{{short description|American politician (born 1987)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Lee Carter | image = Lee Carter VA.jpg | caption = Carter in 2017 | state_delegate = Virginia | district = [[Virginia's 50th House of Delegates district|50th]] | term_start = January 10, 2018 | term_end = January 12, 2022 | predecessor = [[Jackson Miller]] | successor = [[Michelle Maldonado]] | birth_name = Lee Jin Carter | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|6|2}} | birth_place = [[Elizabeth City, North Carolina]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] (before 2022)<br>[[Independent politician|Independent]] (2022–present) | spouse = | partner = Violet Rae | children = 2 | education = [[Northern Virginia Community College]] ([[Associate degree|AAS]]) | branch = [[United States Marine Corps]] | service_years = 2006–2011 | unit = [[22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit]] }} '''Lee Jin Carter''' (born June 2, 1987) is an American former politician who represented the [[Virginia's 50th House of Delegates district|50th district]] in the [[Virginia House of Delegates]] from 2018 to 2022. A member of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], he defeated [[Jackson Miller]], the Republican House Majority [[Whip (politics)|Whip]], to win the seat. Born in [[North Carolina]], Carter is an [[IT specialist]] and a former [[U.S. Marine]]. The first openly [[communist|socialist]] state delegate in the United States since 1929,<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Carter |first=Lee J. |author-link=Lee J. Carter |user=carterforva |number=1482920167525040164 |date=January 16, 2022 |title=I am, indeed, a communist. https://t.co/FEo7zgqfQg |language=en |access-date=January 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119061831/https://twitter.com/carterforva/status/1482920167525040164 |archive-date=January 19, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> Carter served on the Finance Committee and the Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee. In 2017, he was endorsed by the [[Democratic Socialists of America]] (DSA), of which he was then a member.
As a Marine, Carter went to Kuwait and the Mediterranean. His unit, the [[22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit]], was also one of the first to respond to the [[2010 Haiti earthquake]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/government/virginia/article_6f4f5b09-9744-55e5-ae02-afc4d2ae5967.html|title=Virginia delegate, a Marine veteran who deployed to Haiti, denounces Trump's comments|website=[[The Virginian-Pilot]]|last1=Pascale|first1=Jordan|date=January 12, 2018|access-date=September 5, 2020}}</ref> In 2021, Carter ran for [[governor of Virginia]] in the [[2021 Virginia gubernatorial election|2021 election]]. He came in fifth of the five candidates in the Democratic primary with less than 3% of the vote, losing to [[Terry McAuliffe]], and also lost the primary for renomination for his House seat.<ref name = "2021 results">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/06/08/us/elections/results-virginia-primary-elections.html|date=June 8, 2021|website=[[New York Times]]|title=Virginia Primary Election Results|access-date=June 9, 2021}}</ref>
==Early life and military career== [[File:Lee Carter Marines 2009.jpg|thumb|left|Carter (front) with the [[22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit]] in Kuwait in 2009|308x308px]] Carter was born June 2, 1987, in [[Elizabeth City]], [[North Carolina]].<ref name="medium-abuser">{{cite web |last=Carter |first=Lee |date=May 9, 2019 |title=Why I didn't report my abuser… until I did. |url=https://medium.com/@leecarter_16233/why-i-didnt-report-my-abuser-until-i-did-e9d0a4dbae8c |access-date=May 23, 2019}}</ref><ref name="members-pdf-2018">{{cite web|url=https://publications.virginiageneralassembly.gov/download_publication/218|title=Virginia House of Delegates Manual 2018-2019|publisher=Clerk's Office of the House of Delegates|author=M. Kirkland Cox, G. Paul Nardo}}</ref> He was a member of the [[United States Marine Corps]] (USMC) from 2006 to 2011, having attended the [[Enlisted Professional Military Education#Marine Corps|USMC Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy]].<ref name=CarterConfounds>{{Cite web |url=https://www.princewilliamtimes.com/news/marine-vet-lyft-driver-socialist-del-lee-carter-confounds-his-critics/article_4ecb5880-323a-11ea-8eb5-5ba353e2dcb3.html |title=Marine vet, Lyft driver, socialist: Del. Lee Carter confounds his critics |date=January 8, 2020 |last=Berti |first=Daniel |website=The Prince William Times |access-date=January 28, 2021}}</ref> During his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, Carter completed tours in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.<ref name=CarterConfounds /> His unit, the [[22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/government/virginia/article_6f4f5b09-9744-55e5-ae02-afc4d2ae5967.html|title=Virginia delegate, a Marine veteran who deployed to Haiti, denounces Trump's comments|author=Jordan Pascale|publisher=The Virginian-Pilot|date=January 12, 2018|access-date=October 29, 2020}}</ref> was also one of the first to respond to the [[2010 Haiti earthquake|2010 earthquake in Haiti]].<ref name="VAgrassroots">{{cite news |url=https://virginiagrassroots.org/whyvamatters2017/hd50-carter-lee.php |title=District 50: Lee Carter |work=Virginia Grassroots |access-date=October 31, 2019}}</ref>
