"Bait & Switch": Chase Communications Prove Claims False

                                              https://www.facebook.com/TurnVARedAgain/

                  Has State Senator Amanda Freeman Chase (R)  compromised her campaign?

“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever maybe our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”

- John Adams

“The Virginia Transparency Caucus encourages public engagement and allows the public to hold their legislators more accountable by bringing the General Assembly to the ordinary citizen,”(Senator Amanda Chase).

State Senator Amanda Freeman Chase ( R ) representing the Virginia 11th District comprising Chesterfield, Amelia, and Colonial Heights has gone to war this week with supporters over whom she calls "nefarious" and "bad actors". The battle continued over the weekend after Chase released a post and then provided a recording of her interview with the Richmond Times -Dispatch that she apparently failed to inform reporter Patrick Wilson of the @RTDNews she was recording. Wilson published an article on Richmond.com attempting to get the evasive Chase on the record regarding her attempts to take control of one of the supporter pages on Facebook and have it fundraise for her campaign "unofficially". The group had no desire in becoming a "dark site" for Chase.

As of this post there are about a half dozen "Chase for Governor" pages and groups on Facebook. There is no reporting of Chase raising any concerns regarding any of these pages or groups. As a public figure, it is not uncommon for "supporter" and "fan" pages or groups to be created without the involvement of the figure. The group that Chase chose to go to war with was fully transparent in its efforts and intentions behind creating the group. Its description clearly states that the group is unaffiliated with any campaign nor is run by any staff from any campaign. It is clear from the public comments made that Chase attempted to seek "control" of the group by demanding placement of her own staff or herself as administrator of the group.

Join is discussion in Chasing Victory in Virginia 2020-21 here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2606638476319301/

Chase had joined the group herself on Janaury 20, 2020. It was not until she became angry over a post reported to her by her mother who also was in the group that a supporter posted a positive post concerning State Senator Jill Vogel (R). Vogel was the Republican candidate for Lt. Governor in 2017. It was commented that Vogel while losing to Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax (D) outperformed every other Republican running for statewide office in ther last few cycles including President Trump. This comment angered Chase who has demonstrated a very thin skin in the past (See Capital Police incident 2019) when dealing with others especially conservatives she feels should hold allegiance to her.

Chase became irate when she was taken to task for her vote on an anti-discrimination bill S.B 868 passed by the Virginia Senate in which she voted "Nay".Chase felt as though she should not have to defend her votes or positions to "supporters" and that anyone that would question her positions is clearly not a "supporter". Chase asserted that if you are in a "supporter group" that it was no place to question her positions on such things as conversion therapy which Chase says she supports. These votes are controversial positons for many voters in Virginia especially suburban families with children that are gay or lesbian or identify a transgender queer. These families may not be Chase's target audience today but will need them come any statewide race in 2021 and that was exactly what the supporter was asking Chase to explain. Chase has stated she is pro-family yet her vote on S.B. 868 is appears to contradict that claim. When dealing with issues, Chase typical invokes her Christian faith and that has not sat well with all supporters according to recent interactions. Not all families living in Virginia hold the same "values" as Chase let alone her faith.


                                    

Chase was called out for the fact the Republican Creed clearly states that "all individuals are entitled to equal rights, justice and opportunities". In effect her vote denies such equal rights to minorities,  pregant women and people of differing national origins. Chase defended her "conservative" positions but was informed that they were not "Republican" positions. Chase has been removed from her local county Republican committee last September for similar decisions after not following the committees by laws and going her own way.  The vote against any anti-discrimination is a vote in support of discrimination itself. A battle that the Republican Party itself fought for in the Civil Rights Movement.

Chase decided to take to her official page to condemn the group she had been a member of four months with no issues after the group adminstrators and moderator refused to remove the supporters who questioned her or would not permit her Campaign Manager Philip Search being made administrator. Chase's position appears to be that if the group moderators were true "supporters" they would simply turn the group they built to over eleven thousand members over to her. This appears to be a pattern for Chase similar to her incident with the Capital Police where she made claims than once a video was released was forced to walk back her intial claim that she did not drop the "f bomb" in berating an officer. Chase appears to have asserted she made no demands upon the group moderators, however communication between Chase and the group prove that claim false.

