Virginia state Sen. Ben Chafin dies after contracting COVID-19

kAmr927:?[ e_[ H2D 2? 2EE@C?6J 2?5 42EE=6 72C>6C 7C@> #FDD6== r@F?EJ] w6 H2D 7:CDE 6=64E65 E@ E96 ':C8:?:2 w@FD6 @7 s6=682E6D :? a_`b 2?5 H2D 6=64E65 E@ E96 DE2E6 D6?2E6 :? a_`c[ H:??:?8 ?62C=J e_T @7 E96 G@E6D 42DE]k^Am

kAmw6 25G@42E65 7@C ;@3D :? 9:D 5:DEC:4E[ A2CE:4F=2C=J :? E96 4@2=7:6=5D H96C6 E96 564=:?6 @7 4@2= 92D 56G2DE2E65 =@42= 64@?@>:6D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 DE2E6>6?E 7C@> E96 D6?2E@C’D @77:46] w6 H2D 2 DEC@?8 DFAA@CE6C @7 E96 $64@?5 p>6?5>6?E[ 64@?@>:4 56G6=@A>6?E 2?5 962=E9 42C6 4@G6C286 7@C E9@FD2?5D @7 =@H\:?4@>6 ':C8:?:2?D] w6 925 2 9:89 C2E6 @7 A2DD65 =68:D=2E:@?]k^Am

kAms6=] %6CCJ z:=8@C6[ #\v2E6 r:EJ[ D2:5 96 H2D “962CE3C@<6?]”k^Am

kAm“(6 92G6 =@DE 2 ECF6 7C:6?5 @7 $@FE9H6DE ':C8:?:2[” z:=8@C6 D2:5] “x H2D 9@?@C65 E@ 4@F?E $6?] r927:? 2D 2 4=@D6 7C:6?5] ~FC AC2J6CD 2C6 H:E9 {@C2 2?5 E96 72>:=J E@?:89E]”k^Am

kAm$E2E6 $6?] %@55 !:==:@?[ #\p3:?85@?[ D2:5 E96C6 H2D 2 “9@=6 :? @FC 962CED” @G6C r927:?’D A2DD:?8]k^Am

kAm“q6? =@G65 =:76[ 9:D 72>:=J[ 9:D H@C< 2?5 E96 A6@A=6 @7 $@FE9H6DE ':C8:?:2 7@C H9@> 96 25G@42E65 E:C6=6DD=J[” !:==:@? D2:5] “w6 H2D 2 36=@G65 >6>36C @7 E96 $6?2E6 @7 ':C8:?:2[ H96C6 96 H:== 36 D@C6=J >:DD65 3J 2==] %96C6 :D 2 9@=6 :? @FC 962CED 2?5 :? 2== @7 ':C8:?:2 E@?:89E] (6 6IE6?5 @FC =@G6 2?5 AC2J6CD E@ 9:D H:76 {@C2[ 49:=5C6? $@A9:6[ pF5C2 2?5 vFD 2?5 9:D 6?E:C6 72>:=J 5FC:?8 E9:D 5:77:4F=E E:>6]”k^Am

kAmv@G] #2=A9 }@CE92> 6IAC6DD65 9:D 4@?5@=6?46D :? 2 HC:EE6? DE2E6>6?E]k^Am

kAm“(:E9 E96 A2DD:?8 @7 $6?2E@C q6? r927:?[ $@FE9H6DE ':C8:?:2 92D =@DE 2 DEC@?8 25G@42E6 — 2?5 H6 92G6 2== =@DE 2 8@@5 >2?[” }@CE92> D2:5 :? E96 DE2E6>6?E]k^Am

kAm“!2> 2?5 x 2C6 AC2J:?8 7@C {@C2 2?5 E96:C 49:=5C6? 2?5 x 92G6 @C56C65 E96 ':C8:?:2 DE2E6 7=28 E@ 36 =@H6C65 :>>65:2E6=J :? 9:D 9@?@C 2?5 C6>2:? 2E 92=7\DE277 F?E:= DF?D6E @? E96 52J @7 9:D :?E6C>6?E[” }@CE92> D2:5] “%9:D :D D25 ?6HD E@ 368:? 2 ?6H J62C H:E9 E96 =@DD @7 2 <:?5 2?5 8C24:@FD >2?] |2J H6 2== C64@>>:E E@ E2<:?8 6IEC2 DE6AD E@ 42C6 7@C @?6 2?@E96C]”k^Am

