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Jennifer Carroll Foy

| image = Jennifer Carroll Foy at volunteer appreciation event.jpg

| state_senate = Virginia

| district = 33rd

| term_start = January 10, 2024

| term_end =

| predecessor = Constituency established

| successor =

| state_delegate1 = Virginia

| district1 = 2nd

| term_start1 = January 10, 2018

| term_end1 = December 12, 2020

| predecessor1 = Mark Dudenhefer

| successor1 = Candi Mundon King

| birth_name = Jennifer Denise Carroll

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|9|25}}

| birth_place = Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| spouse = Jeffrey Foy

| children = 2

| education = Virginia Military Institute (BA)
Virginia State University (MA)
Thomas Jefferson School of Law (JD)

| caption = Carroll Foy in 2017

}}

Jennifer Denise Carroll Foy (born September 25, 1981) is an American politician and public defender serving in the Virginia Senate from the 33rd district since 2024. A Democrat, Carroll Foy previously served in the Virginia House of Delegates representing the 2nd district from 2017 until 2020. She resigned from the position in order to focus on her campaign for governor in the 2021 primary election, which she ultimately lost to Terry McAuliffe.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-08|title=Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy stepping down to focus on race for Virginia governor|url=https://www.wric.com/news/politics/del-jennifer-carroll-foy-expected-to-resign-from-house-seat-to-run-for-governor/|access-date=2020-12-08|website=8News|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208031612/https://www.wric.com/news/politics/del-jennifer-carroll-foy-expected-to-resign-from-house-seat-to-run-for-governor/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|title=Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy files paperwork to run for governor|url=https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/del-jennifer-carroll-foy-files-paperwork-to-run-for-governor/article_efc9b9cc-8799-553a-8fb8-080d77c964b1.html|first=Justin|last=Mattingly|website=Richmond Times-Dispatch|date=8 April 2020 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-26}}{{Cite web|title=Democrat Carroll Foy files to run for Virginia governor|url=https://www.fredericksburg.com/democrat-carroll-foy-files-to-run-for-virginia-governor/article_600bbeb7-0d6c-5efc-8f27-2842b17e6b67.html|first=Sarah|last=Rankin|agency=Associated Press|website=Fredericksburg.com|date=8 April 2020 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-26}}

Early life and education

Jennifer Carroll Foy was born and grew up in Petersburg, Virginia.{{Cite web|last=Leonor|first=Mel|date=May 27, 2020|title=Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy begins run for governor, says she is the 'right leader' for Virginia|url=https://richmond.com/del-jennifer-carroll-foy-begins-run-for-governor-says-she-is-the-right-leader-for/article_97039fc2-8a3d-554c-ae64-6d44199efe4d.html|access-date=2020-11-08|website=Richmond Times-Dispatch|language=en}} Raised by her grandmother, she graduated from Petersburg High School, where she participated in Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps.{{Cite web|last=Nicholson|first=Brooke|date=2020-07-01|title=Jennifer Carroll Foy Wants to be Virginia's First Female Governor|url=https://rvamag.com/politics/jennifer-carroll-foy-wants-to-be-virginias-first-female-governor.html|access-date=2020-11-09|website=RVA Mag|language=en-US}} She received her bachelor's degree from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in 2003. Part of the third class of female cadets to attend the university, she received a full scholarship.{{cite news |author=Feld, Lowell |work=Blue Virginia |url=http://bluevirginia.us/2017/09/video-rising-star-jennifer-carroll-foys-amazing-story-shows-women-can-do-anything |title=Video: Rising Star Jennifer Carroll Foy's Amazing Story Shows Women Can Do Anything] |date=September 17, 2017}} Carroll Foy received her master's degree from Virginia State University and a Juris Doctor degree from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego.[https://ballotpedia.org/Jennifer_Foy Jennifer Foy] at ballotpedia.org

Career

After graduating from law school, Carroll Foy spent time teaching and worked in Los Angeles as a litigation associate. She moved back to Virginia and opened a private practice that focused on criminal defense.{{Cite news|url=http://www.fredericksburg.com/news/local/stafford/democrat-jennifer-carroll-foy-enters-race-for-second-district-seat/article_ad3322ab-4b1f-5d93-abc4-8a47600dab1e.html|title=Democrat Jennifer Carroll Foy enters race for Second District seat|first=Amanda|last=Vicinanzo| publisher=The Free Lance-Star|work=Fredericksburg.com|access-date=2018-02-08|language=en}}