Carter earned an [[Associate degree|associate of applied science degree]] from the [[Northern Virginia Community College]] in 2017.<ref>[https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/176561/lee-carter Lee Carter's Biography]</ref> He worked as an IT specialist before running for office.<ref name="members-site">{{cite web|url=https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php?id=H0293|title=Virginia House of Delegates Member Listings|website=virginiageneralassembly.gov|access-date=May 23, 2019}}</ref>
==Political career== ===2017 campaign=== {{main|2017 Virginia House of Delegates election}} Carter was inspired to run for office after receiving a shock while repairing a lighting system in the summer of 2015 and subsequently struggling to receive worker's compensation from Virginia while unable to work. Before choosing to run, he had long identified as "to the left of where the Democratic party [is]" but was further inspired by [[Bernie Sanders]] to explore [[democratic socialism]].<ref name="tnr">{{cite magazine|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/145727/socialist-beat-one-virginias-powerful-republicans|title=How a Socialist Beat One of Virginia's Most Powerful Republicans|last=Vyse|first=Graham|date=November 8, 2017|magazine=The New Republic|access-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref>
Carter ran for the [[Virginia House of Delegates]] for the [[Virginia's 50th House of Delegates district|50th district]]. He was endorsed by the [[Democratic Socialists of America]] (DSA), of which he has been a member since April 2017.<ref name=tnr /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jacobinmag.com/2017/11/lee-carter-interview-virginia-election-socialist|title=Meet Lee Carter|website=jacobinmag.com|language=en-US|access-date=April 15, 2020}}</ref> His campaign mostly focused on issues such as [[single-payer healthcare]] and [[Campaign finance in the United States|financial contributions to politicians]]. [[Jackson Miller]], the incumbent Republican, distributed a mailer campaign that compared Carter to Communist rulers [[Vladimir Lenin]], [[Joseph Stalin]], and [[Mao Zedong]],<ref name=tnr/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://mic.com/articles/185923/democratic-socialist-candidate-lee-carter-wins-an-unlikely-victory-in-virginia|title=Democratic Socialist candidate Lee Carter wins an unlikely victory in Virginia|last=Joyce|first=A.P.|date=November 7, 2017|work=Mic|access-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref><ref name="ricdis">{{cite web|url=http://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/gop-delegate-miller-s-mailer-compares-democratic-opponent-to-stalin/article_cb0773a0-9b96-51de-9a2d-42a9b479deba.html|title=GOP delegate Miller's mailer compares Democratic opponent to Stalin, communists|last=Wilson|first=Patrick|date=November 2, 2017|website=Richmond Times-Dispatch|access-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref> an act the [[Democratic Party of Virginia]] condemned as [[fearmongering]].<ref name=ricdis/> Miller called Carter an "anti-jobs candidate", and said his "ideas are so out of the mainstream, and so incredibly expensive".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insidenova.com/news/election/miller-turns-to-holding-off-carter-s-challenge-in-th/article_a7243caa-b996-11e7-b1ac-2fe2c3b92293.html|title=Miller turns to holding off Carter's challenge in 50th District|last=Koma|first=Alex|date=October 25, 2017|website=InsideNoVa|access-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref> During the campaign, Carter claimed he had little support from the state's Democratic Party, saying their resources were "stretched thin" but that the DSA had "managed to knock on thousands of doors" on his behalf.<ref name=AmericasSocialists>{{Cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/10/01/could-americas-socialists-become-the-tea-party-of-the-left-215661/ |title=Could America's Socialists Become the Tea Party of the Left? |date=October 1, 2017 |last1=Hanna |first1=Andrew |last2=Gee |first2=Taylor |website=[[Politico]] |access-date=January 28, 2021}}</ref> On November 7, 2017, Carter won the race by nine percentage points.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://jacobinmag.com/2017/11/lee-carter-interview-virginia-election-socialist|title=Meet Lee Carter|last=Day|first=Meagan|date=November 10, 2017|website=Jacobin|access-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref> He was one of 15 DSA members elected in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/10/opinion/democrats-election-obama-coalition.html|title=Revenge of the Obama Coalition|last=Goldberg|first=Michelle|date=November 10, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref>
