Louise Lucas is a politician who currently serves as a Virginia state senator.

Senator Lucas was one of the first women to graduate from the apprentice program at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, where she became its first female shipfitter in 1971. She studied vocational-industrial education and urban affairs at Norfolk State University, earning a B.S. in 1971 and an M.A. in 1982. Lucas joined NSU faculty in 1994 as an assistant professor coordinating research efforts and securing federal aid to develop retraining programs due to military and defense industry downsizing in the region. A respected entrepreneur, Lucas is the president and CEO of Lucas Lodge and other related businesses providing residential and health care services for intellectually disabled adults.

Senator Lucas embarked on a political career in 1984 when she became the first Black woman to win election to the Portsmouth City Council. In 1991, Lucas was elected to represent southeastern Virginia's 18th District in the Senate of Virginia, and in 2019 she became the first woman, and the first African American elected as the Senate’s president pro tempore. Throughout her career, Lucas has advocated legislation related to voting rights restoration, reducing firearms purchases and expanding background checks, redistricting, regulation of casino gaming, and expansion of health care for Virginians.

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