There's Hope for Virginia Republicans -- If They Can Remember What Their Real Issues Are

Both the Washington Post and the Washington Times are reporting today that over 75% of the members of the Virginia Republican State Central Committee have asked Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Jeffrey M. Frederick to resign. Otherwise, he may face removal at a committee meeting on April 4. Whatever the reasons for their decision – and the most charitable is that it has been virtually impossible to run the party during the last two months, as Virginia prohibits sitting legislators from raising funds when the House of Delegates is in session – it’s time for new leadership. While Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell has not publicly endorsed removing Frederick, he released a statement saying that “it would be helpful for the Republican Party of Virginia to have more effective leadership in this pivotal year.” So let’s skip the ideological back and forth and get straight to the point: if Bob McDonnell thinks a new chairman will help his ticket win, he deserves a new chairman. With this in mind, selection of a new chairman for the RPV doesn’t have to be a conservative/moderate fight. The party is united behind a strong ticket for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, and the race for Attorney General should produce a clear winner who can also unite the rest of the party behind him once that race is finished. Instead, the question should simply be “who would be most effective at building a party structure that can support our candidates at all levels this year. This includes fundraising, where the RPV is falling behind. And with new leadership, perhaps the fundraising letters will be about our ideas for transportation, housing, and growth rather than communism and socialism. Is Ed Gillespie still looking for a job?