GOP Civil War: Weak VA GOP Candidate Pool Drives Two More Candidates to Enter Governor’s Race, Chase Threatens Independent Run Again

The VA GOP primary for governor is turning out to be a bigger train wreck than anyone could have imagined. Two more GOP candidates entered the race yesterday, all but ensuring the convention will be a brutal competition to prove who is the most conservative, and state Sen. Amanda Chase renewed her threat to run as an independent should she feel cheated out of the nomination.

During a radio interview yesterday, Chase fanned the flames of the GOP civil war, re-upping her threat to run as independent “if there are shenanigans that occur” during the convention. Chase also preemptively accused the VA GOP for the second time, threatening to “call them out” if they “cheat.” If Chase doesn’t get her way, she won’t go out quietly.

Meanwhile, Trump administration official Sergio de la Peña and businessman Glenn Youngkin both announced their candidacy for governor, joining an already heated primary between Chase and former Speaker Kirk Cox. De la Peña’s announcement video made it clear he supports Donald Trump’s far right agenda. Regardless of who comes out on top, the GOP primary will be a race to the right – and to see who is more out of touch with Virginians’ values.

“The Virginia GOP primary is a ‘hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck,’” said DGA Deputy Communications Director Christina Amestoy. “With the addition of two more candidates, the convention is shaping up to be an all-out race to the right in order to scrape together the most delegates. And with Amanda Chase’s threat to mount an independent run, she’s ensured GOP infighting leading up to the convention, at the convention, and likely for months after.”