= Virginia House of Delegates =

In February 2017, Carroll Foy entered the race for the Second District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. In her 2017 campaign, Carroll Foy ran on expanding Medicaid, raising the minimum wage, increasing teacher pay, and criminal justice reform.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jennifercarrollfoy.org/issues/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017004247/https://www.jennifercarrollfoy.org/issues/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2017-10-17|publisher=Internet Archive Wayback Machine|title=Internet Archive Jennifer Carroll Foy Campaign Website}} In November 2017, Carroll Foy beat Republican Mike Makee, and became delegate of Virginia's Second district.{{Cite news|url=http://www.insidenova.com/news/election/foy-wins-open-seat-to-represent-nd-district-part-of/article_1e0f8428-c432-11e7-b1a0-bb4dcc9b2b1d.html|title=Foy wins open seat to represent 2nd District; part of sweeping Democratic victories|first=Alex |last=Koma|work=insidenova.com|access-date=2018-02-08|language=en}}

In the House of Delegates, Carroll Foy sat on the Courts of Justice, Finance, and Public Safety Committees.{{Cite web|url=http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+mbr+H292|title=LIS > Bill Tracking > Member > 2020 Session > Jennifer Carroll Foy|website=lis.virginia.gov|access-date=January 9, 2020}}

= 2021 gubernatorial campaign =

In 2020, Carroll Foy filed paperwork to seek the Democratic nomination in the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election.{{Cite web|last=Moomaw|first=Graham|title=Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy files paperwork to run for governor|url=https://www.virginiamercury.com/blog-va/del-jennifer-carroll-foy-files-paperwork-to-run-for-governor/|access-date=2020-05-26|website=Virginia Mercury|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|last=Vozzella|first=Laura|date=2020-05-27|title=Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy announces bid in Virginia governor's race|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/del-jennifer-carroll-foy-announces-bid-in-virginia-governors-race/2020/05/26/3b627e34-9f6a-11ea-b5c9-570a91917d8d_story.html|access-date=2020-06-30}} On December 8, 2020, she announced plans to resign from the House of Delegates in order to focus full-time on her gubernatorial campaign. Her resignation came into effect on December 12, 2020.{{cite news |title=Virginia Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy Steps Down to Focus on Governor Campaign |url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/politics/first-read-dmv/virginia-del-jennifer-carroll-foy-steps-down-to-focus-on-governor-campaign/2500500/ |access-date=8 December 2020 |work=NBC4 Washington |date=December 8, 2020}} She, like fellow candidate Jennifer McClellan, would've been the first female governor of Virginia, the second African-American governor after Douglas Wilder, and first African-American female governor of the United States if elected.{{Cite web|title=Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy files paperwork to run for governor|url=https://www.virginiamercury.com/blog-va/del-jennifer-carroll-foy-files-paperwork-to-run-for-governor/|last=Moomaw|first=Graham|website=Virginia Mercury|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-26}} However, former governor Terry McAuliffe won the Democratic primary.{{Cite web|title=DDHQ Election Results|url=https://results.decisiondeskhq.com/|access-date=2021-06-09|website=results.decisiondeskhq.com|language=en}}

= Virginia State Senate =

In 2023, she was elected to the Virginia Senate, defeating former delegate Hala Ayala in the Democratic primary with 62.85% and Republican candidate Michael Van Meter with nearly 63% of the vote in the general election.{{Cite web |author=Staff Reports |date=2023-11-07 |title=Jennifer Carroll Foy wins 33rd District Senate seat |url=https://www.princewilliamtimes.com/elections/jennifer-carroll-foy-wins-33rd-district-senate-seat/article_50fa6880-7c41-11ee-b953-4bd308f88c75.html |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=Prince William Times |language=en}}

Political positions

= Healthcare =

Carroll Foy voted to pass Medicaid expansion in the General Assembly in March 2018, expanding health insurance coverage for 400,000 Virginians.{{cite news |last=Moomaw |first=Graham |title= For Va. House Democratic freshmen, Medicaid expansion vote is payoff to 2017 campaigns |url=https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/for-va-house-s-democratic-freshmen-medicaid-expansion-vote-is/article_1aa1f3dd-436b-54be-94aa-26f07beb9299.html |date=March 30, 2018 |access-date=July 18, 2019}}

= Women's rights=

Carroll Foy proposed and passed the Equal Rights Amendment, making Virginia the 38th state to ratify the constitutional amendment.{{cite news |last1=Chappell |first1=Bill |title=Virginia Ratifies The Equal Rights Amendment, Decades After The Deadline |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/01/15/796754345/virginia-ratifies-the-equal-rights-amendment-decades-after-deadline |access-date=March 14, 2020 |publisher=National Public Radio |date=January 15, 2020}}

