Democrat in battleground VA race said 'unqualified' Whites have high-paying jobs that Blacks need 'PhD' to get

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Dem: 'Unqualified' Whites get high-paying jobs while Black people need 'a PhD'

Nadarius Clark, the Democrat candidate in one of the most closely watched races in Virginia, has previously said that "unqualified" White people are able to get high-paying jobs while Black people need "a Ph.D." to get the same job.

Voters in one key battleground Virginia House district will determine whether they will send a controversial former state delegate back to the legislature after he said earlier this year that "unqualified" White people are able to secure high-paying jobs while Black people need "a Ph.D." to be considered for the same type of job.

Nadarius Clark, a political activist and former member of the Virginia House of Delegates who hopes to win another term made the claim during an April 17, 2021, episode of his former podcast, "Polititalk," when he and a guest co-host were discussing what they said was the unfair treatment of Black people by the police.

"I refuse to have to teach my kids how to be a perfect person when that doesn't exist. It is ridiculous that we have to dot our i's and cross our t's just to have a regular job," Clark said during the podcast.

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Nadarius Clark is running in one of the most contested districts for Virginia House of Delegates. (Virginia House Democrats)

"Our counterparts, a Caucasian, can be mediocre and still get a $100,000 job. We have to be — we've got to have a doctorate degree, a Ph.D., to get let in those doors. We have to be overqualified … to get half of what an unqualified Caucasian would get," he added.

He went on to call for society to have a "change in social norms." His guest co-host, Stephannie Malone, agreed but offered an inaudible response.

Fox News Digital reached out to Clark for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

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The Virginia State Capitol (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Clark was first elected in 2021 but resigned from his seat this year after moving to run for reelection in a new district, in accordance with Virginia law, following the House of Delegates district map being redrawn.

He now faces Republican and retired Navy Capt. Mike Dillender in the race for the 84th District, one in which both parties have poured considerable money and could ultimately decide which party controls the House of Delegates in the battleground state.

Mike Dillender is a former Navy captain and Republican candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates. (Dillender for Delegate)

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Dillender was one of 10 candidates endorsed by Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin who won their primaries in June as the GOP hopes to hang onto, and grow, its narrow majority in the House of Delegates and win a majority in the state Senate.