Chase released the following statement on her official page regarding the supporters group:

“Bait and switch” is an unethical, non-transparent and disingenuous tactic used not only to lure innocent non-suspecting victims to purchase goods presented as one thing that turn out to be something completely different, victimizing the consumer.

And that which is substituted is usually far substantially less in value that was originally marketed. Unfortunately, that happens in politics and this week it happened to me. Well I refuse to be the victim.

I’ve learned in politics that there are supporters and then there are opportunists. There is no greater honor than earning the confidence of someone who believes you are the right person for a position.

Since I’ve announced my run for governor I’ve had many opportunists who tried to use my name and tremendous support across the Commonwealth for their own agenda and even nefarious purposes. I could ignore it but I won’t. As a champion of transparency, I expose it and confront it.

A guy posing as a supporter created a supporter page bearing my name. Over 11k captive supporters to date. Now they are using it as a springboard to recruit a Democrat-like candidate who they will run as a Republican against me. We’re one step ahead of them"

The "Democrat-like" candidate is a clear swipe at State Senator Jill Vogel (R) whom Chase claims ask her to run her 2017 Lt. Governor campaign in a text to supporters. Chase calls the members "captive supporters" as if members are somehow required to remain in the group or kept from leaving. A group that has steadily grown for four months with no issues until Chase was angered by the groups unwillingness to perform what they consider nefarious actions like fundraising off the group. 

The real "opportunist" in this case appears not to be the supporters group  but rather Amanda Chase herself. Chase sought to capture the largest supporters group on facebook for her own purposes. The main purpose was clearly to control member participation and control the speech which puts Chase in the awkward position in light of her continued championing of the 1st Amendment.

Chase claimes that since her announcement in February to run for Governor she has "had many opportunists that have tried to use her name" yet has never spoken publicly or provided any details regarding this instances or made any such claim before on her official page as she made in this instance.

The group in question provided the group activity for the group and demonstrated that Senator Chase's public claim of it being over 30,000 was false. The group has never had more than 11,400 members as illustrated by the activity report.  Chase futher claimed in her interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter that she did not know the group adminstrators and further informed her followers they were "fake", "nefarious" "bad actors" and people she did not know.

On Monday, text communications were published on the web that demonstrate that Senator Chase in fact not only knew the adminstrators but had been in contact with them as far back as October 2019. Apparently the "fake supporters" and "opportunists"  as she claims assisted Chase in her campaign for Senate in 2019. Chase's personal cell phone was used to communicate with adminstrators she claims to have not known here:

These texts did not come from the campaign or staffer but Chase's personal cell phone. Further texts demonstrate that Chase not only knew the parties involved but that her staff had communicated to her what good "supporters" they were of hers. The person named in this text was Chase's Legislative Aid in her Senate office in Richmond:

One thing is clear. The claims being advanced by Chase are false. Chase or her satff has in fact been in contact with these citizens both during session of the GeneralAssembly as well as outside of session. Chase claimed in her interview that her staff has been with her for two years and know better than to contact citizens during session realating to fundraising yet failed to explain exactly why her Campaign Manager contacted administrators on 2/25/20. Chase failed to answer what "business" her campaign staff would have during session contacting adminstrators as call logs represent.

Chase responded with calling out the reporting by the Richmond Times-Dispatch and stating:

"Please join me in canceling your subscription to the Richmond Times Dispatch (#RichmondsCNN)to protest their attack on conservative candidates; like me. I just canceled my 7 day subscription after this last hit piece that came out today.

There is an all out orchestrated attack on conservatives and I refuse to support it!"

Chase subsequently has dismissed the reporting as mere "fake news" and continues to attempt to siphon supporters off of the supporters page she herself  called "fake". This action is about moving those members to her new "Chase for Governor" group where she can fundraise off of supporters in the manner she sought with the original group.

