General Voting Record

• The most conservative Democrat in the state senate in the majority of regular sessions where he has been a Senator. For example in an analysis from VPAP from 2016-2022, he was the most conservative Democrat in all but one regular session. Furthermore, most years he voted with Republicans roughly 1/3rd of the time, significantly more than any other Democrat.

• Broke with Senate Democrats to confirm far-right Bert Ellis to the UVA Board of Visitors​​

• Until this year when he faced a primary challenge, Chap has consistently scored as the most conservative Democrats in the State Senate on VAPLAN’s Virginia Legislators Progressive Scorecard

  • In 2019, he ranked #19 out of 19 Senate Dems

  • In 2020, he ranked #21 out of 21 Senate Dems

  • In 2021, he ranked #21 out of 21 Senate Dems

  • In 2022, he ranked #20 out of 21 Senate Dems

  • In 2023, he ranked #12 out of 22 Senate Dems​

• Co-Founder of the “Redskins Pride Caucus”

Workers Rights

• Opposed Paid Sick Leave bill in March 2020, right before COVID shutdowns, saying that part time workers don’t really need paid sick days because they can go to the doctor on “their own free time”

• Recently reiterated his opposition to paid sick leave for part time workers, saying that only full time workers deserve paid sick leave.

• Opposed repealing so-called "Right-to-Work" legislation, using false anti-labor talking points to justify his position​

Gun Control

• One of only four democrats to vote against an Assault Weapons Ban. In an exclusive interview with Fox News, he told Fox & Friends hosts that the radical anti-Gun Control protestors from January 2020 influenced his vote.  

• In 2022, he said that he was open to loosening penalties for concealed carry violations.

• Got transfers of guns removed from 2020 background check legislation.

• Other legislation:

  • 2008 SB 436 - Chap voted to allow concealed carry in vehicles

  • 2010 SB 334 - Chap voted to allow concealed handguns in establishments that serve alcohol

  • 2020 HB 9 - Chap voted against requiring reporting when a gun is lost or stolen

Confederate Monuments

• Fairfax City Street Renaming

  • Wrote a letter to the City of Fairfax opposing the council’s plan to rename Confederate-themed streets. Said, “We have historically been a small town with a politically independent streak. Now we appear to be chasing after our large urbanized neighbors in terms of socially progressive, albeit symbolic, initiatives.”

• ​Chap sued Fairfax County over the removal of Confederate Monuments at the Fairfax County Courthouse and  called the move “Orwellian”.​​

COVID-19

• “Jim Crow, segregation, Massive Resistance, all those people, look, there were some bad decisions made, but at least they had a school system, ok, at least they had a functioning school system.” - Chap Petersen in June 2020, implying that COVID related school shutdowns were worse than Jim Crow

• Sued Gov. Northam in June 2020 (almost a year before vaccines were widely available) over COVID-19 restrictions, saying they violated the constitution.

• In an April 2020 interview with a far-right radio station, Chap implied that COVID would disappear over the summer. Said that we needed to start loosening COVID restrictions over a year before the general public had easy access to vaccines.

Marijuana

• The only Senate Democrat who voted against Marijuana legalization

• Called Marijuana a “gateway drug” and implied that legalization would lead to more crime. Mocked the equity provisions in the legalization bill.

LGBTQ+ Rights

• Helped kill a bill requiring mandatory reporting for law enforcement officers who discriminate against LGBTQ+ individuals. Said that he was not aware of any issues involving police officers discriminating against LGBTQ+ individuals as his rationale.

• Opposed an expansion of Hate Crime law to include the offender’s intent.

Sexual Harassment/Assault

• Helped to kill a bill that would make it illegal to send sexually explicit images to someone without their consent

• Killed Sen. McClellan’s bill that defined:  “workplace harassment as an unwelcome conduct based on race, religion, natural origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and more. Sexual harassment includes a sexual advance, a request for sexual favors, or any conduct of a sexual nature in the workplace.” The bill would have clarified and strengthened existing law. Chap voted against the bill saying “I just want this bill to go away”

• Sen. Petersen was one of only two senators who voted against a bill that would have set a minimum marriage age in Virginia. Previously, the law allowed anyone who was pregnant and has "parental consent" to get married which in many cases enabled abuse.