24 Facts About Louise Lucas

Lillie Louise Lucas is an American politician serving as a Virginia state senator, representing the 18th District in the southeast region of the state since 1992.

Democrats won a majority of seats in the 2019 Virginia Senate election, so Lucas succeeded Republican Stephen Newman as the Virginia Senate's President pro tempore.

Louise Lucas is the first woman and first African American to hold that office.

Louise Lucas attended Portsmouth public schools including during their shutdown during Massive Resistance.

Louise Lucas began a federal government career in 1967, aged 23, as an apprentice shipfitter at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, becoming the first female shipfitter there in July 1971.

Louise Lucas served as engineering draftsman and naval architect technician.

Louise Lucas later became the Command Federal Women's Program Manager at the Commander in Chief, US Atlantic Fleet and Equal Employment Manager at the Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair.

Louise Lucas was appointed Executive Director of STOP in 1986 and held that position until 1992.

Louise Lucas joined her alma mater, Norfolk State, as an assistant professor coordinating research efforts and with a special interest in securing federal funding for retraining efforts.

In July 2021, Louise Lucas opened the Cannabis Outlet, a cannabis store in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Lab testing found that 65 of the 66 products sold by Louise Lucas' store were mislabeled.

Louise Lucas was first elected to the Virginia General Assembly in November 1991.

Louise Lucas was Chairwoman of the Senate Local Government Committee and a former member of Committees on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources; Rehabilitation and Social Services; Transportation; former Chairwoman, Education and Health Special Sub-committee on Public Smoking Legislation; Sub-committee on Mental Health Legislation; Special Sub-committee on Immigration.

Louise Lucas was the Democratic candidate to replace US Congressman Norman Sisisky in the 2001 special election, following Sisisky's death in office.

In 2008 two companies which Louise Lucas controlled applied for Empowerment Zone bonds to build a conference center in Portsmouth.

The companies, still controlled by Louise Lucas, later filed a $97.7 million suit against the City of Portsmouth and the council members voting against the bonds and the City Attorney, claiming racial discrimination against because they were led and funded mostly by African-Americans.

Louise Lucas serves on the Governor's Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring, Governor's Commission on State Funding for Public School Construction and the Governor's Commission on Information Technology.

Louise Lucas is an active member of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and elected Vice-Chair of Outreach by the Democratic Party of Virginia.

Louise Lucas has served on various community boards, commissions, civic and service organizations such as: Past President NAACP ; Martin Luther King Leadership Steering Committee and the Norfolk State University Alumni Association.

Louise Lucas is a member of the following organizations: Delta Sigma Theta sorority ; The Links, Incorporated ; Order of Eastern Star, Prince Hall Freemasonry of Virginia, National Women's Political Caucus, National Council of Christians and Jews.

Virginia governor Ralph Northam and the American Civil Liberties Union, among others, had condemned the criminal charges as excessive and discriminatory, while Rich Anderson, head of the Republican Party of Virginia, said that Louise Lucas should turn herself in.

In June 2023, Louise Lucas won the Democratic primary to retain her seat, despite redistricting which placed her in the same district as another veteran state senator, Lionell Spruill.

Louise Lucas criticized the arena proposal, whose costs were estimated between $2 billion and $5 billion, for requiring the state to stand behind $1.5 billion in bonds regardless of the arena's financial success or failure.

Louise Lucas had one son, Jeffery Lee Lucas, who died in a car accident when his car swerved into oncoming traffic.