Chase has yet to recant any of her denials or false statements even with published communication between her and her staff coming out. Back in 2016, Amanda Chase took part in the creation of the "Virginia Transparency Caucus". Chase championed the VTC yet appears to not practice at all what she preaches. Chase is not responding to requests to produce evidecne she has to support her claims against the adminstrators yet continues to assert them. This is reminiscent of the Northam vacationing claims in North Carolina during the pandemic crisis.

Chase undertook the very same tactic regarding her claims that Governor Ralph Northam (D) of Virginia was vacationing in North Carolina while Virginians were under Executive Orders to remain at home. On April 21, 2020 Chase informed her followers on her official page that:

"I’ve received many messages by those I know and trust in law enforcement that Governor Northam has been sighted in Manteo, North Carolina aka the Outer Banks during our stay at home order. They’ve sent pictures and other evidence." (Senator Chase)

Chase has yet to release any evidence to support her claims. The "picture and other evidence" claim was clearly nefarious and meant solely to manufacture a story for her own political gain.

This seems to be a pattern for Senator Chase in terms of negative interactions with fellow legislators as well as private citizens and Capital Police. None of the commincation relased thus far supports any claim Chase has made and in fact does just the opposite.The supportes group has asked Chase to apologize publically for her mischaracterizations regarding the group and its members.

As of this morning the supporters group has changed its name but appears to still have over 10,000 members since Senator Amanda Freeman Chase attempted to discredit the group as being "fake" last week on her official Senator page on Facebook. The group has been forced to defend itself against the pulpit of an official State Legislator that has clearly misrepresented facts and had her staff continue to push false claims in videos on facebook directed at the supporter group.

State Senator Chase is proving herself to be exactly what she claims she is not; a true politcian.

https://conservativestateus.blogspot.com/2020/05/amanda-chase-r-clashes-with-supporters.html

Virginia 3rd District Debate Controversy

                                          https://www.facebook.com/TurnVARedAgain/

It is clear this pandemic is clearly having its effects on everyone because things are getting very surreal in the Virginia Republican political landscape. The Virgnia GOP has experienced in fighting in the Virginia 6th District where a coup appears underway (again) it seems to diminish District Chair Jennifer Brown and in the Virginia 5th District the social conservative wing whats nothing more than to remove Congressman Denver Riggleman. If this were not enough, in the Virginia 7th District there is controversial reporting over the process of delegate selection for the district convention and than never missing an opportunity to deliver controversial moments State Senator Amanda Chase (R) rages with her own supporters over control of the private facebook group set up by grassroots supporters.

Join the discussion in Chasing Victory in Virginia 2020-21 here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2606638476319301/

These are not the best of optics for the Republican Party of Virginia attempting to take back seats lost to the Democrats over the last few years. Today, another controversy arises concerning the Virginia 3rd District over the scheduled debate that the three Republican candidates were to have. Two of the candidates, John Collick and George Yucas have decided to pull out of the debate over a promotional video that was released concerning the debate. The two candidates made a joint statement of withdrawl here:

Madison Downs (R) who is the third candidate in the Virginia 3rd has been waging a grassroots campaign in the district and has been taking his message to Republicans and Democrats alike in a district where long time incumbent Bobby Scott (D) has represented. Scott has out raised his opposition amassing over four hundred thousand to defend his seat in November. The Republicans have been  struggling  to raise donations going into the nomination process for the a district that many believe is safe for Democrats again this year.

https://conservativestateus.blogspot.com/2020/05/bait-switch-chase-communications-prove.html

https://conservativestateus.blogspot.com/2020/05/amanda-chase-r-clashes-with-supporters.html

New Facebook Candidate Discussion Group Formed

The Covid-19 crisis has left most of us all at home of course and the new craze is of course zoom and all the new ways in which we all staying connected. Life however goes on and the thought process after weeks of deliberation is to move away from "echo chambers" and develop new means of discussion where people could voice concerns on issues and polices, seek answers to questions they may have regarding conventions, primaries or just elections in general. Things like the absentee balloting process and other areas related to elections but also all the candidates.

2020 Virginia has all of its Congressional seats on the ballot and one U.S. Seante seat.

Do you know who those are running for the nominations?

This group intends to introduce everyone to the candidates and often in their own words now that videos have become immensely popular.

