Article co-written by Alex Sakes

Delegate Lee J. Carter, who was elected to the 50th District in the Virginia House of Delegates in 2017, announced on Friday that he plans to enter Democratic Primary to become Virginia’s next Governor.

Carter first hinted at his gubernatorial aspirations in mid-November, and at the beginning of December, he told The PW Perspective, “I’m considering running for governor, but the decision on whether or not to run will be based on what I hear from the declared candidates.”

“For too long, we’ve listened to career politicians and pundits tell us that there is no other way,” Carter said in his launch video. “But no more. In this primary, we can finally pick a Governor that will fight for the rest of us.”

Carter, an information technology specialist and former Marine, is the only Democratic Socialist elected to the Virginia General Assembly. He has used his time in office to advocate for healthcare and labor reforms as well as changes to the criminal justice system.

Throughout his tenure in the House of Delegates, Carter has introduced legislation to reform workers’ compensation, allow teachers to strike, repeal the anti-worker “right to work” law, legalize recreational cannabis, end cash bail, and abolish the death penalty in Virginia.

If elected, he would be the first socialist elected Governor of the Commonwealth, and at 33-years-old, he would be one of Virginia’s youngest governors, if not the youngest.

Pitching an initial ask for donations, Carter remarked on Twitter: “Now for the big ask: we’re starting from scratch & only have 12 days before the G.A. session starts and we have to stop accepting donations. I don’t take $ from for-profit corporations or industry interest groups. Never have, never will. Join us here!”

Carter enters an ever-widening candidate field, flanked by Jennifer Carroll Foy, State Senator Jennifer McClellan, Former Governor Terry McAuliffe, and Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax. Carter is now one of two white candidates, running in a predominantly Black primary.

Michael Allers, Jr. is currently the only candidate who has announced his intention to run for Carter’s seat in the 50th District. A moderate Republican, Allers is a teacher who says that his campaign will be focused on Second Amendment Rights, education reform, and reforms for Virginia’s first responders.

You can learn more about Carter’s background and priorities at the following link.