Virginia Rep. McClellan, gearing up for Trump 2.0, reflects on MLK’s legacy

Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan of Virginia talked about her reaction to the Richmond water crisis and how she works with people she disagrees with in Washington.

Fresh off a re–election victory in November, Representative Jennifer McClellan is back in Washington casting votes in a new session of Congress and gearing up for the second Trump Administration. 

McClellan handily won re-election in Virginia’s deep blue fourth congressional district, which is anchored by Richmond and stretches south to Emporia. In the opening weeks of her return to Congress, McClellan has introduced legislation focused on using drones to help fight wildfires, voted against anti-trans legislation, and attended the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter. 

McClellan is a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates and served in the Virginia Senate. She ran in the 2021 Democratic primary for governor that was ultimately won by former governor Terry McAuliffe, who went on to lose in the general election to Gov. Glenn Youngkin. McClellan’s time in Congress began in 2023. 

In an interview with The Dogwood, she reflected on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and how Democrats can work with Republicans and the incoming Trump Administration. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Q: January 20 is Trump’s second inauguration. It’s also Martin Luther King Jr. Day. What does the life and legacy of Dr. King mean today, and what can it offer Americans at a time when so many are feeling frustrated at the pace of progress?

A: I can’t help but think of the final thoughts that Dr. King had in the last year of his life, and that was, “Where do we go from here: chaos or community?” And with the Trump inaugural, we are going to see a lot of chaos, but we need to focus on ensuring that we are building a community – the beloved community that Dr. King fought for, that he died for, and that’s one of the things that motivated me to go into public service and will keep me focused in the next four years.

Q: What’s been your reaction to the Richmond water crisis and the response of local officials? 

A: As a Richmond resident and a mom, I was just as frustrated as all the other residents in the city and concerned about making sure that we got the water back on as quickly as possible. We will see what the after-action reports show. But I think it is clear that we have to invest in infrastructure. It’s not the most exciting issue, but it is the basic core function of government, and that’s why here in Congress, most of my community project funding grants have been for water infrastructure all across the district, including the city of Richmond. We will continue to focus on making sure, at the federal level at least, that we are giving our localities the resources they need to provide basic services like clean, drinkable water.

Q: What work are you excited about doing this session of Congress? 

A: I have a new committee this Congress. I’m on the Energy and Commerce Committee, and we are going to be on the front line of the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back all the progress we’ve made addressing the climate crisis. One of my top priorities is going to be to fight those efforts and to push to continue the transition to clean energy and to to protect our environment and protect our future.

Q: You recently wrote in your weekly newsletter that “as the first Black woman to represent Virginia in Congress” that you feel a “deep responsibility to share” your “unique perspective” and “advocate for policies that address disparities disproportionately impacting historically marginalized communities.” Many of your colleagues here in Washington and many of your former colleagues in Richmond do not want to talk about policies that address the disparities you are referring to and don’t think addressing them should be a priority. How do you overcome that level of disagreement?

A: That’s something I’ve been doing my entire career. The first step is to share my perspective and tell the stories of my parents living during Jim Crow during the Depression and my great grandfather having to take a literacy test just to be able to register to vote. When you share that perspective and explain that 300 years of the impact of slavery and Jim Crow did not go away with the wave of a magic wand with the Civil Rights Act, and you do it in a way that meets them where they are, with respect, and as Dr. King would say, with love – it may take a while, but eventually they will listen, and you may be able to stop a lot of the rollback.

Q: What should the role of the Democratic Party be in the second Trump administration?

A: We should be continuing to fight for our values and to put people over politics. Fight every day to help people and solve problems. I think we need to do a much better job of communicating our message to the American people everywhere where they receive information, and I think we are behind Republicans in doing that. We need to focus on catching up.

Q: What is your message to Virginians and to Americans who don’t have confidence Congress can address their daily challenges?

A: The vast majority of people here on both sides of the aisle are here to help people and solve problems. We may have very different views on what it takes to do that, but most of us are here for the right reasons. I wake up every day asking myself, “How can I help the people of the fourth district and solve their problems?” And a lot of that means that I need to meet you where you are, and I need to listen. My door is always open. Our phones are always available to be answered. I will do my part to keep you up to date on what I’m doing, and I ask you to share your views with me early and often.

Q: Turning to state politics, Virginia will vote on a new governor this November and for all 100 House of Delegates seats. What is your advice to the Virginia Democratic Party on what needs to be done to ensure Democrats are successful in the fall? 

A: Start early. Often, we wait until the last 100 days, at best, before reaching out to voters, but we should be doing that year round, and our candidates need to be meeting voters where they are, where they get their information, and not just relying on traditional means of TV commercials and mail. If we do that and have a clear message that is centering the people, they will respond and we will win.

Q: Your former colleague Abigail Spanberger is running for governor and there’s talk that one of your current colleagues, Rep. Bobby Scott, is mulling a run. Who do you think the Democratic nominee should be? 

A: I’m close friends with both of them, they’re colleagues. I would hate to lose Bobby here in Congress. Whichever one ends up the nominee, I’m going to support and do everything that I can to help them win.

Q: Do you think you’ll ever run for governor again? 

A:  I love this job. I never say, “Never.” But I love this job.