Campaign Website: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/

Campaign POC:

Phone Number: 

Campaign Email: info@friendsofjenniferlewis.com

Vetting Panel Selected: NA

Structured Interview Completed: Refused

Biography: Jennifer Lewis is a mental health worker, community advocate, and was a leader in the fight against the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. She’s been a civically active member of her community in Augusta County and Waynesboro, volunteering for various local groups, serving on boards and commissions, and fighting on the front lines for the values of the valley. 

Jennifer grew up on a small, family-owned dairy farm where she spent summers unloading hay and picking rock. She attended SUNY Oneonta in New York where she met her husband, Ben. After college, Jennifer worked for a violence intervention program as a rape counselor and as a counselor at the domestic violence safe house. She later continued her professional career working in the Virginia public school system, providing mental health services to at-risk youth. She currently works with adults with mental illness who are transitioning from inpatient care back into the community where they can thrive.

Jennifer has volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club and Big Brother Big Sister, winning “Big” of the Year in 2009. She’s served as Chair of the Waynesboro Parks and Recreation Board for ten years, was a elected member of the Headwaters Soil and Water Conversation Board, and was a board member for the Office on Youth for six years. She currently volunteers with New Directions, is a board member for Valley Hope Counseling, Waynesboro Cultural Commission, and the Arc of Augusta. Jennifer also runs a Free Pantry in Waynesboro and delivers fresh food in partnership with Augusta Health and AMI to elderly neighbors in need.

Jennifer lives in Waynesboro, Virginia with her husband, Ben, and their dog and four cats. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

Why you? No answer provided.

What are your priorities?

HEALTHCARE
Healthcare is a human right. No one should be in debt, go bankrupt, or die because of a lack of insurance. Jennifer supports Medicare for All, keeping prescription drug prices low, reducing premiums, enhancing the quality of care, and safeguarding those with preexisting conditions.

Mental health and addiction services also must be prioritized and fully funded. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

ENVIRONMENT
In addition to her long standing opposition to the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines, Jennifer supports reforming FERC, prioritizing clean and renewable energy, rejecting contributions from Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power and other fossil fuel industries. Our priorities should be removing our dependency on fossil fuels and moving towards a clean energy future. Jennifer supports achieving 100% clean and renewable energy by 2050. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
Our criminal justice system needs to be reformed. Jennifer supports widespread reform beginning with reducing mandatory minimums for non-violent offenders, implementing and emphasizing treatment for those who suffer from addiction and mental illness, and abolishing for-profit prisons. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

WORKING FAMILIES
The working class doesn’t deserve to work paycheck-to-paycheck and to be continually exploited. Jennifer supports raising the federal minimum wage to $15, supports reducing all unfair discrepancies in pay between men and women. Jennifer supports the PRO Act protecting workers’ right to unionize and collectively bargain. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

One job should be enough.

LGBTQIA+ RIGHTS
Love is love. Our family, friends, and neighbors shouldn’t be told to deny who they identify as or with – they deserve fair and equal treatment under law. Jennifer supports non-discrimination protections to the LGBTQIA+ community in educational settings, credit, housing, employment, jury duty, public services, and federally funded programs. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

MARIJUANA & HEMP
Jennifer supports legalization of medicinal and recreational marijuana for adult use. Jennifer supports the legal cultivation of hemp and supports the Industrial Hemp Farming Act. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

OPIOID CRISIS
Jennifer’s professional experience in mental health illustrates to her the lack of resources at the community level. She supports increased funding for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation – but also insists on holding pharmaceutical companies accountable. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

INFRASTRUCTURE & RURAL BROADBAND
We need to increase capital lending to small businesses and expand high-speed broadband networks throughout the district. Internet should be accessible to all. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

VETERANS
Our veterans deserve our respect, regardless of our views of any specific conflict. And when they return home, or leave the service, we need to take care of them and provide the tools and resources they need to thrive as civilians. Jennifer supports improving the educational benefits in the post-9/11 GI Bill and is particularly passionate about helping veterans with homelessness, depression, and PTSD. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

EDUCATION
The schools in our district need to be well-funded. We need to transition from the idea of success to attending a four-year university or college and that vocational training and education is equally important. I support a tuition free community college and public universities and colleges – our children and families shouldn’t be living their lives in debt. We must inject money into our crumbling schools of the sixth district in the least burdensome way to localities and taxpayers, improve and increase teacher, administrative, and support staff pay, improve and increase areas in need of funding such as technology, nutrition, and after school programs. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

FARMS AND AGRICULTURE
Jennifer comes from a farming family, and she understands the stress and strains endured by family farms. She wants to encourage policies that allow farms to sell directly to consumers and restaurants. Just like in other industries, corporate conglomeration and monopolization has led to large agribusiness crushing competition from smaller farms. We must protect small family farms and agricultural businesses from being impacted by big ag and big greed. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

VOTING RIGHTS
The right to vote is fundamental to democracy. Jennifer supports automatic voter registration, same-day voter registration, restoration of rights, and election day being a federal holiday. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

Endorsements: Refused to answer. 

Education: Attended SUNY Oneonta in New York. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

Relevant Employment History: See above biography.

Military Experience / Branch / Years of Service / Rank / Type of Discharge: Refused to answer.

Past Offices Held and Tenure: Refused to answer.

Community Service: Refused to answer. 

Leadership Experience: Refused to answer. 

Personal Strengths: Refused to answer. 

What is the most important thing Virginians need to know about you? Refused to answer.

How would your friends and family describe you? Refused to answer. 

What are your thoughts on the Constitution as the Law of the Land? Refused to answer. Professes values contrary to values and beliefs of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

What are your thoughts on religious liberty? Refused to answer. No mention of the religious liberty in published information. Professes values contrary to values and beliefs of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

What are your thoughts on the preservation of our history? Refused to answer. No mention of the preservation of history  in published information. Professes values contrary to values and beliefs of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

What are your thought on government transparency? Refused to answer. No mention of government transparency in published information. Professes values contrary to values and beliefs of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

What are your thoughts on national defense? Refused to answer. No mention of  national security in published information except for support for veterans. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

VETERANS
Our veterans deserve our respect, regardless of our views of any specific conflict. And when they return home, or leave the service, we need to take care of them and provide the tools and resources they need to thrive as civilians. Jennifer supports improving the educational benefits in the post-9/11 GI Bill and is particularly passionate about helping veterans with homelessness, depression, and PTSD. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

What are your thoughts on the free enterprise system? Refused to answer. Professes values contrary to values and beliefs of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

What are your thoughts on the protection of the unborn? Refused to answer. No mention of the protection of the unborn  in published information. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

What are your thoughts on the role the family plays in America? Refused to answer. No mention of the family in published information. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

What are your thoughts on equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity, as opposed to equal outcomes? Refused to answer. Professes values contrary to values and beliefs of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

What are your thoughts on the 2nd Amendment? Refused to answer. Professes values contrary to values and beliefs of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://www.friendsofjenniferlewis.com/)

Virginia Constitutional Conservatives Candidate Survey 2022– CANDIDATE REFUSED TO ANSWER
(https://virginiaconservatives.net/candidate-survey-2022#results_anchor)

 
Additional sources of information on this candidate:

Virginia Constitutional Conservatives Candidate Survey 2022– CANDIDATE REFUSED TO ANSWER
(https://virginiaconservatives.net/candidate-survey-2022#results_anchor)