GOP lawmaker who said rape victims are 'naive and unprepared' expelled by her county chapter — but not for her words

On Monday, the Richmond Times-Dispatchreported that controversial Virginia state Sen. Amanda Chase has been expelled from the Chesterfield County Republican Party.

Chase has attracted outrage for a number of extreme statements on social media, including that women who get raped are "naive and unprepared" for not carrying a gun to shoot their attacker, that the Equal Rights Amendment is "a plot by the left to eliminate gender altogether," and that her revolver is "my little Equal Rights Amendment."

None of this, however, is why the county GOP gave her the boot. The dispute stems from Chase's attacks on Sheriff Karl Leonard, who is also a Republican — and her donation to the campaign of Leonard's independent challenger Rahn Kersey, whom she called "more of a Republican." Party rules prohibit Chase from supporting any campaign against a Republican.

This prompted Chesterfield GOP chairwoman Tara Carroll to demand she take a series of corrective actions including the removal of all her social media support for Kersey. When she refused, Carroll sent her a letter notifying her of her dismissal from the Chesterfield GOP.

"We are disappointed that you have chosen not to take the required remedial actions outlined in our letter sent last Friday, September 27, which notified you of the provisions of the Party Plan that trigger the automatic loss of your membership unless you disavowed the use of your name in support of, and ceased your in-kind contribution to, a candidate running against our Republican nominee for Sheriff," wrote Carroll.

Chase's Democratic opponent in November is Amanda Pohl, a local social worker. The contest is one of many that could determine the fate of the Virginia Senate — one of only two upper chambers in states Hillary Clinton won that is controlled by Republicans, but where Democrats need a net gain of just one vote to take control.