= Criminal justice =

A public defender, Carroll Foy has advocated for the reform of cash bail, criticizing what she called Virginia's "justice-for-profit system".{{Cite web|last=Hitchcock|first=Ben|date=2020-08-19|title=Aiming high: Jennifer Carroll Foy wants to fight for the little guy|url=https://www.c-ville.com/aiming-high-jennifer-carroll-foy-wants-to-fight-for-the-little-guy/|access-date=2020-11-08|website=C-VILLE Weekly|language=en}}

Carroll Foy initially abstained from voting on a 2020 proposal to reduce prison sentences, bringing Virginia's "earned sentence credit" program in line with other states.{{Cite web|last1=Oliver|first1=Ned|date=2020-10-26|title=Thousands of Virginia prisoners could be released early under new earned sentence credit program|url=https://www.virginiamercury.com/2020/10/26/thousands-of-virginia-prisoners-could-be-released-early-under-new-earned-sentence-credit-program/|access-date=2020-11-09|website=Virginia Mercury|language=en-US}} She eventually voted in favor of a significantly more conservative version of the bills.{{Cite web|title=LIS > Bill Tracking > > 2020 session: HB 5148 Earned sentence credits|url=https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?202+vot+HV0191+HB5148|access-date=2020-11-09|website=lis.virginia.gov}}

= Redistricting =

Carroll Foy supports third-party, commission-drawn legislative maps but opposed the amendment to the state constitution as proposed in 2020, saying she felt it was wrong to inscribe a “substandard” proposal in the constitution.

= Labor =

Carroll Foy has been an advocate for paid family and medical leave for all workers.

= Infrastructure =

Carroll Foy supports efforts to expand broadband access, particularly to southwest Virginia.

= Environment and climate change =

Carroll Foy was a chief co-patron of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which aims to shift Virginia's energy reliance to solely renewable sources over the next few decades{{cite web|title=Sunrise Movement endorses Jennifer Carroll Foy for Virginia governor |last=Janfaza |first=Rachel |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/22/politics/sunrise-movement-endorsement-virginia/index.html |publisher=CNN Politics |website= CNN |date=22 March 2021 |access-date=16 April 2021}}{{cite act|url=https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+HB1526 |title=HB 1526 Electric utility regulation; environmental goals. |legislature=Virginia General Assembly |access-date= April 16, 2021 |date= April 11, 2020}}

Personal life

She is married to Jeffrey Foy, whom she met at VMI. In July 2017, she gave birth to twin boys.Linda Feldmann. [https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2017/1110/In-Trump-era-a-sudden-flood-of-women-candidates In Trump era, a sudden flood of women candidates]. Christian Science Monitor. 10 Nov 2017.

Electoral history

class="wikitable" !Date !Election !Candidate !Party !Votes !%
colspan="6" \|Virginia House of Delegates, 2nd district
rowspan="2" \| June 13, 2017{{cite web \|title=House of Delegates District 2 \|url=https://www.vpap.org/offices/house-of-delegates-2/election/9148/ \|website=www.vpap.org \|publisher=Virginia Public Access Project \|access-date=March 14, 2020}} \| rowspan="2" align="center" \| Primary \| Jennifer Carroll Foy \| {{party shading/Democratic}} \| Democratic \| align="right" \| 2,182 \| align="right" \|50.14%
Josh King \| {{party shading/Democratic}} \| Democratic \| align="right" \| 2,170 \| align="right" \| 49.86%
rowspan="2" \|Nov 7, 2017{{Cite web\|url=https://www.vpap.org/offices/house-of-delegates-2/elections/?year_and_type=2017regular\|title=Elections: House of Delegates District 2\|website=www.vpap.org\|access-date=2019-07-18}} \| rowspan="2" align="center" \|General \|Jennifer Carroll Foy \| {{party shading/Democratic}} \|Democratic \| align="right" \|13,366 \| align="right" \|63.04%
Mike Makee \| {{party shading/Republican}} \|Republican \| align="right" \|7,803 \| align="right" \|36.80%
rowspan="2" \|Nov 5, 2019{{cite web \|title=Elections: House of Delegates District 2 \|url=https://www.vpap.org/offices/house-of-delegates-2/elections/?year_and_type=2019regular \|website=www.vpap.org \|publisher=Virginia Public Access Project \|access-date=March 14, 2020}} \|rowspan="2" align="center" \|General \|Jennifer Carroll Foy \|{{party shading/Democratic}} \|Democratic \|align="right" \|11,828 \|align="right" \|60.92%
Heather Mitchell \|{{party shading/Republican}} \|Republican \|align="right" \|7,563 \|align="right" \|38.95%
colspan="6" \|Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia
rowspan="5" \| June 8, 2021 {{cite web \|title=New York Times \|website=The New York Times \|date=8 June 2021 \|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/06/08/us/elections/results-virginia-primary-elections.html \|access-date=9 June 2021}} \| rowspan="5" align="center" \| Primary \| Terry McAuliffe \| {{party shading/Democratic}} \| Democratic \| align="right" \| 300,236 \| align="right" \|62.17%
Jennifer Carroll Foy \| {{party shading/Democratic}} \| Democratic \| align="right" \| 95,873 \| align="right" \| 19.85%
Jennifer McClellan \| {{party shading/Democratic}} \| Democratic \| align="right" \| 56,258 \| align="right" \| 11.65%
Justin Fairfax \| {{party shading/Democratic}} \| Democratic \| align="right" \| 17,106 \| align="right" \| 3.54%
Lee J. Carter \| {{party shading/Democratic}} \| Democratic \| align="right" \| 13,446 \| align="right" \| 2.78%
colspan="6" \| Virginia Senate, 33rd district {{cite web \|title=Virginia Department of Elections \|url=https://enr.elections.virginia.gov/results/public/Virginia/elections/2023-Nov-Gen \|access-date=9 October 2024}}
rowspan = "3" \| November 7, 2023 \| rowspan="3" align="center" \| Primary
Jennifer Carroll Foy \| {{party shading/Democratic}} \| Democratic \| align="right" \| 9,627 \| align="right" \| 62.85%
Hala Ayala \| {{party shading/Democratic}} \|Democratic \| align="right" \|5,691 \| align="right" \|36.85%
rowspan = "3" \| November 7, 2023 \| rowspan="3" align="center" \| General
Jennifer Carroll Foy \| {{party shading/Democratic}} \| Democratic \| align="right" \| 35,003 \| align="right" \| 62.85%
Mike L. Van Meter \| {{party shading/Republican}} \|Republican \| align="right" \|20,525 \| align="right" \|36.85%

