Amanda Chase

Amanda Chase (née Freeman; born December 1, 1969) is an American politician and financial planner. She is currently a member of the Virginia Senate for the 11th District, representing Amelia County, the city of Colonial Heights, and part of Chesterfield County. On February 17, 2020, Chase announced her run for Governor of Virginia in 2021, making her the first ever female Republican candidate for governor in Virginia. [1]

Amanda Chase
Member of the Virginia Senate
from the 11th district
Assumed office
January 13, 2016
Preceded byStephen H. Martin
Personal details
Born
Amanda Freeman

(1969-12-01) December 1, 1969
Sheffield, Alabama, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Michael Chase
Children4
EducationVirginia Tech (BS)
WebsiteCampaign website

Early life and education

Chase was born in Sheffield, Alabama to Dorsey and Tena Freeman. She grew up in the community of Bon Air, Virginia, and attended Chesterfield County Public Schools.

After graduating from Monacan High School in 1988, she went on to attend Virginia Tech. In 1992, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, majoring in Corporate Finance and Business Management.

Professional career

Since June 2013, Chase has worked as an Independent Division Leader with Primerica Financial Services. Prior to that, she served in management roles at First North American National Bank, Signet Bankcard (now Capital One), the Virginia Student Assistance Authorities and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Political career

Chase first became involved in local politics due to a zoning issue that affected her neighborhood, serving on a steering committee that would ultimately succeed in blocking the proposed zoning change.

She then went on to serve as the Chesterfield County Coordinator for Attorney General candidate Ken Cuccinelli, Deputy Volunteer Coordinator for the McDonnell Inaugural Committee and as Political Director for then-Congressman Eric Cantor (2010) and Randy Forbes (2012). Chase was briefly the Campaign Manager for Congressman Dave Brat following his defeat of Cantor in the 2014 primary.

From 2010 to 2014, Chase ran a campaign management firm that sought to help grassroots conservatives run for office. Her clients included 2010 U.S. Senate Candidate Jamie Radtke, Congressman Randy Forbes (VA-4), 2013 Republican Lt. Governor Candidate Susan Stimpson, 2014 Republican Congressional Candidate Dave Brat (VA-7), the Women for Ken PAC, and many other local and state legislators and elected officials.

Virginia State Senate

On July 10, 2014, Chase filed to run for the Republican nomination in Virginia's 11th State Senate District. Her primary opponents were incumbent Senator Stephen H. Martin and businessman Barry Moore. Despite being heavily outspent, she defeated both challengers and went on to face Democrat Wayne Powell in the general election.

At the general election on November 3, 2015, Chase defeated Powell by a wide margin to become the district's Senator-Elect. She assumed office on January 13, 2016.

On November 22, 2019, Chase announced that she will no longer caucus with the Republicans in the State Senate in 2020, although she still is a Republican state Senator. Her reason for doing so was the supposed broken and failed Republican leadership and lack of transparency. [2]

Election results

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Virginia Senate 11th District General Election, 2015
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Amanda Chase 35,147 69.39
Democratic Wayne Powell 15,481 30.56
None Write-In 24 0.05
Total votes 50,652 100

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Virginia Senate 11th District Republican Primary, 2015
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Amanda Chase 4,907 40.48
Republican Stephen H. Martin (incumbent) 4,238 34.96
Republican Barry Moore 2,977 24.56
Total votes 12,122 100

Controversies

Wearing a firearm in session

On January 15, 2019, Chase openly carried a .38 caliber firearm in a custom holster while presenting bills to a Senate committee. She said "it’s a deterrent for over-exuberant folks" in explaining why she openly carried a loaded firearm into the Senate committee meeting.[3][4]

Cursing at Capitol Police officer over a parking spot

On March 22, 2019, Chase reportedly became "irate" and used supposed profanities at Capitol Police officers after being told that she was not allowed to park in the secured Pedestrian Plaza on Bank Street where she would park at times during session.[5][6]

Comments about rape

Chase had made a controversial statement about rape. In a post on Facebook about the Second Amendment, which was made on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, she said "[i]t’s those who are naive and unprepared that end up raped. Sorry. But I’m not going to be a statistic." This statement of hers was subject to considerable backlash. Many people asserted that her comment was insensitive to the predicament of recovery that many rape victims undergo and other people asserted that she was blaming victims. In response to the public criticism, Chase posted a video to the same Facebook page as the one that she used to make the comment about rape. She did not apologize in the video and she said that her reply was "taken out of context." She also attacked her critics as "trolls".[7]

Confederate monuments

Chase opposes removing the Robert E. Lee Monument in Richmond, Virginia, which has become a flashpoint of protests in recent times. "Removing the Robert E. Lee statue is a cowardly capitulation to the looters and domestic terrorists."[8] Chase further stated that the removal of Confederate statues is an "overt effort to erase all white history."[9]

See also

References
  1. https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/483392-virginia-gop-state-lawmaker-announces-gubernatorial-run-amid-dems-gun
  2. "Sen. Amanda Chase leaves caucus after Norment elected as Senate minority leader". WTVR.com. 2019-11-22. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  3. Times-Dispatch, PATRICK WILSON Richmond. "Sen. Chase wears handgun to podium to present bills in committee". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
  4. Vozzella, Laura. "On the Senate floor with a gun on her hip, Republican says packing heat can deter violence". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2019-08-05. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
  5. "Sen. Amanda Chase accused of cursing at Capitol Police officer over parking spot". WTVR.com. 2019-04-25. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
  6. Times-Dispatch, GRAHAM MOOMAW Richmond. "UPDATED with video: Police: Sen. Amanda Chase berated officer who wouldn't let her park in secure area at Capitol". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
  7. Perry, Eric (2019-07-05). "Politician says controversial rape comment online taken out of context". nbc12.com.
  8. "Governor candidate Amanda Chase, other Republicans denounce Robert E. Lee statue removal". Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  9. "Virginia GOP calls own lawmaker's comments on Confederate statues 'idiotic'". Retrieved 2020-06-11.

Additional sources
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