"We are forming a new discussion group regarding all the candidates in Virginia for 2020-21. Hope you will join the group and provide insight and opinion on any of those on Virginia ballots in 2020-21"

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2606638476319301/

Amanda Chase (R) Clashes with Supporters: In Her Own Way and Words

State Senator Amanda Freeman Chase, Conservative running for the nomination for the Republican Party of Virginia for Governor 2021 has managed a slow start out of the gate. Controversy is not new to Chase and both the Blue Virginia and Richmond Times-Dispatch have been reporting on yet another one.

Chase of course is the Chesterfield County State Senator that was removed from her own county Republican Committee in September of last year and would quit the Virginia Republican Senate Caucus in November. Chase was isolated in Janaury of this year being strip of every one of her committees save one. Chase failed to have one piece of legisalation pass this session.

This is but one reporting of exchanges that Chase herself took to Facebook in a clear attempt to channel her inner Trump it seems given his massive twitter following. It appears as though this however is backfiring. While her new page continues to grow over the controversy the original grassroots page only appears to have lost about one hundred and fifty members of the 11,200 it was reported as having by the Times-Dispatch.

Join in discussion here : https://www.facebook.com/groups/2606638476319301/

Keep in mind Chase for Governor, the new campaign run site for Chase was less than 500 people at the beginning of April and now is at 10,000 so the Chase strategy of drawing controversy may have worked for her in terms of core supporters but statewide appears unlikely she is winning over any new supporters. In fact just the opposite. Savy short term but not long term. The controversies are stacking up on Chase.

Chase was highly criticized for what appeared to be the manner in which she took over last years Second Amendment rally in Chesterfield County. Little coordination between her and the grassroots groups (non VCDL) that had formed on facebook created tension as she appeared to take over the event eventhough other legislators and candidates who had orchestrated with groups were present.

Unbeknownst to Chase, the private groups began aligning behind Delegate Nick Freitas who Chase just recently endorsed stating that she does not typically endorse Republican candidates but was Nick Freitas. Chase wanted to tap into the very groups supporting Freitas who has amassed a coffer of over 600,000 in donations. The Chase campaign has yet to release its fundrasing numbers but some believe based on her issues with the supporters group that she is under performing and needing the groups to assist her. When the groups refused, Senator Chase went on the offensive.

Here are published screenshots from the dialogue engaged in by Chase and supporters. From Blue Virginia @bluevirginia :

Regardless of ones opinion regarding State Senator Chase these are interactions on her public "official" facebook page in which as the supporters group has claimed threatens to have the Capital Police look into these citizens.

Have the Capital Police investigated this matter. Have they contacted any of the participants in this matter is a question that State Senator Chase has refused to answer.

Chase claimed in the above conversation she did not know the grassroots supporters yet the Richmod.com article published states she texted with them numerous times. Chase would not answer her intial involvement with the grassroots group but published information demonstrates she joined the group on January 20, 2020 the month before she announced her run.

Chase claims her staff knows better than to contact citizens regarding donations during session yet could not provide an answer to reporters why the call logs provided of calls and texts show her staff contacting supporters. Chase would not address the reasons for these calls or nature of intent. One such call was by her campaign manager on February 25, 2020 while the Virginia General Assembly was clearly in session.  A voicemail message seeking a meeting was disclosed to have been received.

No State Legislator is permitteed to campaign or fundraise during session of the the Virginia General Assembly. It appears at the very least, Senator Chase need to explain why the call logs reflect calls from her staff to supporters during session and why she herself used her personal private cell phone number not listed on her State Senate page or her official facebook page. Chase has a personal account under Amanda Freeman Chase but would not comment when asked if she was personal facebook friends on her private page. There is also claimed to be a facbook interaction where Chase thanks specific named supporters and one of them is now the person she claims to have never known.

https://conservativestateus.blogspot.com/2020/05/bait-switch-chase-communications-prove.html

The Need for Dollars Makes for Strange Alliances

                      Does the Republican Party of Virginia need a complete overhaul?

