Roanoke Red Zone: Frederick Confirms He’s Raising Money for Re-Election
RPV Chairman Jeff Frederick revokes his promise not to run for re-election to the House of Delegates in 2009, as former Senator Brandon Bell opines:
I’ve got some friendly, albeit unsolicited advice for Jeff. Pick one. If you want to be Chairman, great. Announce you’re not running for re-election and, if there is interest, have your wife begin her campaign. Then focus on the job of being Chairman. If you want to stay in the House, that’s fine too. You’ve got the best shot at holding the seat. But resign as Chairman. You cannot do both effectively. This is already fodder for the Dems, who no doubt look forward to running someone against you to keep you pinned down and ineffective as Chairman. I can almost hear Chairman Dickie laughing all the way from Vinton. Apart from the promise-breaking, Bell brings up several excellent points.
With the exception of a handful of appointments, I have been largely disappointed with the replacements (and non-Virginians) at RPV. Fundraising is going to be extremely difficult as Frederick inevitably is forced to defend his seat -- with or without him running in the race -- while simultaneously doing all the work Virginia Republicans expect from an active chairman.
Having been so close to the throne, I can tell you it ain't gonna happen unless something gives. All this comes in the wake of Hager's long-awaited swan-song, via e-mail today:
While we did not win this time, I am confident that a great deal of good came out of our efforts. We left our Party with a sound balance sheet and out of debt. We left our party with plans in place to grow the membership. Most of all, we left our Party with a greater sense of identity. It is this identity as the Party of low taxes, strong defense, and individual liberty that will move our Republican Party forward. Hager rings 100% true. Now some of this is in defense of the Frederick e-mail fundraising letter that was issued just before special session started -- thankfully, Hager does not trade blows with Frederick here. But he does leave one instruction clear to his successor: Execute the Plan.
Whether there is anything left after the housecleaning at RPV is yet to be seen. But there is some part of me that wonders: Virginia Republicans are heavily fractured. Conservatives vs. moderates. Marshall conservatives vs. Gilmore conservatives. State Central vs. the RPV Chairman. NOVA vs. ROVA. Western Virginia vs. Eastern Virginia. The list continues ad infinitum.
Here's a real kicker: Of all the changes at RPV, not a single Marshall insider was put on staff... Frederick has to know his seat is owed, not earned.
Add to it the revisitation of HB 3202 and the flight of all the heavy-hitting fundraisers from RPV, and one really has to wonder whether "the Democrats are worse" is really all we have left to fight with intellectually.
If so, we are in sorry shape.
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Brandon Bell 
5 Comments:
With Jeff as Chairman, we know that ALL candidates will be treated fairly and with impartiality by the new RPVA staff.
Jeff Frederick is hugely popular with Party members all across Virginia; especially younger couples. He can handle Delegate and Chairman with half of his brain tied behind his back. He will lead our Party to unparalleled success, but it will take some time to repair the damage that has already been done.
With everyone pitching-in at the local level, we can re-build the GOP and make some very significant changes that will return our Party to being the Champion of the Constitution, for limited government and for more individual freedom.
To save some time and share some information, I will cut and paste a few updates that I have received from RPVA via email:
The Transition Team:
This first section is just a re-cap:
Chairman Frederick has appointed the following transition committee to assist getting the Republican Party of Virginia in the strongest position to begin once again electing Republicans and building the grassroots.
Anthony Bedell (Chairman)
Tom Bunnell (Staff)
Christie New Craig
Matthew Kandrach (Staff)
Bill Kling
Howie Lind (State Central Committee)
Bryce Reeves (Unit Chair)
Scott Sayre
Gerry Scimeca (Staff)
Kathy Hayden Terry (National Committeewoman)
Mike Thomas (Executive Committee)
(The following is from RPVA updates via email).
Allison Coccia (I am told her name is pronounced like (Ko-Shah), will do a superb job as our new Executive Director, but she will need the support of a reinvigorated grass roots to achieve long term success in the Old Dominion. She has a good track record on previous assignments in Pennsylvania and New York, so with the help of local activists, we should see some great things from Allison and the new RPVA team.
"Allison joins Virginia political veterans Tom Bunnell and Gerry Scimeca who have been named to key positions within the RPV operation. Tom is RPV's campaign chief, where he will be working with our federal candidates this year, while keeping a strong focus on protecting and expanding our House majority next year, as well as winning the three statewide offices. Gerry Scimeca is RPV's Director of Communications, where he will be spearheading our effort to communicate aggressively to the public, the media, and the grassroots..."
"...my First 100 Day Plan calls for 5 field staff by the end of our first 100 days. Matthew Kandrach is heading up this team and we expect to have all 5 staff in place very soon."
**********
I visited the Obenshain Center after a meeting I had over at the Federal Reserve building on Tuesday. Several new, friendly faces were already hard at work. From what I observed, the Jeff Frederick team is off to a superb start and everyone in the Virginia Republican ranks should be very pleased with the immediate impact and progress that is being made for the long term.
A year from now, we will have a much bigger, much more inclusive Republican Party here in Virginia; but to get sustained success, every single Republican Party member must roll-up their sleeves and pitch-in.
And if someone does throw their hat in the ring, can't Jeff donate any money he raises to another candidate?
And if we're blaming Frederick for the "revisitation of HB3202", then ipso facto, John Hager is responsible for the Republicans continued support for the bill through his term as chairman.
So, why were you supporting Hager during his reelection campaign?
Some of the new PDs are Virginians and are entirely worthwhile, but the vast majority of the upper leadership are come-heres.
...and not at all inspiring.
JTB:
You're an oddity to be sure.
Tim:
Can't do both, and you certainly can't fundraise while in session. That's basic fundamentals right there.
Of course, I will entirely blame Frederick for not standing up to HB 6055 (if he does not do so forcefully next week). It seems to me that you might be overplaying your hand a bit... unless you have some inside baseball you're willing to share. I don't read a word where I blame Frederick (yet) for his position on the new transporation bill -- though I do like his version.
After all, he never said he would resign, simply that he would not seek reelection.
The blame for the insistence on wasting taxpayer dollars goes on the doorstep of Speaker Howell, among many others, who insists on bringing this bill, already ruled unconstitutional, back around with minor changes just to get it past judicial scrutiny, yet still potent to the point that it goes against everything this party used to stand for.
These Republican leaders still don't get it, and refuse to get it, and must be sent packing, replaced by others with respect for principle, taxpayers, and our constitution.
It is blatant party tyranny like this that gave Frederick his massive win, and Marshall almost an upset of historic proportions.
Someone please primary Howell to make him honest.
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