“Human Events” magazine has run an article on the saga surrounding RPV Chairman Jeff Frederick. According to the article:
In the coming weeks, there will undoubtedly be a confrontation between Frederick and his enemies before the State Central Committee. The chairman has made it clear he will not resign and, privately, organizers of the “Dump Frederick” effort concede they do not have the two-thirds committee vote necessary to oust him.
The showdown is set for April 4 in Richmond. Earlier in the article, it is stated,
58 of the 77 members of the GOP state committee have either signed a petition or written letters calling for the head of Frederick
As I understand it, it is a three-quarters majority, not two-thirds as the article states, required for removal. Thus, it would take 58 votes to oust Jeff from the post, so have there been some defections? It certainly sounded like that was a likelihood according to Team Frederick earlier this month.
The article goes on to speculate on potential replacements should it come to that:
If he is forced out or resigns, several names have been mentioned as potential replacements for Frederick, among them former Loudon County Party Chairman Randy Minchew, former state party official Shaun Kenney, and Northern Virginia businessman Earle Williams, who lost a bid for the Republican nomination for governor in 1993. Not one, however, has made any concrete moves toward waging an actual race for chairman.
We have also heard the names of Sandy Liddy Bourne, Pat Mullins, Charlie Judd, and even Virtucon’s own Jay Hughes mentioned by various individuals, but again, none of them have made any moves themselves towards entering a race that may not even take place.
Filed under: Jeff Frederick, Republican Party of Virginia
This is the weakest part of the argument: who would replace Jeff. This is why I think this thing should be settled at the convention: let people decide if the replacement is better than the incumbent. It would be fitting for the party which prides itself on trusting people over government.
With one addendum: no one actually involved in the removal attempt should run for the position. Sorry Loudoun Insider, but if it happens that way, it will reek of conflict of interest. The grassroots voted for someone new with new ideas; my sense is that should indeed be the case. I do not know who that might be however. Jim Riley?
I don’t know who it might be, either. As I understand it, if Jeff were removed, then there would most likely be a placeholder chairman until the June convention and it would be possible that Jeff could run again there.
And I hope that you were asking for my opinion and not putting my name into the mix because I have zero interest in serving in any more party offices than I already have.
Too bad Jim- you’d be great!!
Here’s another idea of a cometent, conservative leader who could do it while reconciling the party: Sean Connaughton.
I was just surprised to see Earle Williams’ name. I remember meeting him at Bob Marshall’s reelection kickoff back in 1993. Of course that was way before he backed Mark Warner for Gov. in 2001.
Steve T., no way the lunatic fringe would accept Connaughton, although he would be a fine replacement. Same with Tom Davis. I do believe we need a solid conservative in Frederick’s place – I would nominate FCRC Chairman Anthony Bedell who was Frederick’s transition chair and has done great things in Fairfax County. Randy Minchew would also be great, and is quite conservative, but he’s considered a RINO by the fringers in Loudoun County. Bedell has enough reputation with the self proclaimed “grassroots” types to unite the party. I hope. Frederick certainly has done a miserable job.
heh heh heh… “Tom Davis” and “solid conservative” don’t usually collide in the same sentence/thought.
A.G., I have it on excellent authority that Tom Davis wants nothing to do with the RPV Chairmanship. Can’t say I blame him.
Once again the fringers prove they have no sense of reality. Davis does not meet the current definition of “conservative” but is certainly Republican enough to be a major figure in the party. He did a great job as head of the Republican GOP House Committee in electing Republicans nationwide, many of whom were more conservative than he was. I acknowledge in my comment that he would never pass muster with the far right contingent that dominates RPV these days. The new RPV Chairman needs to be someone who passes that test, but who is competent and respectable. Bedell fits the bill.
Reality? My point was that Tom Davis is not a conservative. How is that not based in reality?
I apologize for not thinking that someone who says “anyone below Fredericksburg might as well be from Alabama” should be our next chairman. It’s surely wasn’t a statement intended to unify the party.
I also didn’t like his interview in the Wall Street Journal from a few months ago. Hardly conservative, or really Republican talk.
I also don’t like his model for running campaigns like he did with his wife.
By you saying “he’s Republican enough” perfectly answers my posit of laughing at the notion that he’s “solidly conservative”.
Right now, the issues are economic, and we’re getting a mouthful of what the left wants, and it’s all wrong. By conservative, I’m talking about using the F.A. Hayak model of conservatism. I hardly think that’s unreasonable. But remember, Davis is not a fiscal conservative.