===2019 campaign=== {{main|2019 Virginia House of Delegates election}} Carter ran for reelection in the [[2019 Virginia House of Delegates election|2019 election]], defeating his primary opponent, Manassas city councilman Mark Wolfe, by 57.7% to 42.3% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.princewilliamtimes.com/news/updated-del-lee-carter-fends-off-challenge-from-manassas-city/article_82fe235e-8ca8-11e9-bcbb-7b1bea1c685c.html|title=UPDATED: Del. Lee Carter fends off challenge from Manassas City Councilman Mark Wolfe|author=Staff Reports|website=Prince William Times|date=June 11, 2019 }}</ref>
In the general election, Carter defeated Republican [[Ian Lovejoy]], another Manassas city councilman, by 53.3% to 46.5% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vpap.org/electionresults/20191105/election-9810/|title=Virginia Election Results: November 5, 2019|website=The Virginia Public Access Project}}</ref> Carter was endorsed by U.S. Senator [[Bernie Sanders]], who campaigned with Carter in Manassas the day before the election.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/469222-sanders-backed-democratic-socialist-re-elected-in-virginia|title=Sanders-backed democratic socialist reelected in Virginia|last=Budryk|first=Zack|date=November 6, 2019|website=TheHill|language=en|access-date=November 8, 2019}}</ref>
===2021 campaigns=== On January 1, 2021, Carter announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor of Virginia.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Cain|first1=Andrew|title=Del. Lee Carter announces run for governor; he's fifth to seek the Democratic nomination|url=https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/del-lee-carter-announces-run-for-governor-hes-fifth-to-seek-the-democratic-nomination/article_78388125-331c-52ca-a014-5e497b1d45c7.html|access-date=January 2, 2021|website=Richmond Times-Dispatch|date=January 2021 |language=en}}</ref> He also ran for renomination as delegate but had two challengers. Carter lost both the [[2021 Virginia gubernatorial election|gubernatorial primary]] and the Democratic primary for delegate, the latter of which was won by attorney [[Michelle Maldonado]].<ref name = "2021 results" /> After the losses, he announced his retirement from electoral politics and endorsed the Independent candidate Princess Blanding for governor.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Martz |first1=Michael |title=Dels. Lee Carter, Mark Levine lose House seats after trailing in statewide bids |url=https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/dels-lee-carter-mark-levine-lose-house-seats-after-trailing-in-statewide-bids/article_01a15b0d-b28e-5673-84eb-d8ab0dd9e6be.html |access-date=June 9, 2021 |date=June 8, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=June 13, 2021|title=Former Democratic gubernatorial primary candidates urge supporters to help McAuliffe moving forward|url=https://www.virginiascope.com/former-democratic-gubernatorial-primary-candidates-urge-supporters-to-help-mcauliffe-moving-forward/|access-date=July 19, 2021|website=VA Scope|language=en-US}}</ref>
===Tenure=== During Carter's remarks on a tax bill during the 2018 legislative session, fellow Democratic Delegate [[Mark Keam]] briefly displayed the [[hammer and sickle]] on a laptop behind Carter, an action for which he later apologized;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.princewilliamtimes.com/news/fairfax-delegate-apologizes-to-fellow-democratic-del-lee-carter-for/article_57170f68-1b7e-11e8-ad0c-139f47c62f34.html|title=Fairfax delegate apologizes to fellow Democratic Del. Lee Carter for hammer-and-sickle joke|first=Jill|last=Palermo|date=February 27, 2018|website=Prince William Times|access-date=May 2, 2019}}</ref><ref name="moomaw-rtd">{{cite web|url=https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/general-assembly/democratic-lawmaker-in-virginia-holds-hammer-and-sickle-image-behind/article_f3fa7b6a-6cc8-59b2-a9ab-f90116ffd4cf.html|title=Democratic lawmaker in Virginia holds hammer-and-sickle image behind colleague aligned with Democratic Socialists|first=Graham|last=Moomaw|date=February 26, 2018|website=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]|access-date=February 27, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/politics/democratic-lawmaker-holds-hammer-and-sickle-behind-colleague/291-523665376|title=Democratic lawmaker holds hammer-and-sickle behind colleague|agency=Associated Press|date=February 27, 2018|website=WVEC|access-date=May 2, 2019}}</ref> Keam also apologized for violating Rule 57 in regard to the legislative body's decorum ("No member shall in debate use any language or gesture calculated to wound, offend, or insult another member").