Why I'm Running:
A Fair Shot Forward.
I’m running because I know what it means to grow up watching your parents work multiple jobs just to get by and how powerful a good education and a strong community can be in changing a child’s future. As a mother, a public servant, and a lifelong North Carolinian, I’ve seen firsthand that when leaders show up and listen, kids and working families thrive. I first ran to be a voice for students who were being overlooked, especially Black and brown children, and that commitment has guided me at every level of service. In Congress, I’m running to keep fighting for opportunity, dignity, and a future where everyone has a fair shot.
Valerie's story
Valerie Foushee was born and raised in Orange County, North Carolina. She was the oldest of six children. Her parents worked multiple jobs to make ends meet, but instilled in her the value of hard work, public service, and never forgetting where you come from- lessons she carries into every fight.
As a parent to young children in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, she would leave work at the Chapel Hill Police Department at 7:00 am and work in her children’s classroom until 9:00 am. It was through that volunteer service that she knew kids, especially Black and brown kids, needed a champion on the School Board who was always looking out for them and their success. So she ran, and she won.
Valerie went from serving on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board to being the first Black woman elected to the Orange County Board of Commissioners, to serving in the North Carolina State House and then State Senate. In each of those elected positions, Valerie was focused on the issues that matter most: a good education, creating good-paying jobs, and being a champion for underrepresented communities.
In 2022, she won the election to represent North Carolina’s Fourth District in the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first African American and the first woman to represent the Fourth District in Congress. In Congress, Valerie serves on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, where she is a member of the Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee and the Aviation Subcommittee. She also serves on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, where she is the Ranking Member of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee and a member of the Energy Subcommittee. In 2025, she was appointed by Leader Jeffries to be the co-chair of the new House Democratic Commission on AI and the Innovation Economy and was elected to the leadership position of Democratic Regional Whip by her colleagues.
Valerie is married to her high school sweetheart, Stan. Stan is a retired Fire Marshall for the City of Carrboro. They have two sons, Stanley II and Terrence, and two grandchildren, Stanley III and Nora.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives write and vote on federal laws, including the federal budget. Each represents one district and serves a two-year term. Tax bills must start in the House, only the House can impeach federal officials, and members oversee federal agencies through their committees.