class="wikitable"

!Date

!Election

!Candidate

!Party

!Votes

colspan="6" |Virginia House of Delegates, 2nd district

rowspan="2" | June 13, 2017{{cite web |title=House of Delegates District 2 |url=https://www.vpap.org/offices/house-of-delegates-2/election/9148/ |website=www.vpap.org |publisher=Virginia Public Access Project |access-date=March 14, 2020}}

| rowspan="2" align="center" | Primary

| Jennifer Carroll Foy

| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| align="right" | 2,182

| align="right" |50.14%

Josh King

| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| align="right" | 2,170

| align="right" | 49.86%

rowspan="2" |Nov 7, 2017{{Cite web|url=https://www.vpap.org/offices/house-of-delegates-2/elections/?year_and_type=2017regular|title=Elections: House of Delegates District 2|website=www.vpap.org|access-date=2019-07-18}}

| rowspan="2" align="center" |General

|Jennifer Carroll Foy

| {{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

| align="right" |13,366

| align="right" |63.04%

Mike Makee

| {{party shading/Republican}} |Republican

| align="right" |7,803

| align="right" |36.80%

rowspan="2" |Nov 5, 2019{{cite web |title=Elections: House of Delegates District 2 |url=https://www.vpap.org/offices/house-of-delegates-2/elections/?year_and_type=2019regular |website=www.vpap.org |publisher=Virginia Public Access Project |access-date=March 14, 2020}}

|rowspan="2" align="center" |General

|Jennifer Carroll Foy

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

|align="right" |11,828

|align="right" |60.92%

Heather Mitchell

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Republican

|align="right" |7,563

|align="right" |38.95%

colspan="6" |Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia

rowspan="5" | June 8, 2021 {{cite web |title=New York Times |website=The New York Times |date=8 June 2021 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/06/08/us/elections/results-virginia-primary-elections.html |access-date=9 June 2021}}

| rowspan="5" align="center" | Primary

| Terry McAuliffe

| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| align="right" | 300,236

| align="right" |62.17%

Jennifer Carroll Foy

| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| align="right" | 95,873

| align="right" | 19.85%

Jennifer McClellan

| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| align="right" | 56,258

| align="right" | 11.65%

Justin Fairfax

| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| align="right" | 17,106

| align="right" | 3.54%

Lee J. Carter

| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| align="right" | 13,446

| align="right" | 2.78%

colspan="6" | Virginia Senate, 33rd district {{cite web |title=Virginia Department of Elections |url=https://enr.elections.virginia.gov/results/public/Virginia/elections/2023-Nov-Gen |access-date=9 October 2024}}

rowspan = "3" | November 7, 2023

| rowspan="3" align="center" | Primary

Jennifer Carroll Foy

| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| align="right" | 9,627

| align="right" | 62.85%

Hala Ayala

| {{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

| align="right" |5,691

| align="right" |36.85%

rowspan = "3" | November 7, 2023

| rowspan="3" align="center" | General