In 2018, The Virginia GOP lost seats in Congress in historically right-leaning districts and then in 2019 lost control of the majority in Richmond. The Republicans have failed to control the Executive in Virginia since  election of 2009.

As it stands, the 2020 crop of Republican candidates are an impressive combination of diversity. This diversity however does that appear to be something that the Republican Party of Virginia seeks to highlight or use to change the narrative regarding the party that is constantly being portrayed by the opposition as non-inclusive. This diversity should be the very thing that the Party highlights in its campaigns to change the image of the Party that the Virginia Democrats have owned for the last decade.

The Republican Party of Virginia has not recovered in truth from the optic disaster of Charlottesville in 2017 placed sqaure at its foot and President Trump's. It has ceded the narrative to the Virginia Democrats crafted by former Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) that that event was representative of the Virginia GOP. Few arguments were made of course  by the GOP in large part due to the fact that party consultants feared alienating those groups that ultimately would be funding campaigns with contributions. Something proving harder to come by.

One thing is clear is there is no unifying message with the Virginia GOP from the top down. Each campaign underway in 2020 appears to have its own identity while having to contend with a heavily funded message coming from Virginia Democrats seeking to hold the gains won in 2018. It further does not help that the messaging coming out of the campaign for the only declared Republican for Governor in 2021 at the same time is taking shots at the GOP Leadership on a weekly basis unwittingly doing the Demcorats job for them. It recently even took a shot at former Lt. Governor Bill Bolling (R).

It also does little help to any of the 2020 Congressional candidates that the only Republican declared thus far for the Governor's race next year is aligning with the very alt right groups behind Charlottesville in 2017. Reviewing the official pages of those running for Congress and the declared candidate for Governor it is easy to identify that the Virginia GOP has real issues centered around identity. While the Congressional candidates are speaking to policy, the Chase for Governor campaign is speaking to divisions and blame. The latest fundraising efforts of the latter are targeting fringe groups of the alt right for support and the old Corey Stewart coalition of hard liners who can only be described as nativists. Some have claimed that Chase is forming a "Tactical Vest" Army.

Its a dictomy that is lost on the lone GOP candidate for Governor. While the Congressional candidates in places like the Virginia 10th need to attract support from minorities, immigrants and suburban women, the Chase for Governor campaign is alienating them by the week. It is clear that the Chase for Governor campaign has made a strategic determination not to condemn the alt right groups but instead fundraise off them. This in effect places the entire Republican platform in 2020 in jeapardy.

The initial contribution reporting likely will demonstrate the small donor base of the Chase for Governor campaign thus far in 2020 and while the campaign very well may characterize it as a grassroots support the devil will be in the true details concerning where those donations are coming from. Known alt groups on social media are aligning with the messaging of the Chase for Governor campaign.

The impact of the divisions with the Virignia GOP will not really be fully understood until November. Losses by Congressional candidates will simply just embolden those that support Chase and her campaign by misunderstanding they have contributed to the very losses due to poor alignment with those seeking Congressional seats.

Aliscia Andrews (R) is one such Virginian running for the nomination in the Virginia 10th to face Jennifer Wexton (D) who defeated Barabara Comstock (R) in 2018. Andrews is a former Marine and has a strong Second Amendment supporter base but her base in the 2A movement is not the fringe alt right that often times may align with it. Andrews supporters are Constitution loving Virginians; not anarchists. There is a difference. The 2A movement is much broader than how it has been characterized in the media. Its more than merely those that will rally in tactical gear and armed. Its farmers, hunters, rural families and countless others in Virginia that simply want to get back to embracing liberty and freedom. These Virginians are not alt right wingers or Corey Stewart followers. This is easily demonstrated in the results of the 2018 Virginia Senate race in which Stewart lost handily to Tim Kaine (D) by almost 600,000 votes. Four years prior Republican Ed Gillespie lost to Senator Mark Warner by less than 20,000 votes in 2014.

Does the Republican Party of Virginia want to repeat that performance in 2021? Does it wish to suffer a third straight Executive "trifecta" loss in Virginia? This summer will be a critical crossroad for the Virignia GOP. It must prove to Virginians that it can pivot.