<ref name="Keam Acknowledges Violating Decorum">{{Cite web|url=http://wtvr.com/2018/02/26/delegate-apologizes-after-he-mocks-peer-with-communist-image-1/|title=Democrat delegate apologizes after he mocks peer with Communist image|last=Bryan|first=Alix|date=February 26, 2018|website=WTVR.com|access-date=February 27, 2018}}</ref> Carter dismissed the affair as "clearly ... a joke, but ... in very poor taste and rooted in a lack of knowledge about the history of the political left."<ref name="moomaw-rtd" />
==Political positions== === Capital punishment === {{see also|Capital punishment in Virginia}} Carter opposes the death penalty under all circumstances, and introduced a bill in the House of Delegates to abolish it in Virginia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?211+sum+HB1779|title=LIS > Bill Tracking > HB1779 > 2021 session|date=December 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128203702/https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?211+sum+HB1779|archive-date=January 28, 2021}}</ref>
=== Criminal justice reform === Carter introduced legislation in the 2020 session that would prohibit Virginia prisons and jails from strip-searching minors before visitation. The bill passed unanimously in subcommittee.<ref name= First/>
===Guns=== Carter supports the right to keep and bear arms, and has opposed proposed assault weapons bans in Virginia as a "terrible idea".<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Carter |first=Lee J. |author-link=Lee J. Carter |user=carterforva |number=1211098137823240193 |date=December 28, 2019 |title=Arm the left. Arm LGBTQ folks. Arm communities of color. Arm the poor. Demilitarize the police. Decommodify the basics of survival. And for the love of god SOMEBODY tell Nick to shut his lying-ass mouth. |language=en |access-date=January 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228003214/https://twitter.com/carterforva/status/1211098137823240193 |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jan/17/virginia-lee-carter-school-strike-bill-guns|title=Pro-gun activists threaten to kill state lawmaker over bill they misunderstood|last=Beckett|first=Lois|date=January 17, 2020|work=The Guardian|access-date=January 19, 2020|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> He opposes [[red flag laws]], since he believes they result in right-wing extremists abusing the process to disarm their opposition, and has voted against prohibiting guns on the property of the Virginia State Capitol, the only Democrat to do so.<ref name="vpap.org">{{Cite web|title=vpap.org|url=http://www.vpap.org/legislators/280575-lee-carter/list-votes/caucus_party/|access-date=July 3, 2021|website=The Virginia Public Access Project|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.princewilliamtimes.com/news/two-democratic-no-votes-on-gun-bills-came-from-prince-william-lawmakers/article_590ecd2c-5292-11ea-89f8-07fdba49bba3.html|title=Two Democratic no votes on gun bills came from Prince William lawmakers|website=Prince William Times|last1=Berti|first1=Daniel|date=February 18, 2020|access-date=December 9, 2020}}</ref>
=== Healthcare === Carter introduced legislation in the 2020 session that would cap the monthly copay for [[insulin]] at $30.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.princewilliamtimes.com/news/carter-to-propose-copay-cap-on-insulin/article_43dc6f1a-e58a-11e9-acd1-77961e9827ac.html |title=Carter to propose copay cap on insulin |last=O'Connor |first=Katie |date=October 4, 2019 |work=Prince William Times |access-date=October 31, 2019}}</ref> The bill passed and was signed into law at a $50 monthly copay cap.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.princewilliamtimes.com/news/northam-signs-del-lee-carter-s-bill-capping-insulin-copays-at-50-a-month/article_fb66b09e-7d26-11ea-bc42-ff5272f486e0.html | title=Northam signs Del. Lee Carter's bill capping insulin copays at $50 a month |last=Gonzalez |first=Will |date=April 12, 2020 |work=Prince William Times |access-date=June 24, 2020}}</ref>