So I reiterate my original point: “heh heh heh”
Tom is a good GOP candidate in NOVA; but Connaughton is a more solid conservative (pro-life, retired military, tax cutter) who would be a candidate everyone could agree with…. which is important. I don’t want the election overturned, but if it is having a candidate that can unite the GOP would be critical.
We have to stop thinking of “the enemy” as other GOPers. Follow Lincoln and Reagan on this point.
Lincoln: “With malice toward none and charity toward all”.
Reagan: “My 11th Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican”.
Until we get these through everyone’s heads we will continue to look like the party of angry white men… and be in the minority. This public Chairman fight has been awful. It’s like watching 2 monkeys trying to hump a doorknob. Awful.
Steve T. True enough, true enough. you’re absolutely right.
I prefer a monkey knife fight btw,
Interesting point Riley, didn’t see it before. Was having too much fun making arguments from “the radical fringe”.
Can’t say I’m upset Davis doesn’t want it.
Bwana did a very interesting bit of speculation a year or so ago over at Renaissance Ruminations and his list is still pretty good.
http://renaissanceruminations.wordpress.com/2007/06/14/who-should-be-the-new-rpv-chair/
He lists:
John Hager
Mike Thomas
Randy Minchew
George Allen
Paul Harris
Mike Thompson, Jr.
Chief Deputy Attorney General Bill Mims (now AG)
Chuck Smith
Mayor George Fitch (of Warrenton)
Notice that Tom Davis is not on the list. I would be comfortable with any of the guys on this list even though some of them I know by reputation rather than personally.
Bwana’s posting was done back in 2007. Would anyone know if all of these guys are still active in Virginia Republican politics?
Chuck Smith, if I recall, is running for Congress in VA-2, so that would take him out of the running. I doubt Mims could do it now because he is AG. I’d remove Hager from the list simply because he lost to Jeff and putting him back in would look like a third-world coup attempt. That leaves Thomas, Minchew, Allen, Harris, Thompson and Fitch.
I believe Harris has said he doesn’t want it. Randy Minchew would be great, but the local Loudoun wingnuts who seem to be quite tied in with the Frederick crowd, think he’s a squishy RINO (of course he isn’t, but he’d have to fight that perception). george Fitch would be absolutely phenomenal – but he’s a likable pragmatic conservative not focused on social issues, so he would fail the fringer test as well. This party is doomed as long as it is held hostage by the reactionaries.
I like Bwana’s list. George Fitch has showed himself to be a pragmatic, solution-oriented Mayor of my hometown of Warrenton. He is also a solid Republican who fights for change within our Party (Remember he challenged Kilgore for the GOP nomination and then loyally supported Kilgore after he lost. Compare that with Pott’s decision to leave our Party).
Mike Thomas gets my nod. Incredibly solid and loyal. RPV could not be in better hands following a hoped-for dismissal of Chairman Frederick on 4/4.
I am surprised at LI’s words about Minchew. He is a solid conservative and has stood up for the rights of the unborn in Loudoun and even as a pro-life Lay Eucharistic Minister debated and defeated two pro-choice Episcopalian clergy at a Seminary Roundtable. I see God working through him and he showed the Republicans in Loudoun how to win.
I hope his political interest still abides.
Anthony Bedell is also a gem. He is a solid conservative who like Minchew is teaching his unit committee how to win. But, his job is not done in Fairfax. Let him finish his good work and serve as FCRC Chairman through 2011.
I would also support Ed Gillespie back as RPV Chair. That would ensure McDonnell-RPV coordination and Ed would know how to throttle the likely Terry McAuliffe candidacy.
Lastly, Paul Harris would be a great Virginia counterpart to Michael Steele. He will run for office again, I’m sure and I look forward to working on that.
Anon, I said Randy Minchew would be great – I really like and respect him. That said, when he challenged Dick Black’s son-in-law Mick Staton for the GOP Senate nomination to take on Mark Herring he was absolutely savaged by the Black Brigade as being a squishy RINO (as I pointed out is a bogus charge). He was an excellent Chairman of the LCRC, but was constantly challenged by the crazies, who eventually got one of their own to succeed him. He would have a hard time bringing some of those types into the fold.
[...] at Virtual Virtucon wonders if Frederick’s opponents have the numbers (here). Here we again have that silly parody of a [...]