Chase says governor hopeful should resign over VMI; her campaign calls Chase 'toxic extremist'

Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Jennifer Carroll Foy has fired back at state Sen. Amanda F. Chase for insisting that if Virginia Military Institute was a racist college, then the state Democratic party should "clear the log out of its own eye" by having Carroll Foy and Gov. Ralph S. Northam resign from political service since they both graduated from the Lexington school.

Josh Crandall, who directs Carroll Foy's political action committee, called Chase one of the "toxic extremists" that Virginia leaders such as his candidate need to stand up against in order to preserve the state's future. Crandall also said Chase is "resigned from reality" if she think Carroll Foy should step down as one of Prince William County's representatives in the Virginia House of Delegates.

In a Wednesday Facebook post, Chase -- the only announced Republican candidate thus far for next year's election of the governor -- called the VMI probe that Northam called for and Carroll Foy supported "BS" and a product of the "cancel culture" promoted by state Democrats.

The governor asked for an investigation after The Washington Post reported on examples of what it called "relentless racism" at the nation's oldest private military college.

Chase, whose state Senate district includes the city of Colonial Heights, claimed in that Facebook post that since both Carroll Foy and Northam graduated from VMI, they should consider stepping down from their elected positions.

"If racism were truly an issue then current Democratic Governor Northam and my Democratic opponent for Governor 2021 Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy, both of whom were both indoctrinated at VMI need to resign," Chase wrote. "The racist Democratic Party of Virginia had better clear the log out of its own eye before it attempts to take the speck out of VMI’s."

Chase's post included a link to an NBC News story about VMI superintendent J.H. Binford Peay resigning from his position following The Post's report.

Carroll Foy, who was born and grew up in Petersburg, graduated from VMI in 2003 and was among the first female cadets at the school. Northam graduated from VMI in 1981.

"Senator Chase is resigned from reality if she thinks Jennifer Carroll Foy, one of VMI's best exemplars of inner strength and perseverance in the face of racial and gender inequality, should resign," Crandall said in a text to The Progress-Index. "The fact that someone as extreme and hypocritical as Senator Chase is calling on Delegate Carroll Foy to resign is all the proof we need that we're on exactly the right path."

He added that Virginia needs leaders "who will stand up to toxic extremists like Amanda Chase."

Related: Carroll Foy: VMI's Confederate-tinged history needs a future of 'inclusion and diversity'

Related: Probe ordered of Virginia Military Institute after Washington Post’s report on racist incidents

Carroll Foy is one of three announced contenders for the 2021 Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Also officially in the running are state Sen. Jennifer McClellan of Richmond -- another Petersburg native -- and Lt. Gov. Justin E. Fairfax. Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe is also seriously considering a run.

On the GOP side, Chase is the only declared candidate, but she is expected to have company after next week's election. Del. Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights and a former speaker of the House of Delegates, is all but definite to enter the race for the nomination, saying he would announce his intent after the presidential election.

Current state Sen. Emmett W. Hanger Jr., R-Augusta County, and former state Sen. Bill Carrico of Grayson County have also been mentioned as possible entrants. John Fredericks, a Richmond radio executive and a leader in President Donald Trump'sVirginia re-election efforts, also has said he is thinking of running.

Virginia Democrats were rocked by political scandal in February 2019 amid reports of Northam and state Attorney General Mark Herring engaging in racist behavior while in college. Fairfax also was the subject of sexual-assault claims by two women on two different occasions.

You can reach Bill Atkinson at batkinson@progress-index.com. Follow him at @BAtkinson_PI. Follow The Progress-Index on Twitter at @ProgressIndex.

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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Chase says governor hopeful should resign over VMI; her campaign calls Chase 'toxic extremist'

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