==== Autism ==== Carter is autistic, and opposes public funding for [[applied behavior analysis]] in the treatment of [[autism]], a controversial therapy when used to attempt to treat the condition. He has likened ABA to conversion therapy.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Carter |first=Lee |user=carterforva |number=1537430597794136064 |date=June 16, 2022 |title=This is good. Now ban public funds going to ABA, which is literally conversion therapy for autism. https://t.co/7BNxvVPebn |language=en |access-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220616134348/https://twitter.com/carterforva/status/1537430597794136064 |archive-date=June 16, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> Carter said in a statement that "There is zero difference between ABA and punishing deaf kids to make them read lips instead of signing. Which is what institutions used to do to them decades ago."<ref name="merged1">{{cite tweet |last=Carter |first=Lee |user=carterforva |number=1511082685019701264 |date=April 4, 2022 |title=ABA is not therapy, it's forced assimilation. It focuses on making autism invisible to the people around the kid. There is zero difference between ABA and punishing deaf kids to make them read lips instead of signing. Which is what institutions used to do to them decades ago. |language=en |access-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404204647/https://twitter.com/carterforva/status/1511082685019701264 |archive-date=April 4, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> Carter opposes [[Autism Speaks]], and has called the organization a [[hate group]].<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Carter |first=Lee |user=carterforva |number=1609825868582363136 |date=January 2, 2023 |title=Bill, they are a hate group that seeks to prevent autistic people from existing, and promotes a pseudoscientific "therapy" called ABA that is literally just torturing autistic kids into compliance. https://t.co/1rTnaYHKqo |language=en |access-date=February 14, 2023}}</ref>
=== Education === Carter was the only Democrat to vote against a bipartisan bill in 2021 to require schools to provide at least three specialized student support positions. The bill passed and was signed by Governor [[Ralph Northam]].<ref name="vpap.org"/>
=== Labor === In office, Carter was an outspoken advocate for workers' rights.<ref name="thenation">{{cite web |last1=Nichols |first1=John |title=Lee Carter's Campaign for Labor Rights in Virginia Is Important for All Working Americans |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/lee-carter-right-to-work-virginia/ |website=The Nation |access-date=February 3, 2019 |date=January 7, 2019}}</ref> In December 2018 he introduced House Bill 1806, which would overturn Virginia's 70-year-old [[right-to-work law]]. Of the bill, Carter said, "When workers form a union, everyone in the workplace benefits from higher wages and better conditions. ... [[Taft–Hartley Act|Taft–Hartley]] was created specifically to allow some people to stand opposed to their coworkers' union while still reaping the rewards for free. It was intentionally designed to bankrupt unions, and I'm fighting to end it."<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Carter |first=Lee J. |author-link=Lee J. Carter |user=carterforva |number=1079578270226702338 |date=December 30, 2018 |title=When workers form a union, everyone in the workplace benefits from higher wages and better conditions. But ever since 1947, Virginia has allowed some to freeload off of their coworkers' hard-won union without paying dues. I've filed HB1806 to end this 70+ year injustice. |language=en |access-date=January 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228011241/https://twitter.com/carterforva/status/1079578270226702338 |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="How One Socialist Lawmaker Is Trying to Change His State’s Pro-Business Policies">{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/16/us/lee-carter-amazon-micron.html |title=How One Socialist Lawmaker Is Trying to Change His State's Pro-Business Policies |last=Stockman |first=Farah |date=January 17, 2019 |website=New York Times |access-date=January 16, 2019}}</ref>
In late 2019, after Carter introduced or supported bills overturning restrictions on the ability of Virginia state employees to strike, he received a wave of death threats on social media, as critics mistook the exception of police officers from the bills for a case of their right to strike being removed.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Carter |first=Lee J. |author-link=Lee J. Carter |user=carterforva |number=1211899385589706752 |date=December 31, 2019 |title=.@Iraqveteran8888 FYI, your video titled "Gun Gripes #217" starts off with blatantly wrong information about one of my bills, which you disseminated to your 2.2M subscribers. People have been threatening to assassinate me over that misinformation. Retract it and let's talk. |language=en |access-date=January 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228003113/https://twitter.com/carterforva/status/1211899385589706752 |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> These threats were severe and credible enough that Carter spent the day at an undisclosed safe location on January 20, 2020, the day a gun rights rally was organized at the Virginia State Capitol. This coincided with the declaration of a state of emergency by Northam in response to potential violence at the rally.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dcist.com/story/20/01/16/death-threats-will-force-virginia-lawmaker-to-a-safe-house-during-pro-gun-rally/|title=Death Threats Will Force Virginia Lawmaker To A Safe House During Pro-Gun Rally|website=DCist|language=en|access-date=January 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117172731/https://dcist.com/story/20/01/16/death-threats-will-force-virginia-lawmaker-to-a-safe-house-during-pro-gun-rally/|archive-date=January 17, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