How Do You Solve A Problem Like "Amanda" Chase?

All of us remember the nuns in The Sound of Music right?  Remember the nuns singing "How de we solve a problem like Maria"? Well the Republican Party of Virginia clearly has its own problem and its not Maria. Its Amanda.

Amanda Freeman Chase (R) that is.

I hate to have to say it
But I very firmly feel
"Amanda's" not an asset to the abbey( "Party")

I'd like to say a word in her behalf
"Amanda" makes us laugh

How do you solve a problem like  " Amanda"?
How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?
How do you find a word that means "Amanda"?
A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown!

Many a thing you know you'd like to tell her
Many a thing she ought to understand
But how do you make her stay
And listen to all you say.....

(Original song by Rogers and Hammerstein from 1959 Sound of Music)

How dow we solve a problem like Amanda? 

State Senator Chase (R) is brazen and she wears it like a badge of honor. Her colleagues in the Virginia Senate characterize her as rash, spiteful and a "loose canon". Chase often dismisses these opinions of her demeanor in the Senate and plays up the "fighter" in her with a " I am not going to take it anymore" attitude. Meanwhile the Senator appears no longer respected by her own Party's leadership, no longer caucuses with the Republicans in the Senate and no longer is even recognized as a member of her own county Republican committee.

There is brazen and then there is political suicide. Chase even recently went so far as have a scuff up with her own supporters group created on behalf on facebook after moderators refused to cower to her demands regarding membership. It seems while Chase took extreme issue with how her membership was handled locally by the Chestefield GOP, she had little problem with attempting to control the membership and the content of a grassroots supporter group. Once moderators rejected her demands, Chase determined to more or less do what Chase typically does in her rash fashion and took to facebook to delegitmize the very people who created and ran the supporters group. This wasn't just rash but displayed her childish nature so many in Richmond have attributed to her.

Chase had been counting on leveraging the Second Amendment Sanctuary Movement in Virginia. Chase touted her record with the VCDL and the NRA at many rallies and many were obliged to join her in the fight against infrigements on Constitution rights. The biggest issue for Chase is the fact thus far it appears she has been unable to harness that movement as it translates to donations of support while other prominent leaders in the movement have generated much broader appeal and acceptance. 

For example, recent political contributions found on the Virginia Public Access Project demonstrate how Delegate Nick Freitas and Delegate John McGuire serving in the Virignia House of Delegates have dominated to space in terms of donations. Both men are running for the nomination in the Virginia Seventh for Congress. Freitas has raised $627,078 and McGuire $318,222. Chase recently endorsed Freitas for the nomination. Some considered the endorsement as a hedge against Freitas given his election in the Virginia Seventh is uncertain in the hope Freitas would not run for Governor in 2021 himself. Freitas formerly ran for the nomination to run for U.S. Senator losing to Corey Stewart in a primary.

The fundraising and donations for the Chase campaign appear marginal at best. According to many politcial historians a candidate must raise at the very least a million dollars to even have an realistic chance of securing the nomination in a statwewide race. While Chase has over a year until the June primary for the nomination one thing is clear; Chase has some real problems.

Chase's biggest challenge is herself. Chase has mastered the "attack dog" with the loud "bark" or the "fighter" personnas but that rarely translates to victory in Virignia. Chase would assert she is a proven "winner" having won the Virginia 11th two times and defeating and established Republican in her first race during the primary but what is lost on her message is Chase is still campaigning in the 11th. Chase is still speaking at her own district and has not embraced the reality that she will require to expand her message beyond a seventy percent pro-Trump district.  It does not take Larry Sabato's "Crystal Ball" to show that that message will have a very hard time resonating with Virginians in 2021. Even President Trump had a very hard time winning over the areas required to win in Virginia and lost by almost six points statewide. However, Trump in 2020 has raised almost four million dollars in his re-election bid which also creates an issue for other candidates fundraising.

Notwithstanding, Virignians have a tradition of sorts of electing a Governor opposite of the party of the sitting President with one recent exception. That was Governor Terry McAuliffe who defeated the Virginia GOP in a race many did not think he would in large part because of the campaign waged by the GOP. A campaign that many believe that Chase has already determined to run again hoping for a diffrent outcome.

