Ahead of this year’s crucial elections in the House of Delegates and State Senate, Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy (D-Prince William) has formed a political action committee to help elect Democrats in both chambers.

Carroll Foy was swept into office in 2017’s historic blue wave, which reduced Republicans’ majority in the House of Delegates to two seats.

On the heels of 2017’s successes, Carroll Foy told the Washington Post that the goal of her new Virginia for Everyone PAC is to help Democrats gain control of both the House of Delegates and State Senate in this fall’s elections.

Carroll Foy becomes the second female legislator in as many weeks to launch a PAC, sparking rumors that she, like State Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond), is planning a run for statewide office in 2021.

Carroll Foy left her mark on the House during her freshman term by voting to expand Medicaid, pushing for the Equal Rights Amendment in the face of Republican opposition, and speaking out on criminal justice reform.

Should she run for statewide office and win, not only would she be the first woman of color to hold statewide office, but also the first to even obtain the nomination of either major party.

Despite the rumors surrounding her intentions to run for higher office, Carroll Foy has said she is focused on winning this fall’s election before making any decisions on her future.

Carroll Foy also intends for her PAC to help other Democrats fundraise, especially those who may not be front and center on the state party’s radar, as well as candidates running for local office.

“I want to be able to take the experience I gained . . . from the 2017 elections, where we won big. A lot of that was attributed to the huge turnout from women and young people and people of color, and we’re making sure our efforts are also focused on those groups,” Carroll Foy told the Post.

Should Democrats gain control of both houses of the General Assembly, it would be the first time since 1993 that they controlled the Governor’s mansion and the General Assembly at the same time.

Photo © VCU Capital News Service