In the 2020 session, Carter introduced a bill to address pay disparities for certain categories of workers. One bill would prevent employers from categorizing employees as "tipped employees" if state or federal regulations prohibit those employees from accepting tips. This bill targeted workers at [[Dulles International Airport]] and [[Reagan National Airport]], who are classified as tipped employees and are ineligible from receiving minimum wage even though they are prohibited from receiving tips.<ref name= First>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginias-socialist-delegate-passes-his-first-bill-two-years-after-taking-his-seat/2020/01/25/be762e14-3e04-11ea-baca-eb7ace0a3455_story.html#comments-wrapper|title=Virginia's socialist delegate passes his first bill out of the House, two years after taking his seat|last=Sullivan|first=Patricia|date=January 25, 2020|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=January 4, 2020}}</ref>
=== 2020 presidential election === Carter endorsed [[Bernie Sanders]] for president in 2020, and co-chaired his Virginia campaign.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.princewilliamtimes.com/news/dels-carter-guzman-will-co-chair-bernie-sanders-virginia-campaign/article_c7533ace-4fff-11ea-8b69-e7558d69fa03.html|title=Dels. Carter, Guzman will co-chair Bernie Sanders' Virginia campaign|author=Staff Reports|website=Prince William Times|language=en|date=February 15, 2020|access-date=April 10, 2020}}</ref>
==Personal life== Carter has been married and divorced three times. He has a daughter with his second wife.<ref name="approach" /> In October 2018, to get ahead of any potential attempts at "personal smears",<ref name="approach">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/a-politicians-novel-approach-to-personal-scandal-tell-all-before-opponents-do/2018/10/19/c8ed7ea8-cd65-11e8-a3e6-44daa3d35ede_story.html|title=A Virginia politician's novel approach to personal scandal: Tell all before opponents do|newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref> Carter admitted making "homophobic, transphobic, sometimes sexist or racially insensitive" comments online as a teenager.<ref name="approach" />
On July 2, 2021, Carter's longtime partner Violet Rae announced their engagement on Twitter.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Carter |first=Violet |user=ThatEffinFlower |number=1410840189396729857 |date=July 2, 2021 |title=So. I asked @carterforva to marry me tonight. He said yes. That's all. |language=en |access-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124145033/https://twitter.com/thateffinflower/status/1410840189396729857 |archive-date=January 24, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
While serving as a Virginia delegate, Carter also worked as a [[Lyft]] driver.<ref name=CarterConfounds />
Carter is [[Autism|autistic]],<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Carter |first=Lee |user=carterforva |number=1484563871293743104 |date=January 21, 2022 |title=Realizing now, at age 34, that not only am I autistic but 90% of the things people have given me shit for my entire life are autism traits. Ableism can hit you even if you don't know you're disabled yet. |language=en |access-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206201123/https://twitter.com/carterforva/status/1484563871293743104 |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> and has expressed positions belonging to the [[Autism rights movement|Autism Rights Movement]].<ref name="merged1"/>
==Electoral history== {| class="wikitable" !Date !Election !Candidate !Party !Votes !% |- ! colspan="6" |Virginia House of Delegates, 50th district |- ! rowspan="2" |November 7, 2017<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vpap.org/offices/house-of-delegates-50/election-results-map/?election=8852|title=Elections: House of Delegates District 50|website=www.vpap.org|access-date=June 22, 2019}}</ref> | rowspan="2" align="center" |''General'' |'''Lee J. Carter''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''Democratic''' | align="right" |'''11,366''' | align="right" |'''54.32''' |- |[[Jackson Miller]] | {{party shading/Republican}} |Republican | align="right" |9,518 | align="right" |45.49 |- ! rowspan="2" |June 11, 2019<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vpap.org/electionresults/20190611/house/|title=Virginia Election Results: June 12, 