Virginia's lieutenant governor is used to facing formidable obstacles in her political campaigns. And Winsome Earle-Sears' bid to be Virginia’s next governor is no exception. The Jamaican immigrant and Marine veteran will need to win the Republican primary in June at a time when her party has been taken over by the “Make America Great Again” movement. Then she'll have to woo moderate and independent voters in the November general election as Democrats look to tie her to President Donald Trump’s overhaul of the federal government. Two conservatives are trying to challenge her in the primary. Virginia has never elected a woman as governor.

Amanda Chase previously served eight years in the State Senate.

A handful of Virginia incumbents prevailed over challengers in a closely watched primary election.

Most Republican candidates running for the Virginia legislature this year are centering their pitches to voters on issues such as education, the cost of living and gun rights.

Virginia lawmakers will return to the State Capitol Saturday to hammer out what’s left for the General Assembly session. More than a dozen lawmakers from the House and Senate serve as negotiators for the two-year spending plan.

GOP gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin and many other candidates for office are staying away from an election rally intended to fire up the party’s right wing, though the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor is expected to speak.

Republicans across the Commonwealth are looking to take back the governor’s office this November, but first they will have to choose a candidate.

Democratic former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has a commanding lead in fundraising as he seeks another term in the governor's mansion, according to campaign finance reports filed this week.

A federal judge is set to hear arguments Thursday about whether to dismiss a lawsuit from firebrand Virginia conservative Amanda Chase over her state Senate colleagues' decision to censure her.

The remarks about state Sen. Jennifer McClellan came during a campaign event, which Chase said took place Monday night. You know, Sen. McClellan, she is the vice chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus. “The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus has been a force for progress for decades - progress that has benefitted every community of the Commonwealth.”The day McClellan announced her bid for governor, Chase posted on social media: “She serves as the vice-chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus. In an interview Tuesday, Chase said she stood by her remarks and called the Black caucus “racist.”Ad“They don’t represent all Virginia. They represent just Black Virginia,” she said.

This year’s crowded contest for governor is an uncertain one as Virginia nears its selection for party nominations.

In this Feb. 2, 2021, photo, Virginia Sen. Amanda Chase and Republican gubernatorial candidate, speaks from her desk at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond, Va. The national Republican Party is at war with itself, struggling to reconcile a bitter divide between former President Donald Trumps fierce loyalists and those who want Trumpism purged from their party. (AP Photo/Ryan M. Kelly)RICHMOND, Va. – A judge ruled against Virginia state Sen. Amanda Chase on Friday in her challenge of the state Republican party’s plans for this year’s nominating contest. Plans right now, which have not been set in stone, call for a statewide convention May 1 to choose nominees for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. Chase has advocated for a primary and was seeking a court order ruling out an assembled convention.

Virginia’s attorney general doesn’t feel a recent lawsuit filed by a Republican candidate for governor has merit to be heard in court. On Monday, Mark Herring filed a motion to dismiss in Virginia Sen. Amanda Chase’s lawsuit seeking to overturn her censure by the Virginia Senate that occurred on January 27, 2021. Herring feels that the Virginia Senate, “acted entirely consistently with its own rules when considering and approving the resolution of censure,” according to his motion. I will continue to do so in a way that I feel helps people to listen. I don’t think I’ve said or misspoken,” said Chase, who represents Virginia’s 11th district.

In this Feb. 2, 2021, photo, Virginia Sen. Amanda Chase and Republican gubernatorial candidate, speaks from her desk at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond, Va. The national Republican Party is at war with itself, struggling to reconcile a bitter divide between former President Donald Trumps fierce loyalists and those who want Trumpism purged from their party. (AP Photo/Ryan M. Kelly)FALLS CHURCH, Va. – GOP gubernatorial candidate Amanda Chase on Tuesday sued the Republican Party of Virginia over its plans for a nominating convention to choose candidates in this year’s election. It’s official; I just filed a lawsuit against the Republican Party of Virginia. A spokesman for the Republican Party of Virginia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In this Feb. 2, 2021, photo, Virginia Sen. Amanda Chase and Republican gubernatorial candidate, speaks from her desk at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond, Va. The national Republican Party is at war with itself, struggling to reconcile a bitter divide between former President Donald Trumps fierce loyalists and those who want Trumpism purged from their party. The party’s future success — and maybe its survival — depends on whether Republicans in competitive states like Virginia can re-create a coalition that moves beyond Trump’s hardcore base. “I like to think I’m a little more polished than President Trump. Ad“If they disenfranchise the people of Virginia, I will declare the Republican Party is dead," Chase warned.

