Amanda Chase

Amanda Chase (née Freeman; born December 1, 1969) is an American Republican politician.

Chase was born in Sheffield, Alabama, on December 1, 1969.

She has been a resident of Chesterfield County since 1979 and graduated from Monacan High School in 1988.

This was the first censure of a Virginia state senator since 1987.

Despite saying she would "wear the censure as a badge of honor," Chase filed a federal lawsuit against the Virginia State Senate, but the suit was subsequently dismissed.

In 1992, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Virginia Tech.

Chase has worked in banking and financial management.

In 2009, Chase worked for Republican Ken Cuccinelli during his successful campaign for Virginia Attorney General; later, she was a staffer to Republican congressman Dave Brat.

Since 2010, she has operated Chase Consulting LLC, a campaign management firm.

Since 2013, Chase has been an independent contractor in the financial services industry.

In 2015, Chase won the Republican nomination in Virginia's 11th State Senate District in an upset primary victory against incumbent senator Stephen H. Martin, who had served since 1994.

The solidly Republican district comprises Amelia County, Colonial Heights, and much of Chesterfield.

Chase went on to defeat the Democratic nominee, attorney and retired Army colonel E. Wayne Powell, in the general election by about 69% to 31%.

from 2016 to 2024 she was a member of the Virginia Senate for the 11th District, and represented Amelia County, the city of Colonial Heights, and part of Chesterfield County.

Chase, self-described as "Trump in heels" was defeated in her reelection campaign in June of 2023 and left office in January of 2024.

Chase has been deemed one of the most "prominent spreaders of election conspiracy theories in Virginia politics" and has been noted for her attendance of Donald Trump's rally preceding the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, where she appeared to voice support for rioters by calling them "patriots" and suggesting that Trump might still be sworn in as president, despite losing the election to Joe Biden.

She also stated, "The insurrection is actually the deep state with the politicians working against the people to overthrow our government."

The Virginia State Senate censured Chase on a 24–9 vote (with three Republicans joining the majority) for "conduct unbecoming a senator" and "fomenting insurrection against the United States," stripping Chase of her lone committee assignment.

Chase won reelection in 2019, defeating Democratic nominee Amanda Pohl.

During her political career, Chase has adopted a Donald Trump-like impact and persona.

One of the most far-right members of the state Senate, she has described herself as "Trump in heels" and gained attention in Virginia politics with provocative comments and stunts.

In 2019, Chase was removed from the Chesterfield County Republican Party Committee after clashing with others in the organization; Chase had promoted the campaign of an independent candidate for sheriff, violating a party rule barring Republican committee members from supporting a non-Republican candidate running against a Republican nominee.

The move was mostly symbolic, depriving her of voting rights in the county party, but having no effect on her status as a Republican nominee.

In November 2019, Chase announced that she would not caucus with the Republicans in the State Senate in 2020, citing what she called broken and failed Republican leadership, and lack of transparency.

Chase remains affiliated with the Republican Party.

On January 15, 2019, Chase openly carried a loaded .38-caliber handgun in a holster while presenting bills to a state Senate committee, saying she did so as "a deterrent for over-exuberant folks.

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.

When asked to move her car she told the officer that she would not move her vehicle "unless you let the f---ing barricades down to let me in".

She was eventually allowed to park.

In a July 2019 post on Facebook about the Second Amendment, Chase said "[i]t's those who are naive and unprepared that end up raped. Sorry. But I'm not going to be a statistic."

After a backlash, Chase posted a video in which she declined to apologize; said that her reply was "taken out of context"; and attacked critics as "trolls".

In April 2021, a jury convicted former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin of the murder of George Floyd (see Trial of Derek Chauvin).

Chase said in a video that the conviction made her "sick" and claimed that the verdict was motivated by politics.

Chase opposes removing the Richmond, Virginia, Robert E. Lee Monument, 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."

Chase further stated that the removal of Confederate statues is an "overt effort to erase all white history".

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chase refused to wear a face mask during Virginia Senate sessions, contrary to public health guidance at the time.

As a result of her refusal to wear a mask, she was required to sit in a plexiglass box during Senate sessions.

She has repeatedly promoted baseless claims that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was marred by election fraud and "stolen" by Democrats; she has also claimed that Virginia Democrats "hate white people".

Chase marched with the far-right "boogaloo boys" in Richmond carrying an AR-15.