Congressman Goodlatte, 4 other Virginia Republicans calld for state party chairman to resign

All five of Virginia’s Republican congressmen are asking for Jeff Frederick to step down as chairman of the state Republican Party.

In a letter obtained by the News & Messenger, Reps. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, Bob Goodlatte, R-6th, J. Randy Forbes, R-4th, Robert J. Wittman, R-1st and Frank R. Wolf, R-10th called for Frederick’s resignation.

In the letter sent to Del. Frederick, R-Prince William, on March 12, the congressmen asked him to step down for the “good of the Republican Party of Virginia.“

The letter cited a recent call for Frederick’s resignation from three-fourths of the State Central Committee.

“Clearly it is the sentiment of the grassroots membership of the party to move in another direction,“ the letter stated.

Frederick, a three-term member of the Virginia House of Delegates, promised that he would not seek reelection if he was elected to the Republican party chairmanship.

The congressmen also cited party unity as a reason Frederick should leave.

“With November’s election’s rapidly approaching, it is essential that our party be unified as we work to regain control of the governor’s mansion and retain control of the House of Delegates. No one will benefit from a protracted battle over the leadership of the RPV. It is in that spirit that we ask you to step down,“ the letter stated.

Frederick, who was elected in May to lead the party for a four-year term, gained national attention during the presidential campaign when he played the Osama-Obama name game, to the dismay of the McCain campaign.

Three-fourths of the central committee members who attend an April 4 meeting would have to vote in the affirmative to remove Frederick from office.

Representatives from the Republican Party of Virginia said that Frederick would provide a written statement to the News & Messenger, but the statement did not reach the newspaper before deadline.