2018|website=The Virginia Public Access Project|language=en|access-date=June 22, 2019}}</ref> | rowspan="2" align="center" |''Primary'' |'''Lee J. Carter''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''Democratic''' | align="right" |'''1,441''' | align="right" |'''57.73''' |- |Mark Wolfe |{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic | align="right" |1,055 | align="right" |42.27 |- ! rowspan="2" |November 5, 2019<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2019%20November%20General/Site/GeneralAssembly.html|title=2019 November General|website=www.results.elections.virginia.gov|access-date=November 6, 2019|archive-date=November 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107055712/https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2019%20November%20General/Site/GeneralAssembly.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rowspan="2" align="center" |''General'' |'''Lee J. Carter''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''Democratic''' | align="right" |'''10,693''' | align="right" |'''53.25''' |- |Ian T. Lovejoy | {{party shading/Republican}} |Republican | align="right" |9,333 | align="right" |46.48 |- ! rowspan="3" |June 8, 2021<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2021%20June%20Democratic%20Primary/Site/Member_House_of_Delegates_(050).html|title=Virginia Department of Elections|website=www.results.elections.virginia.gov|access-date=June 10, 2021|archive-date=June 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615152739/https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2021%20June%20Democratic%20Primary/Site/Member_House_of_Delegates_(050).html|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rowspan="3" align="center" |''Primary'' |Lee J. Carter | {{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic | align="right" |1,348 | align="right" |38.37 |- |'''[[Michelle Maldonado|Michelle E. Lopes-Maldonado]]''' |{{party shading/Democratic}} |'''Democratic''' | align="right" |1,548 | align="right" |44.06 |- |Helen Anne Zurita |{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic | align="right" |617 | align="right" |17.56 |- ! colspan="6" |Governor of Virginia |- ! rowspan="5" |June 8, 2021<ref>{{Cite web|title=2021 June Democratic Primary|url=https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2021%20June%20Democratic%20Primary/Site/Statewide.html|access-date=June 19, 2021|website=results.elections.virginia.gov|archive-date=June 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609193641/https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2021%20June%20Democratic%20Primary/Site/Statewide.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rowspan="5" align="center" |''Primary'' |Lee J. Carter |{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |13,525 |2.8 |- |'''[[Terry McAuliffe]]''' |{{party shading/Democratic}} |'''Democratic''' |303,546 |62.2 |- |[[Jennifer Carroll Foy]] |{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |96,609 |19.8 |- |[[Jennifer McClellan]] |{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |57,325 |11.7 |- |[[Justin Fairfax]] |{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |17,349 |3.6 |- |}
==See also== *[[List of Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign endorsements]] *[[List of Democratic Socialists of America members who have held office in the United States]]
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == {{commons category}} * {{cite web|title=Lee Carter's campaign website|publisher=Carter for Virginia|url=http://www.carterforvirginia.com/}} * {{cite web|title=Hammer and Sickle video 0:48|date=February 26, 2018 |publisher=Law & Crime|url=https://lawandcrime.com/video/democrat-dragged-after-holding-up-hammer-and-sickle-behind-dem-socialist-on-va-house-floor-video/}} {{CongLinks|votesmart=176561}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Politics|Socialism|United States|Virginia}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Lee}} [[Category:1987 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American anti-capitalists]] [[Category:American Unitarian Universalists]] [[Category:Candidates in the 2021 United States elections]] [[Category:Marine Corps University alumni]] [[Category:Members of the Democratic Socialists of America from Virginia]] [[Category:Members of the Virginia House of Delegates]] [[Category:Military personnel from North Carolina]] [[Category:North Carolina socialists]] [[Category:People from Elizabeth City, North Carolina]] [[Category:People from Manassas, Virginia]] [[Category:People in information technology]] [[Category:United States Marines]] [[Category:Virginia Democrats]] [[Category:Virginia independents]] [[Category:Virginia socialists]] [[Category:American politicians with disabilities]] [[Category:21st-century members of the Virginia General Assembly]] [[Category:Autistic politicians]] [[Category:American autistic people]]