Two local Republicans who declared their intention to seek their party’s nomination for governor next year could have faced each other in the general election.
State Sen. Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) and Del. Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) have announced their candidacies, along with Kurt Santini, a Bedford County resident and former Army Ranger.
Chase, who earlier said she would run as an independent if her party chose a convention instead of a primary for next year’s election, made an about-face on Friday. In a Dec. 11 Facebook post, Chase said she recently received “thousands of communications” from across the state asking that she run as a Republican.
“I cannot in good conscience let the liberal agenda retake our governor’s mansion, so I will continue to seek the Republican nomination as a Republican in either a primary or convention,” Chase said.
Before she changed her mind, state Sen. Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond), who represents eastern Chesterfield, said the Republican State Central Committee “made a colossal mistake” on Dec. 5 in selecting a convention because it would likely split the vote between conservatives and elect a Democrat. The committee voted 39-35-2 and 41-28 in favor of a convention, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
In a press release, Cox said Chase’s threat to run as an independent was “based solely on the fact that she knows principled, conservative Republicans will never tolerate the demagogue she has become.” (A demagogue, according to Oxford Languages, is a political leader who seeks support by appealing to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people rather than by using rational argument.) Cox also said that “Chase’s antics have long grown more than tiresome.”
Several other Republicans are said to be exploring a run, including state Sen. Emmett Hanger (R-Augusta), outgoing U.S. Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-5th), Charlottesville businessman Pete Snyder and Glenn Youngkin, a former co-executive of the Carlyle Group, a financial investment management company.
Those seeking the Democrat Party’s nomination include former Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, state Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy (D-Prince William) and state Sen. Jennifer McClellan (R-Richmond). Del. Lee Carter (D-Manassas), who calls himself a Democratic Socialist, has filed paperwork allowing him to raise funds but has not said that he will run.
Morrissey said he’s keeping his powder dry and has not endorsed a candidate. “I know all of them and respect all of them,” he said.
Carroll Foy, a Petersburg native, recently resigned her state House seat to concentrate on the race. “She is a mother, a lawyer and a graduate of VMI,” Morrissey said, calling her “fiercely determined and competitive, a woman Democrats better take seriously.”
“Donutgate?”
However, Morrissey noted that he has endorsed Del. Jay Jones (D-Norfolk) in the race for attorney general and is receiving blowback from it. In a Dec. 4 Facebook post, Morrissey said he recently received three summonses for allegedly campaigning inside a polling place in Richmond. Morrissey said he became aware of the charges — which stemmed from the Nov. 5, 2019 election in which he defeated independent Waylin Ross — on Nov. 30.
Morrissey said he wasn’t campaigning inside the polling place, but rather was delivering doughnuts to poll workers, something that he said he is allowed to do. Morrissey noted that he wasn’t there for more than 10 minutes and allowed some poll workers to take a photograph with him.
Morrissey called the charges “donutgate” and said Attorney General Mark Herring is trying to score some political points. Herring — who planned to run for governor but instead is running for re-election to a third term — is facing a challenge from Jones in the Democratic primary. A Washington Post story said Herring authorized the state police to conduct an investigation into the situation at the request of the Richmond commonwealth’s attorney.
Morrissey said Herring “will pay a penalty at the poll. My constituents believe what he did was political shenanigans and disgraceful.” Morrissey said he would not only campaign for Jones, “but I will oppose every effort for [Herring] to be re-elected.” Morrissey said he would support the Republican if Herring wins the Democratic nomination, citing his hypocrisy in calling for Gov. Ralph Northam to resign because of a blackface incident when Herring had done the same thing. Republican AG candidates so far include Del. Jason Miyares of Virginia Beach and Virginia Beach attorney Chuck Smith.
In the race for lieutenant governor, Republicans who have announced include Del. Glenn Davis of Virginia Beach, former Del. Tim Hugo of Fairfax, Northern Virginia business consultant Puneet Ahluwalia and Air Force veteran Lance Allen of Fauquier County.
Among Democrats, those who have announced their intentions to run for lieutenant governor include Del. Elizabeth Guzman and Del. Hala S. Ayala, both of Prince William County, Del. Sam Rasoul of Roanoke, former Democratic Party chair Paul Goldman, Arlington County businessman and sports agent Xavier Warren, Sean Perryman, chair of the Fairfax NAACP, and Norfolk councilwoman Andria McClellan.
