Jennifer Carroll Foy Beat the Establishment and is Back in the Game #Virginia
WOODBRIDGE, VA — When attorney and former Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy ran in the 2021 primary for Governor no one predicted she would come in second in a five person race. 🏃🏾♂️ Though her second place finish was distant behind first place finisher and former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, it was still a strong 90,000-vote-plus showing for the former member of the House of Delegates who had just arrived in the General Assembly in 2018.
This past Tuesday on June 20, Foy beat back the establishment wing of the party and handed Dominion Energy a defeat in a key Senate District. With the help of a coalition comprised of grassroots support, labor, and Clean Virginia Foy won decisively. In a pro-business Virginia, the coalition of labor groups who strongly backed Foy is noteworthy.
Foy’s resume stands out as a graduate of Virginia Military Institute (VMI) and as a practicing attorney. She graduated in the third class of cadets that included women for the first time in VMI’s history. She then went on to become a criminal defense attorney — rare in today’s politics that often value “tough on crime” messaging and lawyers with prosecutorial backgrounds over defense attorneys.
As a Delegate in the General Assembly, Foy worked on passing the ERA, pushed for progressive justice reform, including reforming cash bail, and worked for paid family and medical leave for all workers. She then ran for Governor in 2021 in what would have been a historic victory to be the first woman Governor of Virginia. So why is it that two former Governors — McAuliffe and Ralph Northam — strongly supported Foy’s opponent, former Delegate and Lt. Governor candidate Hala Ayala? Perhaps it was because Ayala was a running mate for McAuliffe in 2021? Maybe it was because Foy took McAuliffe to task on campaign finance ethics and during the 2021 primary debates?
Whatever the reason, two former Governors campaigning against a Black woman who has “rising star” potential at only 41 years old in a contested primary is noteworthy. Foy is clearly a contender for higher office in Virginia in the future. The establishment opposition was clear.
In a competitive primary cycle brought on by redistricting, it was rare to see McAuliffe or Northam endorse anyone. Many stay away from endorsing in competitive primary races. Interestingly, McAuliffe remained silent on the contest between State Senator L. Louise Lucas and State Senator Lionell Spruill even though Lucas served as McAuliffe’s campaign co-chair in his 2021 race for Governor.
The lines drawn between Foy and Ayala also included the classic Dominion vs. Clean Virginia set up — with Foy being assisted by Clean Virginia and Ayala taking Dominion’s money. Foy did top Ayala in fundraising overall. Dominion Energy’s donations dominate the Democratic Party of Virginia and politics in general with millions in donations to both the Democratic House and Senate caucuses and their leadership over the last decade.
“VA Dems had a chance to shut out Dominion money for good after candidates who swore off their money helped win a trifecta in 2019. But Dominion is spending heavily to back Dems this cycle, including Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam’s pick in SD33,” declared The Intercept a week before the primary.
Despite the money being high on both sides and the establishment pushback, Foy won. Despite the odd reality of a fellow VMI graduate, Governor Northam, endorsing her opponent, Foy won. Despite the history in southern politics and Black candidates with ambitious profiles, Foy won. There’s likely more wins ahead.
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Terry and Ralph can go pound sand as far as I'm concerned. Had enough of both of them. Delighted to see Foy back in office.