Delegate Lee Carter (D-Manassas) isn’t shy about his liberal ideologies. “Ask me about Socialism,” his Twitter bio states. The former Marine hinted that he’s considering a run for governor in 2021 in a recent Twitter comment. If he does run, he will be running in a primary packed with other Democrats, likely including former Governor Terry McAuliffe, Senator Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond), Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, and Delegate Jennifer Carrol Foy (D-Prince William).
Carter’s run would come soon after U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-Richmond) censured Democrats in a post-election call.
“We lost members who shouldn’t have lost,” she said according to USA Today. “We need to not ever use the words ‘socialist’ or ‘socialism’ ever again because while people think it doesn’t matter, it does matter. And we lost good members because of that.”
“These ghouls absolutely always think the solution to their problems is “purge the left, move further right.’ They never – NEVER – think that people mistrust them because of all the things they agree with Trump on. And for Spanberger, that’s a lot of things,” Carter tweeted after the call was reported.
“There are two polar opposites in the 140 legislators and one of them is already running for governor and that’s [Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield.)] Now the other is Lee Carter. Both of them stick to their guns, pun intended,” said Senator Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond.) “[Chase] is all in for Trump, she is unabashedly conservative in all ways.”
Morrissey said Chase doesn’t waver.
“Similarly, with Lee Carter. I’m still wondering how an avowed socialist got elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. And I’m not saying that in any mean-spirited way at all, but he did, and then he got reelected, which surprised me,” he said.
“What I admire about Lee is that he too, sticks to his convictions,” Morrissey added. “Very liberal, ultra liberal, he’s a socialist. I don’t think that’s good for our country, because I’m a capitalist. But he is who he is, and I respect that more than the politicians, and we have too many of them, that flip back and forth depending on what their constituencies say or depending on what’s good for their own political future.”
Having a packed primary could help Carter win since he wouldn’t have to get a majority of votes, according to Morrissey. However, Carter could have a tough time in the general election since Virginia’s gubernatorial elections often swing opposite of the presidential election.
“There’s mainstream folk that will identify with Jennifer McClellan and Terry McAuliffe, mainstream Democrats.” Morrissey continued, “Then you’ve got Justin Fairfax and he has a large group of supporters, particularly those who feel that he was denied due process.”
Morrissey said he admires Foy. “She’s tough, she’s steely tough okay, and there’s a base for her,” the elected official said.
“Now you bring in Lee and there’s some folks in the Democratic Party that live and breath, the only issues that are important for them are the environment, abortion rights, anti-gun rights, and Green New Deal policies,” Morrissey said. “If it’s Liberal with a capital ‘L’, Lee’s for it and so are they.”
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Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Lee J. Carter” by Lee J. Carter. Background Photo “Virginia Capitol” by Skip Plitt – C’ville Photography. CC BY-SA 3.0.
