Below The Beltway

Any hope that the Frederick imbroglio would come to an end now that Jeff Frederick has been removed as RPV Chairman are pretty much out the window:

RICHMOND, April 6 — Ousted Virginia Republican leader Jeffrey M. Frederick said Monday he will probably run for party chairman again in May, setting up another clash with the GOP’s gubernatorial nominee, Robert F. McDonnell, as Republicans struggle to unite for the November election.

Frederick said in an interview that he does not think the party’s leaders, McDonnell among them, will be able to turn around years of Republican losses in Virginia.

“I’m very concerned about the party’s ability to win in the fall,” Frederick said. “The current track we are on will not provide the results that we need.”

This year, Republicans hope not only to win back the governor’s mansion but also to keep two other statewide seats and retain control of the House of Delegates.

Of course, what Frederick doesn’t mention is that it was under his leadership that the GOP lost three seats in Congress, a Senate seat, and saw the state go for a Democratic Presidential Candidate for the first time since 1964. So, if there’s a problem with the “current track” wouldn’t that, by definition, include Frederick.

Not in his mind, apparently.

Over at Red State, Erick Erickson recounts in more detail a story about Frederick from his days in the Georgia Young Republicans and then makes this point:

The RPV has a chance to recapture Virginia. A once strong party has a chance to see a full slate of candidates elected to state wide office and recapture the legislature, just before the redistricting battles of 2010 begin.

Frederick would rather start a party civil war because it is, at the end of the day, all about Jeff Frederick.

The substance of the charges against Frederick boiled down to the idea that he put his own interests ahead of the party; by continuing this fight, he’s merely proving the case against him.