(The Center Square) — Virginia state Sen. Amanda Chase said in a statement Wednesday evening that after losing the Republican primary for District 12 to former state Sen. Glen Sturtevant by more than 1%, she would be “seeking legal counsel to address her concerns.”
Chase claimed in the press release that hundreds of “illegal votes” cast during Virginia’s 45-day early voting window allowed Sturtevant to clinch the win.
She claims Sturtevant’s campaign manager was the only Republican present to “certify [the] early voting machines.”
Though pursuing legal action, Chase is not pursuing a recount because she says a recount will not solve the problem.
“This isn’t necessarily about overturning election results,” Chase said, as reported by the Virginia Mercury. “This is about holding people accountable who didn’t follow the law.”
Despite this, Chase has made references to a possible write-in campaign for the seat.
Self-described as “Trump in heels,” Chase has served two terms representing state Senate District 11, elected to office in 2015 and reelected in 2019. Due to Virginia’s once-a-decade redistricting in 2021, Chase decided to run for the newly defined District 12 this election cycle.
Sturtevant, who represented District 10 from 2016 to 2020 but lost his reelection bid, joined the race, as did political hopeful and nonprofit founder Tina Ramirez. Still, Chase and Sturtevant emerged as the top competitors among voters.
Chase has repeatedly supported claims of election fraud in the 2020 presidential election. She was also censured by her fellow Senators in 2021 for calling those that breached the capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, “patriots.”