But lets be clear. While Chase wishes to characterize herself as a populist. Chase is not Trump. No one is or can ever hope to be anymore than any one on the left could hope to be Obama. Attempting to present oneself as being such will only end in disappointment. Chase today appears more like Corey Stewart to most Virignians. Recently, Chase took it upon her self to "investigate" the accussation by a lone "fishing report" page from North Carolina that Governor Northam was vacationing there duyring the pandemic crisis. Chase launched a video on her official page concerning the page's claim that went viral. Her video arguably insinuated the Governor was sneaking away to his beach house while Virignians were locked down by his orders. While this circumstance certianly may have played well with her core base of support, it also had the opposite effect on most Virginians that saw the whole thing as a mere stunt.

The claim regarding Northam was dismissed within a day of the video going viral and hade to be walked back yet it simply reinforced yet another situation where Chase promised something and never delivered. Chase was widely criticized when it became clear her effort to Recall Governor Northam was nothing more than a publicity stunt to raise her political id in Virginia. Northam's recent approval polling undertaken by Virginia Commonwealth University demonstrates three out of four Virginians polled approve of the manner in which Northam ha conducted the responses to the pandemic crisis. The Chase campaign remais  locked in a battle of a war that will never be fought. Northam will not be her opposition in 2021 and one potential opponent former Governor Terry McAuliffe had much better approval ratings throughout his tenure than Northam has had.

Senator Chase while clearly the most focal in Richmond has not translated that voice into any success in 2020. Not a single one of her sponsored pieces of legislation in 2020 became law and she cast votes that certainly will alienate both Independents and Libertarians that may vote Republican and are always needed as part of any statewide coalition. Chase has been in a bitter battle with her own leadership since 2019 and it is clear that the leadership is not going to place any eggs in her basket in a run for Governor. Speculation abounds that the centrists in the Republican coaltion are desiring more competent and savvy candidate options while others would like to see Pete Synder return for another run. The Libertarians will be paying close attention as well and the Libertarian Party of Virginia will not support an Amanda Chase run for Governor. Whether they run a candidate at this point is hard to know but things should be clearer by August.

Chase has real work to be done. Much of it is within her own Party. Chase needs to mend fences with her own Party before she has any chance of statewide run. Chase can possibly win more people over with a little more grace than anything else. Otherwise, Chase is a real problem that Republicans will have to solve if there is any chance of winning a statewide race in Virginia in 2021.

As stated in the Daily Progress, “Amanda just doesn’t have a level of substance, maturity or seriousness that Virginians expect in a gubernatorial candidate,” Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham.

Protest Rally Being Organized to Re-Open Virginia:

Many Virginians are planning to protest in Richmond at the State Capital in response to the continuation of school closures and business shut downs across the Commonwealth of Virginia ordered by Democratic Governor Ralph Northam in two weeks.

Following the lead of State Senator Amanda Freeman Chase (R) representing her Senatorial District in the suburbs of Richmond, Virginians plan to rally in defiance of the Governor's Executive Orders restricting gatherings in the State. Chase in recent weeks has been ginning up her base support for her run for Governor in 2021  by taking to social media and challenging the orders of Governor Northam and his restrictions on many businesses throughout Virginia. Chase would like to see the Commonwealth "open for business" and like the rally that drew some sixty thousand Virginians to Lobby Day back in January over Second Amendment rights Chase is hoping that Virginians will support her demands to re-open.

Organizers hope to bring Virginians out to demonstrate outside the State Capital, which as of Wednesday April 15th has been locked down  by the Capital Police. The call for the rally follows others around the country that have opposed governmental restrictions imposed on business and civilians alike. The most recent protests in Michigan against Governor Whitmer are the latest to make national headlines and President Trump appears to have called for Americans to "liberate" after new coronavirus guidance has been implemented by states.

Michigan has not been alone. Ohio, Kentucky and North Carolina have all experienced protests over the extended shutdowns. The protests have been against both Democratic and Republican Governors alike. Michigan protesters used their cars to line the streets of the capital in a rally dubbed "Operation Gridlock". The protest in Michigan was not supported by the Michigan medical community and the Michigan Nurses Association even released a statement calling the protest "irresponsible".

