PETERSBURG — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer Carroll Foy returned to her roots in the city Saturday where she rallied with campaign supporters and picked up endorsements from Petersburg’s mayor and vice mayor.
In a day that started with a visit to her childhood home in the city, Carroll Foy also visited Razor Sharp barber shop. This was her first trip back as a gubernatorial candidato the place where she got her hair cut en route to becoming among the first women cadets at Virginia Military Institute in 1999.
The former state delegate from Prince William County also visited Trapezium where she had a gathering with her supporters, and several businesses on Sycamore Street that faced economic challenges from the pandemic.
Carroll Foy is one of five Democrats running for the party’s nomination for governor. She and state Sen. Jennifer McClellan of Richmond, who also is a Petersburg native, are hoping to become the first Black woman to win the Executive Mansion.
A poll last week from the Wason Center for Civic Leadership at Christopher Newport University had Carroll Foy and McClellan tied for third among Democratic voters in Virginia ahead of the summer primary.
Carroll Foy said that she will be the candidate to represent communities like Petersburg that have been left behind by state politicians in recent decades.
“My family still lives in Petersburg. The community is still in my heart. It’s where I was born and bred and its why I’m running for governor. Because so many politicians have made false promises that have left communities like Petersburg, Pulaski and Portsmouth behind,” Carroll Foy said. “The wealthy and well-connected have a lot of reputation in Richmond, but now is our time. When I say our, I say the community that has been put aside and marginalized.”
As a delegate, Carroll Foy said she has a track record of introducing progressive legislation focused on civil rights. She pushed for a constitutional amendment that would restore voting and civil rights to persons convicted of non-violent felonies. She also introduced a bill that would allow possession of a small amount of marijuana for personal use, and another that would establish a “resiliency hub” pilot program to assist vulnerable communities in emergency situations.
Carroll Foy said she supports legislation that would make income taxes refundable to people who earn under $20,000 a year.
“(They) can get that money back to pay for child care, transportation, put food on the table,” Carroll Foy said.
She also expressed interest in the SHINE program, founded by Southside Virginia Community College. The program gives students a 2-week introduction to the solar installation field while connecting them directly to solar developers and construction companies. Carroll Foy says this program is ready for 15,000 jobs over the next 15 years.
Speaking specifically about Petersburg, Carroll Foy talked about ending the digital divide. By the end of a potential governorship, she wants 97% of Virginia houses to have high-speed internet access. She also talked about ending the educational divide by having early childhood education available for every three and four year old.
“Those are things that are really going to help all families be able to thrive. What we do know is that this broken status quo has left so many Virginia families behind. And now it’s time for change,” Carroll Foy said.
Petersburg Mayor Samuel Parham and Vice-Mayor Annette Smith-Lee offered official endorsements for Carroll Foy’s campaign. Parham said that Carroll Foy is a great example for the youth in Petersburg.
“It’s great to be a part of history in the making. Having an intelligent person who happens to be a black female from Petersburg being able to reach the governors’ seat sets precedent for all of our young boys and girls in Petersburg to know that they can, that the sky’s the limit,” Parham said.
He added that Carroll Foy will be an asset in meeting some of Petersburg’s most pressing challenges, namely housing challenges, health disparities and the wealth gap, with an average household income 61% below the national average.
“I’m just happy and ecstatic about the future. Having Jennifer Carroll Foy as governor will really push Petersburg back into where we’re supposed to be,” Parham said. “That is being one of the economic hubs and a place where you come to be where dreams can be fulfilled.”