Jennifer McClellan

A force for progressive change

Congresswoman-elect Jennifer McClellan is a dedicated public servant who ran to represent Virginia’s 4th Congressional District and won. Her parents were community leaders and educators raised in the segregated South, so McClellan learned from a young age the importance of being a force for progressive change and serving her community. McClellan has spent over 17 years fighting for progress, justice, and equity in the Virginia General Assembly. She led the passage of the Reproductive Health Protection Act – making Virginia the first state in the South to proactively expand abortion rights – which eliminated mandatory ultrasounds, 24-hour waiting periods, and TRAP laws. As a community leader, she has served as a board member for a wide variety of civic organizations, including the Virginia League of Planned Parenthood, the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, and the Children’s Museum of Richmond. McClellan lives in Richmond with her husband and their two children, Jackson and Samantha. 

A public servant who gets things done

A lifelong advocate dedicated to igniting progressive change, McClellan brings a strong voice to Congress for the people of Virginia’s 4th Congressional District. McClellan has earned a reputation as someone who gets things done, leading the passage of landmark legislation protecting the right to choose, expanding health care access, growing small businesses, and protecting workers’ and voting rights., McClellan, who was a leader in the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and has passed over 300 bills, has said: “Lived experience matters – and so does legislative experience… I know how to bring people together and lead on day one.” EMILYs List is proud to support this exceptional leader as she advances justice and progress in the Commonwealth. 

A special election victory that made history

Jennifer McClellan won the Feb. 21 special election to represent Virginia’s 4th Congressional District. With the full support of the EMILYs List community behind her, McClellan protected this House seat and made history as the first Black woman elected to Congress from Virginia, and continuing her lifelong advocacy for a brighter future for every Virginian.