Virginians will have to determine for themselves whether the risk of exposure warrants driving to Richmond for the rally. The most severe region on Virginia impacting  by the virus thus far is the Northern Virginia areas of Loudoun, Fairfax, Arlington and Prince William. It would certainly be ill advised for any Virginian to leave those areas and drive to Richmond given what the guidance has been relating to people who may not show any symptoms but may still be a potential carrier.

Another concern is the rising number of cases in the Counties of Henrico and Chesterfield. The latter represents Senator Chase's home base and is approaching 300 confirmed cases while Henrico has experienced 532 cases. Many suspect that these will be the localities that the majority of supporters of the protest will come from and many in the State Government are warning that such a rally would not be in the interest of "public safety".

Many have ratcheted up the rhetoric against Governor Northam in recent weeks with his extended shutdown orders under the banner of "freedom" and "liberty". For Virginians those are two things very hard to ignore given the history of Virginia herself. While no one would likely characterize Senator Chase as a Patrick Henry, Chase has certainly attempted to capitalize on the growing opposition to the "stay at home" orders and Virginians displeasure with Governor Northam. No other Virginia leaders appear joining to calls for protest though many have expressed concerns.

Senator Chase stated "We know our Constitutional rights and “We the People” will prevail over tyrants both foreign and domestic-so help us God." Chase has continually referred to Northam as a "tyrant" throughout the General Assembly session and during the coronavirus crisis. Chase goes further and states "Our VA Governor is more concerned with letting criminals out of our jails and prisons during COVID19 than he is in allowing law abiding citizens protect themselves....I and millions of Virginians will not allow our summer to be taken from ‘never mind their livelihoods and their small businesses’ mindset, pushed by liberal minded leadership."

Chase has said she create "a small business task force" to address the concerns of Virginia business interests but very little has been disclosed regarding who will e on this task force. Chase has called out Governor Northam's "experts" routinely with regard to the crisis so it will be interesting to see who the Chase advisory task force will actually be made up of.

State Senator Steve Newman (R)who many Virginians would like to see run for Governor in 2021 as well stated :

" We have not been consulted on the actions the Governor takes in his Executive Orders, nor have we received advance notice of those actions or the details accompanying them.We need to clarify this because so many of you have asked if we were involved in the decision making on the orders."

State Senator Emmett Hanger (R) stated:

"Going into the weekend, please continue to STAY HOME to help us all reduce exposure and from spreading the virus. Show your support for healthcare workers, law enforcement and first responders by staying home and helping to flatten the curve. Call to check on neighbors and say a collective THANKS to all working to keep our groceries stocked, food and other essentials available and working to protect the health of VA"

State Senator Jill Vogel (R):

"I appreciate everyone’s notes and feedback. I understand how devastating this is for everyone—personally, financially, for our healthcare workers and first responders, for children who want to be in school, and for parents with essential jobs who need childcare. The list of needs is endless and our Senate office is working around the clock to respond to every request for help. We are all affected and I am uniquely aware of the impact because I communicate with people all day who are in crisis. I receive a lot of feedback about government making it worse as well. I promise that I abide by the rule that government’s goal should be first do no harm and for my part, I am trying to make sure that we do the right thing. The House and Senate are scheduled to reconvene this month and I anticipate that we will address many issues raised by constituents.

I represent a majority rural district and I am grateful that we have the freedom to be outdoors. It is a huge challenge for families not to leave the house and I hope that everyone can stay stay home and remain healthy.

We have distributed regular updates online and in the newspaper for those not online. Please let us know if you need help and we will respond as quickly as possible."

There appears to be a stark contrast in how leaders are dealing with the crisis in Virginia. Some appear to be fueling the fears and anger while others appear to be addressing the needs of Virginians and keep them informed while they offer assistance to constituents. It will be up to Virginians to decide for themselves what the proper course should be to follow in the coming weeks and whether or not to rally at the State Capital or respect both the Federal and State crisis guidelines.