kAm&]$] #6A] |@C82? vC:77:E9[ #\hE9[ 2=D@ :DDF65 2 DE2E6>6?E]k^Am

kAm“$6?] q6? r927:? H2D 2 8C62E =68:D=2E@C 2D H6== 2D 2 7C:6?5] pD 2 ?2E:G6 @7 $@FE9H6DE ':C8:?:2[ 96 42C65 566A=J 7@C :ED A6@A=6 2?5 H2D 2 EC6>6?5@FD 25G@42E6 7@C E96> :? E96 DE2E6 $6?2E6] x H:== >:DD E9:D 8@@5 2?5 565:42E65 AF3=:4 D6CG2?E] |J AC2J6CD 2C6 H:E9 9:D H:76 {@C2 2?5 9:D 72>:=J[” vC:77:E9 D2:5]k^Am

kAmz:C< r@I[ 7@C>6C $A62<6C @7 E96 ':C8:?:2 w@FD6 2?5 2 42?5:52E6 7@C 8@G6C?@C[ H2D 2=D@ 2 7@C>6C 4@==628F6]k^Am

kAm“x 2> 9FCE:?8 2=@?8D:56 >J v6?6C2= pDD6>3=J 4@==628F6D 27E6C =62C?:?8 @7 q6?’D A2DD:?8] w6 H2D 2 8@@5 >2?] x H2D 7@CEF?2E6 E@ D6CG6 H:E9 9:> :? E96 w@FD6 2?5 H@C< H:E9 9:> :? E96 $6?2E6] w6 H2D 2=H2JD H6=4@>:?8 2?5 <:?5 2?5 9:D 565:42E:@? E@ $@FE9H6DE ':C8:?:2 H2D 6G6C AC6D6?E] x 2> AC2J:?8 7@C 9:D 72>:=J 2?5 E96 $@FE9H6DE ':C8:?:2 4@>>F?:EJ @7 H9:49 96 H2D DF49 2? :?E68C2= A2CE[” r@I D2:5k^Am

kAmw6 :D DFCG:G65 3J 9:D H:76[ >@E96C[ D:DE6C[ E9C66 25F=E 49:=5C6? 2?5 EH@ 8C2?549:=5C6?]k^Am

kAm$6?] r927:? H2D AC:?4:A2= @7 r927:? {2H u:C> :? {632?@?] w6 H2D 2=D@ 2 =@?8\E6C> 3@2C5 >6>36C @7 E96 u:CDE q2?< 2?5 %CFDE[ H9:49 9:D 72E96C 96=A65 7@F?5[ 2D H6== 2D 2? 2G:5 @FE5@@CD>2?]k^Am

kAm%96 72>:=J E92?<D E96 'r& |65:42= r6?E6C :? #:49>@?5 7@C :ED G:8@C@FD 42C6 2?5 962CE76=E DFAA@CE 5FC:?8 9:D EH@ H66<D @7 >65:42= D6CG:46D E96C6] %96 72>:=J[ 2E q6?’D C6BF6DE[ H:== ?@E 9@=5 2 7@C>2= 3FC:2= D6CG:46 2?5 C6BF6DED E92E :? =:6F @7 7=@H6CD 2?5 @E96C 24ED @7 <:?5?6DD E@ A=62D6 >2<6 7@@5 32?< 5@?2E:@?D :? q6?’D >6>@CJ E@ E96 t=< v2C56? $49@@= r@>>F?:EJ |:?:DECJ 2E da w2JE6CD v2A #@25[ #@D652=6[ 'p acag_] %96 7@@5 32?< :D 277:=:2E65 H:E9 E96 vC246H@@5 r@>>F?:EJ r9FC49 :? {632?@?[ ':C8:?:2[ H9:49 q6? 2?5 9:D 72>:=J 2EE6?565 D:?46 :ED 7@F?5:?8 :? a__g]k^Am