Charles William Carrico Sr.

Charles William Carrico Sr. (born November 6, 1961) is an American politician in the Republican Party. He is a former member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 40th district from 2012 until 2020. Carrico's campaign for Senate was heavily financed by coal mining interests such as Alpha Natural Resources, Consol Energy and Richard Baxter Gilliam.[1] From 2002 to 2011, he was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 5th district in the southwestern part of the state. Prior to that, he was a Virginia State Trooper. He lives in unincorporated Grayson County (with a Galax address) with his wife Paula. Carrico is considering a run for governor of Virginia in the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election.[2]

C. W. Carrico Sr.
Carrico at the 25th anniversary of the New River Trail State Park
Member of the Virginia Senate
from the 40th district
In office
January 11, 2012 – January 8, 2020
Preceded byWilliam C. Wampler Jr.
Succeeded byTodd Pillion
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 5th district
In office
January 9, 2002 – January 11, 2012
Preceded byJohn H. Tate Jr.
Succeeded byIsrael O'Quinn
Personal details
Born
Charles William Carrico

(1961-11-06) November 6, 1961
Marion, Virginia
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Paula Denise Sweet
ChildrenCharles Jr., Emily
ResidenceGrayson County, Virginia
Alma materVirginia Highlands Community College
ProfessionVirginia State Trooper (retired)
CommitteesGeneral Laws; Militia, Police and Public Safety; Transportation

Tenure and issues

In 2005, Carrico introduced an amendment to the religious freedom clause of the Virginia state constitution, based on the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom written by Thomas Jefferson. The amendment posited a positive right to permit prayer on "public property, including public schools". The proposed amendment passed the House but died in the Virginia State Senate.[3]

Carrico was the Republican nominee for Virginia's 9th congressional district in the 2006 midterm elections, but was defeated by Democratic incumbent Rick Boucher.

In January 2013, Carrico introduced a measure to reapportion Virginia's presidential electoral votes away from a winner-takes-all system to a proportional system similar to those in Maine and Nebraska.[4]

On the issue of marijuana, Carrico said in 2014, “I think it’s a gateway drug. It enhances and gives reason for people to do things that are a lot stronger than marijuana. I believe ... that it can become abused and it’s like other drugs we have problems with like oxycodone ... that once it’s out there, it can be a harmful drug and get in the hands of others and start the trend of abuse.”[5]

In 2015, Carrico introduced SB 40, which would provide "that a clerk or deputy clerk shall not be required to issue a marriage license if such clerk has an objection to the issuance of such license on personal, ethical, moral, or religious grounds."[6] Along with this he introduced SB 41, which would provide "that no individual authorized to solemnize any marriage shall be required to do so and no religious organization shall be required to provide services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges for a purpose related to the solemnization of any marriage if the action would cause the individual or organization to violate a sincerely held religious belief."[7]

Notes
  1. "Virginia Public Access Project; Bill Carrico". Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  2. Vozzella, Laura (11 May 2020). "Covid-19 puts crimp in 2021 race for Virginia governor". Washington Post.
  3. Virginia General Assembly Legislative Information System: 2005 session; HJ 537
  4. Nolan, Jim (January 23, 2013). "Virginia Electoral Votes Allocation Measure Advances In State Senate". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  5. GIBSON, ALLIE ROBINSON. "Griffith introduces bill for medical marijuana". .swvatoday.
  6. "Senate Bill 41". Archived from the original on 2015-12-22.
  7. "SB 41 Religious freedom; solemnization of marriage". Archived from the original on 2015-12-22.


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