Virginia GOP Civil War Intensifies

As a former member of and activist in the Republican Party of Virginia ("RPV") in its days before it became largely an arm of James Dobson's affiliate in Virginia, The Family Foundation, I have continue to watch in dismay as the party has degenerated into the realms of religious based lunacy. The Family Foundation's position on gays for example, reads in part as follows:

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Homosexual advocates are working through school curricula and student groups such as “Gay-Straight Alliances” to bring their message to children in Virginia. Legislation is needed to bar these groups from promoting risky sexual behavior in our public schools.

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The current party chair, Jeffery Frederick, is an anti-evolution religious fruit loop all too in keeping in his religious views with his puppeteers at The Family Foundation. In fact, Frederick in many ways personifies the aspects of the Republican Party rejected by Virginians as evidenced by Barack Obama's win in Virginia last November. As a result, it is interesting to see the growing efforts to drive Frederick from the RVP chairmanship. Whether or not it might signal a effort to shift the party from control of the lunatic far right remains to be seen. Likewise, Bob "Taliban Bob" McDonnell's (pictured above) entry into the fray is somewhat out of character since McDonnell has long been a darling of the Kool-Aid drinker set. (I've previously posted about what I see as McDonnell's dishonest efforts to say he is a moderate - compared to what I don't know, maybe Attila the Hun - and my sincere hope that he loses his bid to be Virginia's next governor). Two stories in the Washington Post - here and here - look at the growing drama in the RPV and the intra-party conflicts which I hope will leave the party fractured and less competitive in the November elections. Here are some story highlights:

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With the three Democratic candidates for governor battling for their party's nomination, GOP candidate Robert F. McDonnell was in a posture that many statewide candidates can only dream about. McDonnell is running unopposed for his party's nomination and has all spring to prepare for the general election as the Democrats attack one another. . . Despite all this, the McDonnell campaign apparently couldn't resist wading into an ugly, internal party battle over Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick's fitness to serve as chairman of the Virginia Republican Party.

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The looming battle could set up the kind of split that McDonnell and GOP leaders worked so hard to avoid. It's a curious strategy that poses huge risks for McDonnell. . . . GOP insiders say McDonnell's campaign staff played a key role in lining up signatures to call the special election.

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By challenging Frederick, McDonnell has picked a fight with some of his party's most loyal supporters. Frederick, a social and economic conservative, was elected chairman at last year's GOP state convention after he waged a campaign to unseat John H. Hager, a moderate, from the position. Frederick cobbled together a coalition of several thousand antiabortion and anti-tax activists as well as home-schoolers, many of the same delegates who supported Del. Robert G. Marshall (Prince William) over former governor James S. Gilmore III in the Senate race.

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If Frederick survives, it will be a major setback for McDonnell. It would also give Democrats fodder to argue that the state Republican Party is dominated by conservatives, despite McDonnell's efforts to position himself as a centrist on many issues.

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McDonnell could face another set of problems if Frederick is ousted from his position. . . . Marshall predicts the conservative base will quickly turn on McDonnell if it appears Frederick is "railroaded." Marshall said an independent committee should be set up to evaluate the accusations against Frederick. "If an independent group doesn't do this, this is going to seriously damage Bob McDonnell," Marshall said. "The folks who came to the convention who voted for me and voted for Frederick, they just won't work for McDonnell."

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The Washington Post also reports the following:

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The dispute has taken an unexpected turn into full public view as all five of the state's Republican members of Congress sent Frederick a letter Friday asking him to resign immediately instead of facing a no-confidence vote April 4.

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The dispute is fast becoming a generational and ideological clash that threatens to destabilize the party when it can least afford it. Republicans, both in Virginia and nationally, are struggling to find an identity and a unifying leader to counteract President Obama and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, the new chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

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But Frederick is being supported by a tenacious group of social and anti-tax conservatives. On Thursday, some of his backers arranged for automated calls to party activists accusing McDonnell of being an "elitist" who is taking orders from "tax-raising, anti-gun, pro-abortion officeholders in Richmond." Frederick denies authorizing the calls.

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Until now, Democrats were fearful that they would be the ones fighting with each other. For the first time in three decades, there is a contested Democratic primary for governor. Now it's McDonnell, with no primary opponent, who is bogged down by an intraparty feud.

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From a gay rights prospective, nothing can be better than an RPV which is tearing itself apart in a feud that could cause the most insane of the party's base to stay home this coming November. Not only would that result help to insure another Democrat for governor, but it might assist in the defeat of some of the most anti-gay GOP members of the General Assembly - a true win-win situation. I hope the RPV civil war continues and becomes incredibly nasty.