In this Feb. 2, 2021, photo, Virginia Sen. Amanda Chase and Republican gubernatorial candidate, speaks from her desk at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond, Va. The national Republican Party is at war with itself, struggling to reconcile a bitter divide between former President Donald Trumps fierce loyalists and those who want Trumpism purged from their party. The party’s future success — and maybe its survival — depends on whether Republicans in competitive states like Virginia can re-create a coalition that moves beyond Trump’s hardcore base. “I like to think I’m a little more polished than President Trump. Ad“If they disenfranchise the people of Virginia, I will declare the Republican Party is dead," Chase warned.

Sen. Amanda Chase is filing a federal lawsuit against the Senate of Virginia after she was censured last month. The Democratic-controlled state Senate voted 24-9, rebuking Republican Senator Amanda Chase for what they call a “pattern of unacceptable conduct.” The censure comes after she voiced support for those who stormed the U.S. Capitol. According to an announcement from Chase’s team, attorneys are filing a lawsuit on Monday against the Senate of Virginia in United States District Court in the Eastern District of Virginia for a civil rights violation. Chase represents Virginia’s 11th District and is also running for governor. Many of the comments that Senator Chase made were in line with that,” said Democratic Senator John Bell, who represents Virginia’s 13th district and introduced the resolution against Chase.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The woman who was censured by the Virginia Senate is standing by her words. I don’t think I’ve said or misspoken,” said Chase, who represents Virginia’s 11th district. We can’t make seditious comments or insightful comments. Many of the comments that Senator Chase made were in line with that,” said Bell, who represents Virginia’s 13th district. AdChase, who is also running for governor, says she plans to sue the Virginia Senate.

Virginia State Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield, listens to debate during the Senate session at the Capitol Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Senate on Wednesday approved a measure rebuking one of its most far-right members for a “pattern of unacceptable conduct,” including an allegation that she voiced support for those who participated in storming the U.S. Capitol. On a vote of 24-9, the Democrat-controlled chamber advanced a resolution censuring Amanda Chase, a senator from suburban Richmond who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor. [Facebook suspends Sen. Amanda Chase’s account after posting false claims]The vote followed a long debate that featured scathing rebukes from Chase’s colleagues on both sides of the political aisle. In previous remarks on the floor, Chase had defended those who stormed the Capitol, including Ashli Babbitt, a woman who was shot by U.S. Capitol Police.

Virginia State Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield, listens to debate during the Senate session at the Capitol Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)UPDATESen. Amanda Chase issued an official statement regarding Facebook suspending her account on Friday morning. ORIGINAL STORYFacebook has suspended the official account of Virginia State Senator and Republican candidate for Virginia Governor, Amanda Chase, for posting false theories and other disputed claims. “We no longer have free speech here in America.”Facebook continues to restrict free speech. Because what I have to say does not fit their narrative my Senator Amanda Chase page has been silenced for 60 days.

Virginia state Sen. Amanda Chase, an outspoken Trump supporter who is running for governor, attended the president's rally Wednesday in which Trump urged supporters to march to the Capitol. Washington, D.C., officials said the FBI and the local Metropolitan Police Department were leading the investigation into identifying the participants in Wednesday’s violence. John Bryan, a West Virginia attorney representing Evans, was defiant that the delegate will not resign despite lawmakers from both parties seeking to expel him. The Republican speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates, Roger Hanshaw, said Wednesday night that Evans will need to “answer to his constituents and colleagues” for his actions. I'm following the crowd.”Like several other political first-time winners in November’s West Virginia elections, Evans swept aside a Democratic rival to win his seat representing Wayne County.

