Jennifer L. McClellan
U.S. House · VA-4 · Democrats · since 2025
alsoCandidate for U.S. House · VA-4
Biography
Overview
Jennifer L. McClellan is a Democrat representing Virginia's 4th congressional district in the U.S. House since 2023. She is an attorney and the first Black woman elected to Congress from Virginia. Before her federal election, she served in the Virginia State Senate (2017-2023) and Virginia House of Delegates (2006-2017). She is known for legislative work on voting rights, reproductive rights, and criminal justice reform.
Career
In the Virginia State Senate, McClellan sponsored the Virginia Clean Economy Act and the Voting Rights Act of Virginia, both signed into law. She co-sponsored the Repeal Act to modify abortion restrictions and introduced legislation to address the school-to-prison pipeline. In the House, her recent legislative efforts focus on infrastructure (AI networks, soil carbon research), education (teacher grants, student pathways), veterans' services, and governance transparency (immigration detention tracking, employee protection for federal health agencies).
Prior political experience
McClellan won her first state legislative election in 2005 for the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 71st district. She was elected to the Virginia State Senate in a special election on January 10, 2017, to fill the 9th district seat. In the 2023 special election for Virginia's 4th U.S. House district, she won the Democratic primary on December 20, 2022, then won the general election on February 21, 2023, with 74.4% of the vote, defeating Republican Leon Benjamin. She was sworn in on March 7, 2023. She ran in the 2021 Democratic gubernatorial primary but did not advance past the first round of voting.
Biographical material adapted from the Wikipedia article (retrieved April 29, 2026), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Ideology
Liberal–Conservative (DW-NOMINATE dim 1)
Secondary axis (DW-NOMINATE dim 2)(?)
Campaigns targeting Jennifer L. McClellan
No active campaigns target Jennifer L. McClellan right now.
Start a campaign targeting Jennifer L. McClellanOfficeholding history
| Term | Seat | Term dates | Termination | Predecessor | Successor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | U.S. House VA-4 | 2025–present | In progress | Jennifer L. McClellan | — |
| 1st | U.S. House VA-4 | 2023–2025 | Term ended | — | Jennifer L. McClellan |
Committee assignments
- EnergyHouse· 2025–present
- Communications and TechnologyHouse· 2025–present
- House· 2025–present
Current term legislation
Bills sponsored this term10
- H.R. 7783
AI-Ready Networks Act
Mar 4, 2026IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 7676
Career-Connected Learning Pathways Act of 2026
Feb 25, 2026IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 7341
GRAD Act
Feb 4, 2026IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 5965
Student Veteran Work Study Modernization Act
Nov 7, 2025IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 5327
Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia Federal Recognition Act
Sep 11, 2025IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 5243
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase data transparency for supplemental benefits under Medicare Advantage.
Sep 10, 2025IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 4894
Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2025
Aug 5, 2025IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 4703
To establish a system to track, record, and report all instances in which a United States citizen or individual lawfully admitted for permanent resident was, for the purpose of immigration enforcement, detained or removed by the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.
Jul 23, 2025IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 3574
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permit qualified distributions from section 529 plans for certain transportation and parking expenses.
May 23, 2025IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 3266
Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2025
May 8, 2025IN_COMMITTEE
Bills cosponsored this term10
- H.R. 8484
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for emergency grants to safeguard essential health care workers, and for other purposes.
Apr 23, 2026IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 8446
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to connect individuals seeking to transition away from farming with individuals seeking to become farmers, and for other purposes.
Apr 22, 2026IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 8397
To protect Moms and babies against climate change, and for other purposes.
Apr 21, 2026IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 8256
Senior Hunger Prevention Act of 2026
Apr 14, 2026IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 8241
Power for the People Act of 2026
Apr 9, 2026IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 8153
Maternal Vaccination Act
Mar 27, 2026IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 8074
Kira Johnson Act
Mar 25, 2026IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 8055
Extending WIC for New Moms Act
Mar 24, 2026IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 7977
To provide relief from high energy bills, and for other purposes.
Mar 18, 2026IN_COMMITTEE - H.R. 7985
CHATBOT Act
Mar 18, 2026IN_COMMITTEE
Elections
| Year | Seat | Result | Vote share | Field |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | Pending | — | — |