Tommy Norment(R) Fails Conservatives; Amanda Chase Rallies Them!

This Virginia General Assembly this session demonstrates that when it comes to Virginia politics nothing ever is set in stone. In the face of over fifty thousand Virginians showing up at the Virginia State Capital in January to voice their opposition to extreme gun control legislation being proposed by Governor Ralph Northam (D) and the Virginia Democrats some Republicans either have not gotten the message or are simply have chosen to ignore it.

This week the Virginia Democrats advanced House Bill 421 delivered to the Virginia Senate. The controversial bill was simply yet another extreme Progressive gun control measure proposed  by Democrats who continue to propose legislation that in other states have either been rejected or have been challenged in the courts and found to be a violation of the Constitution.

Not a single Republican sponsored House Bill 421 which was fully endorsed by the usual anti-Constitutionlist Delegate Mark Levine VA-45 (Arlington) and Speaker of the House Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn (Fairfax). The bill passed the House of Delegates 50-48 with 2 non voting.

NO REPUBLICANS in the House supported the bill and (3) Democrats voted against it and (2) Democrats did not cast a vote (NV).
https://legiscan.com/VA/rollcall/HB421/id/911508

The bill summary:
"Control of firearms by localities. Grants localities authority to adopt or enforce an ordinance, resolution, or motion governing the possession, carrying, storage, or transporting of firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof in the locality. Various provisions limiting such authority are repealed. Provisions limiting the authority of localities and state governmental entities to bring lawsuits against certain firearms manufacturers and others are also repealed"

In the Virginia Senate, the Republican Senate Minority Leader Tommy Norment broke with every single Republican in the General Assembly to support the measure and join with the Progressive Democrats. Norment represents the Virginia 3rd Senate District:

Third District VA3 District Profile: Gloucester County (All), New Kent County (All), King and Queen County (All), King William County (All), Poquoson City (All), Isle of Wight County (Part), James City County (Part), Surry County (Part), York County (Part), Hampton City (Part), Suffolk City (Part)

Senator Norment : district03@senate.virginia.gov
                                      Phone: (804) 698-7503

This is not the first time that Norment has determined to fail Virginia Conservatives. In 2019, Senator Norment failed to support fellow Republican Amanda Freeman Chase in her re-election bid in the Virginia 11th District in the suburbs of Richmond. Norment chose to contribute to over a million in campaign donations to other Republicans but neither Norment nor the Senate Caucus or Leadership Committee contributed to Chase.

Norment has been in the Virginia Senate since 1992 and only twice in recent cycles has been primaried by a fellow Republican. Norment was challenged by Paul Jost in 2003 and then by Mark Frechette in 2011 in the Republican Primaries those years. Now Virginia Conservatives are looking to find a candidate to challenge Norment once again in 2023. Norment should heed the warning that the mobilization that is underway throughout the Commonwealth. Nothing like this has been seen in Virginia since the Tea Party movement that took out Congressman Eric Cantor (R) in the Virginia 7th by over ten points in 2014.

While Senator Norment is being high criticized for not only his vote but his leadership that resulted in the Republican Party losing the majority in the Virginia Senate last November, State Senator Amanda Freeman Chase (R) is growing a groundswell of support throughout Virginia.

Conservatives are recognizing that Senator Chase's criticisms of Republican leadership are now born out by the actions being undertaken. Very few Republican Senators have embraced the 2A movement sweeping Virginia. Amanda Freeman Chase had a pro active role in "Lobby Day" and has become a central figure in the fight against the assault on the Constitution by Democrats. Virtually no other Republican officials are speaking to the hundreds of thousands of Virginia mobilizing rallies, attending local meetings and building militias. The Virginia Militia Alliance has grown exponentially since last Fall and have been virtually ignored by the Republican Party. A Republican Caucus that appears to have run completely away from not only President Trump but the Constitution.

Norment is not alone in defection to the Democrats on legislation this session. State Senator Siobhon Dunnavant (R-VA12) is also under scrutiny for her voting record that many Virginia Conservatives have called into question. These leaders while remaining champions of the establishment class and Bearing Drift have lost the confidence of the grassroots Conservative movement afoot.

Norment in 2019 came under criticism for being one of eight editors for the Virginia Military Institute's "BOMB" publication containing objectionable content similar to the pictures releases depicting Governor Ralph Northam (D) wearing "blackface" from his medical school yearbook. in 1981. While Norment's role in his colleges publication in 1968 was certainly a different time, many contend that Governor Northam was not held accountable by the Republican leadership in 2019 because both Norment and Northam attended the Virginia Military Institute which has a long tradition in Virginia politics.

Given the massive extremism witnessed by Virginia Conservatives coming from Richmond today, many asserting that Northam may not have even been able to push this agenda had Republican leadership not failed to hold the Governor accountable. Conservatives are reminded what the Democrats did to former Governor Bob McDonnell (R) over gifts in which they attacked the Governor's integrity non stop.

Senator Amanda Freeman Chase who is not caucusing with the Republicans in the Virginia Senate and has been completely removed from the Senate Caucus page is resonating with Virginia Conservatives. The warnings that Chase asserted during the campaign of 2019 have become reality. While other Republicans dismissed her warnings of the onslaught of Progressive proposals that would result when the Democrats took majority it is quickly becoming apparent that the minority has little to no messaging or oppositional strategy. Meanwhile, Amanda Freeman Chase is resonating all over the Commonwealth with Virginia Conservatives.