Virginia Foxx

Virginia Ann Foxx ( Palmieri; born June 29, 1943) is an American educator, businesswoman, and politician serving as the U.S. representative from NC's 5th congressional district since 2005.

She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor's degree in 1968 and later earned both a Master of Arts in college teaching (1972) and an Ed.D (1985) from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Foxx and her husband owned and operated a nursery and landscaping business.

Foxx worked as a research assistant and then an English instructor at Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute and Appalachian State University before moving into university administration.

From 1987 until her 1994 entry into politics, she was president of Mayland Community College.

Under North Carolina Governor James G. Martin, Foxx served as Deputy Secretary for Management.

From 1994 to 2004, she served in the North Carolina Senate.

Foxx was first elected to the U.S. House in 2004, defeating Jim Harrell, Jr. with 59% of the vote.

In September 2005, Foxx was one of 11 members of Congress to vote against the $51 billion aid package to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Foxx was briefly targeted for defeat in the 2006 elections, but the Democrats' top choice, Winston-Salem mayor Allen Joines, decided not to run.

Joines later said he lacked the stomach for the kind of race he felt it would take to defeat Foxx.

Her 2006 opponent was Roger Sharpe, whom she defeated.

In a 2007 interview, Foxx said, "We have the best economy we have had in 50 years."

Roy Carter of Ashe County was Foxx's opponent in the 2008 election; she won by a substantial margin.

In 2010, Foxx was reelected with about 65% of the vote.

A member of the Republican Party, Foxx served as Secretary of the House Republican Conference from 2013 to 2017.

In January 2013, Foxx co-sponsored legislation that would stop children born in the United States to undocumented parents from gaining citizenship.

In 2014, Foxx was reelected with about 60% of the vote, defeating software developer Josh Brannon.

In 2014 Foxx was asked whether there were any conditions under which she considered abortion acceptable.

She replied that, even in the case of rape, incest, or the health of the mother, no exception should be made to justify abortion.

In 2016, Foxx was reelected with about 59% of the vote, again over Brannon.

In 2018, Foxx was reelected with 57% of the vote, defeating DD Adams, a council member for the North Ward of Winston-Salem.

She was the ranking member of the House Committee on Education and Labor from 2019 to 2023, and served as the committee's chair from 2017 to 2019 and since 2023.

Foxx's district encompasses much of the northwestern portion of the state, including most of the city of Winston-Salem.

She is the dean of North Carolina's congressional delegation.

Foxx was born in the Bronx borough of New York City, to Dollie (née Garrison) and Nunzio John Palmieri.

She was raised in a rural area of Avery County, North Carolina.

Foxx grew up in a poor family and first lived in a home with running water and electricity at age 14.

While attending Crossnore High School in Crossnore, North Carolina, Foxx worked as a janitor at the school and was the first in her family to graduate from high school.

On December 18, 2019, Foxx voted against both articles of impeachment (abuse of power and obstruction of Congress) of President Donald Trump.

In May 2021, Foxx became the fifth Republican representative to be fined for evading metal detectors put in place outside the chamber after the January 2021 storming of the Capitol.

Foxx ran through the magnetometer, setting it off, and ignored officers attempting to prevent her entering the House floor.

Foxx has been known for frequently scolding reporters and staff for being on or near members-only elevators in Capitol buildings.

In October 2023 while amongst Republicans gathered for a press conference for then-House speaker nominee Mike Johnson, she was scrutinized for screaming at a reporter to "go away" and "shut up" when he was asked to speak about his efforts to overturn the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.

Foxx opposes legal access to abortion.

She voted for a bill to repeal a rule requiring state and local governments to distribute federal funds to qualified health centers, even if they perform abortions.

In the 2020 general election, Foxx won over 66% of the vote, defeating Democrat David Brown.

In 2022, Foxx sought re-election in the redrawn 5th congressional district, which favored Republicans.

Foxx was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in 2021.

She defeated Democrat Kyle Parrish, 63.2–36.8%.