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Jim Rich Declares He’s A Democrat
By Greg L | 5 December 2008 | RPV | 15 Comments
10th District Chairman Jim Rich decided to lash out at other Republican Party officials to the Washington Post, once again demonstrating just how incredibly unfit for office he is. The stink has gotten so bad that even Hampton Roads blog Bearing Drift is excoriating Rich for this most recent dumb move. If Rich is taking this kind of fire from Hampton Roads Republicans, there’s little doubt 10th District Republicans are up in arms as well.
Jim Rich, the GOP’s 10th District Chairman, is a prime example of Republican Good Old Boy politics. He is known more for bashing Republicans he doesn’t like, than for working hard for all the Party’s nominees. His private disdain for many hardworking grassroots activists is, unfortuantely, public knowledge.
Once again, he has taken his personal opinions to the Washington Post — this time in an effort to undermine Jeff Frederick.
Some of us think that it is time he took the same level of responsibility for electoral outcomes that he demands of others — and let someone else lead the 10th District. I agree with the following letter of fellow activist, Bob Maistros, who issued that call earlier today.
If Jim Rich thinks that Jeff Frederick is a joke, he ought to take a look in the mirror. There is no one more destructive to Republican Party success than the 10th District Chairman himself.
About the only thing left for Rich to do is officially align with the Democratic Party, which he’s been (perhaps inadvertently) assisting for years, now.
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15 Comments
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This is nothing new. Jim Rich has never been afraid to take on the sitting RPV Chairman. When George Allen’s folks tried to topple Pat McSweeney after the ‘93 Governor’s election, it was Jim Rich who introduced the failed motion in the State Central Committee meeting.
3rd District Chairman Mike Wade has called on Frederick to resign.
And under Mike Wade’s watch there’s been a Democrat representing that district since 1993. I guess he has a thing or two to say about how Republicans can win elections…
I couldn’t find the part in the link where Rich declared that he was a Democrat. Has anyone factually rebutted Kenny Klinge’s allegations about Frederick’s conduct (and I mean factually rebutted, not just attacked Kling for being an old Reagan hack and stuff like that)?
Keep Jeff as chair; Palin/Huckabee in 2012
It will be interesting to see if Frederick fights McDonnell’s campaign like McCain’s campaign. The Frederick-McDonnell relationship will be very intesting to watch unfold. I have not exactly seen McDonnell’s team praising Frederick’s leadership lately. It will also be interesting to see how Frederick gets along with the house campaign committees in charge of the state house races. I wonder how often delegates or candidates in swing districts like Hugo, Rust, Albo, democrat Poissons district, Caputo’s district will want Frederick campaigning in their districts?
In the end, Frederick might end up being a spectator.
I would just love to see us get to a point where all these party positions (District Chairs included) have a REAL job description.
Ideally, it would be helpful if a significant part of their duties included presiding over an operation that puts an effective ground-game in play for the general election to combat the likes of what the GOP faced in the last election.
We have sat by and allowed their jobs to consist of 2 things;
1) Carp, whine, and complain how nothing in the party is right.
2) Serve as referee in the silly inner-party fights usually by not taking a position and without fixing the problems.
Something to think about as we continue to bang our heads against the wall and then can’t figure out why our heads keep hurting.
It will never happen. All party positions are basially figureheads. This includes RPV chair and the all the district chairs down to local unit chairs.
All candidates regardless of the level control their ground game. NO state delegate, senator, gov. candidate would allow RPV to control their ground game. The candidates make the final call. Same with the money. RPV has no say on how money raised in leadership for state races is spent. These decisions are made by the leadership committees appointed by fellow delegates and senators.
Anon 10:30 –
I agree with what you say completely. The operative word here is “control.”
If I’m a campaign manager who gets shipped into a House of Delegate’s campaign for instance, I would really WISH I could call on the Cong Dist Chairman and the Unit Chairs and get hooked into a solid grassroots organization already in place that can work under MY direction to get things moving quickly. It used to be that way all through the 90’s, but sadly thathasn’t been the case for too many years.
Unfortunately, over the last few election cycles that organization has to be built separately from the party, usually from scratch…and worse, in many instances (some localities) you have to run that grassroots organization by keeping your distance from the local party.
Why can’t we just get back to winning BECAUSE of the party grassroots, not IN SPITE of them.
RE: Gnarly’s First Comment
And lied through his teeth when he did so.
James,
Yes…agree…the beef against McSweeney was bogus. This is why everyone just needs to move on from this RPV Chairmanship thing. It sure didn’t solve anything to try to do this crap in the 90’s and it certainly won’t be constructive now.
Frederick is the duly elected Chairman (overwhelmingly in a convention I might add…..not by a slim State Central margin). We MUST let him have the time to do the job he was elected to do. Maybe some of these District Chairmen can take on a project or two to help our RPV Chairman instead of expending all this energy on yet another circular firing squad.
Does everyone know McSweeney was doling out PAC money to “independent” developer whore candidates running against Republicans last cycle in Loudoun County? He’s a snake.
Whether that’s true or not, “Loudmouthed Inciter,” it is neither relevant to nor excuses Jim Rich’s lying to achieve his political ends.
If Rich had a problem He should have taken it up with the state central committee friday at the Homestead, I am told that He didn’t sign in until Sat. Morning. Any Republican that talks to that peice of crap tabloid WAPO should be tarred and feathered.
Jimmy!…I had such hope for your reformation into someone capable of offering his opinion without resorting to name calling. I thought that I’d actually have to start calling you James, but I see that you are still unable to get beyond that juvenile behavior on the blogs. What a shame.