Jennifer L. McClellan
DemocratU.S. Representative, VA-4| Age | 53 (b. 1972-12-28) |
| Gender | Female |
| In office since | 2023-03-07 (~3 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | African American |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
| Education | Valedictorian of Matoaca High School (Chesterfield County, VA), 1990; B.A. in English and Political Science, University of Richmond, 1994; J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 1997 |
| Prior occupation | Attorney; worked at Hunton & Williams law firm and served as regulatory counsel for Verizon Communications before and during her state legislative career |
| Military service | No |
| Birthplace | Petersburg, Virginia |
| Marital status | married — David Mills |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Richmond, Virginia |
| Notable relatives | Father James Fennimore McClellan Jr. was a professor at Virginia State University; mother Lois Dedeaux McClellan was a counselor at VSU; both were civil rights activists. No relatives in elected politics. |
Pending research: languages · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2005 |
| Previous offices | Member, Virginia House of Delegates (71st District), January 11, 2006 – January 13, 2017 · Member, Virginia State Senate (9th District), January 13, 2017 – March 7, 2023 |
| Committees | Committee on Energy and Commerce (119th Congress, 2025-2026) — Subcommittee on Communications and Technology; Subcommittee on Energy |
| Caucuses | Congressional Black Caucus · Congressional Progressive Caucus · Congressional Equality Caucus · Black Maternal Health Caucus · Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment (vice chair) · Congressional Ukraine Caucus · New Democrat Coalition |
| Leadership | Vice chair, Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment |
| Ideology | Democrat; member of both the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the centrist New Democrat Coalition; generally votes with the Democratic caucus |
| Signature legislation | Virginia Clean Economy Act (state legislation, signed into law) — chief sponsor as state senator · Voting Rights Act of Virginia (state legislation, signed into law) — chief sponsor as state senator · H.R. 5327, Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia Federal Recognition Act (introduced in Congress) · Supporting Healthy Moms and Babies Act (bipartisan, introduced in Congress) |
Financial
Net worth: estimate
| Verizon Communications (VZ) common stock | stock · $100,001–$250,000 · 2026 |
Scandals & crimes ledger
No recorded incidents. Under the adjudicated-only methodology, an entry appears only when a court or official body has formally acted and the record is cited.