Even though the 2020 election season is barely behind us, the race to determine Virginia’s next governor is already heating up.

While 2020 was a big election for the United States, 2021 will be when Virginians vote on who will lead the Commonwealth.

RADFORD, Va – A student-led rally at Radford university set for Saturday will continue despite concerns from city residents. The Bigger Picture Rally is set to begin on Muse Quad Saturday afternoon, but Radford Mayor and University Faculty Member David Horton said there has been a concerning amount of misinformation about the event. Lots of online speculation about the event has been circulating by people including Virginia Senator Amanda Chase who took to Facebook criticizing the event and university President Brian Hemphill. Radford spokesperson Caitlyn Scaggs said the students have taken all the right steps to host the event. Only students, faculty and anyone with a valid Radford ID card will be able to attend the event on Saturday.

RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Senate approved wide-ranging police reform legislation Thursday that would prohibit the use of chokeholds, restrict no-knock search warrants, and expand the grounds to decertify law enforcement officials who commit misconduct. The legislation, Senate Bill 5030, passed along party lines, and includes many of the measures protesters around the country have called for since the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Democrats hailed it as a landmark achievement they said preserves public safety while promoting civil liberties and addressing urgent needs. Other aspects of the bill would require police to issue warnings before firing weapons and prohibit shooting at moving motor vehicles. Some Republican senators cast the bill passed Thursday as a disaster for police officers that would empower criminals and cost innocent lives.

ROANOKE, Va. – Although former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe hasn’t announced plans to run for governor, he certainly has far more funding than his would-be opponents. He previously announced that his political action committee, Common Good VA, raised $1.7 million in the first half of 2020. McAuliffe served as the Governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. The Virginia Public Access Project sorted the data provided by the Virginia Department of Elections.

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. Sen. Amanda Chase, who is currently the sole Republican candidate for governor in Virginia, is denouncing the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond. According to a release from her campaign, Chase voiced her opposition from Richmonds Monument Avenue on Wednesday. Removing the Robert E. Lee statue is a cowardly capitulation to the looters and domestic terrorists, said Senator Chase. Other Virginia GOP lawmakers are also speaking out against the removal of the statue. The Governors decision to remove the Lee statue from Monument Avenue is not in the best interests of Virginia.

Jennifer Carroll Foy formally launched her bid for Virginia governor Wednesday, using email and social media to make an initial appeal to voters amid the social distancing constraints of the coronavirus pandemic. Many Democrats are expected to get into the race to replace Democratic Gov. Carroll Foy quietly filed paperwork to run last month. In a biographical video released Wednesday, Carroll Foy describes being discouraged from running for her House seat, especially when people learned she was pregnant "not with one but with two babies." Carroll Foy said she thinks Northam has done a "good job" responding to the pandemic but said there's always room to "be bolder in our response."

Ralph Northam has not left the state of Virginia since issuing the executive order requiring Virginians to stay at home, according to his spokesperson. A Facebook post states that numerous people in Dare County, North Carolina, had seen or heard about Northam going to his vacation home on a regular basis. Northam has been working on behalf of Virginians seven days a week and has not left the Commonwealth since stay-home orders went into place. An update from last night regarding Governor Northam being sighted in NC and today’s General Assembly session. Posted by Senator Amanda Chase on Wednesday, April 22, 2020“Our initial report is that this is a false claim… that this is not true,” said Senator Chase.

RICHMOND, Va. – The first Republican in Virginia has announced her intention to be the next governor of Virginia. On Monday afternoon, on the steps of the Virginia State Capitol, Sen. Amanda Chase, who represents Virginia’s 11th Senate District, announced her candidacy. Posted by Senator Amanda Chase on Monday, February 17, 2020Her district includes all of Amelia County and Colonial Heights, as well as most of Chesterfield County. She was first elected in 2015 to the Virginia State Senate. Posted by Senator Amanda Chase on Monday, February 17, 2020On the Democratic side, Gov.