Prince William’s Frederick to head state GOP

Dena Potter, The Associated Press
Published: May 31, 2008

RICHMOND—Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick, R-Woodbridge, was elected chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia Saturday, becoming the party's fifth leader in as many years.

The party did not announce results after the vote at the Virginia Republican Convention, but it was clear Frederick had won a convincing victory over party chairman John H. Hager. After the vote, Hager asked that Frederick be elected by acclamation.

Hager, whose son married President Bush's daughter Jenna in May, narrowly won the party chair-manship last June when Ed Gillespie resigned to become a White House adviser. Hager, a moderate, is a former lieutenant governor.

Frederick questioned Hager's ability to lead Republicans to victory in November's U.S. Senate race against former Gov. Mark Warner. Hager served as director of Virginia's Office of Commonwealth Preparedness under Warner.

Hager tried Saturday to separate himself from Warner, blasting him for breaking a campaign promise in 2004 not to raise taxes.

Frederick's supporters touted the 32-year-old as the new face of conservative leaders who could help bring people to the party in the face of all-time highs in Democratic voter registration.

Frederick, known in the statehouse for his ardent support of anti-abortion and anti-illegal immigration legislation, promised to return the party to its roots and reject the "topdown Richmond-knows-best approach'' that has become unsuccessful.

"The Republican Party is strong in many places around our great Virginia, but statewide we've got some issues,'' said Frederick, who has repeatedly won elections in a Democ-ratic district.

Republicans lost control of the state Senate and four seats in the House of Delegates over the past year. They also lost the last two governors races and were surprised by Jim Webb's victory over former U.S. Sen. George Allen, who had been considered an early Republican presidential candidate before his defeat in 2006.

Frederick and his supporters warned delegates about the tough elections ahead and the importance of re-taining control of the state House before legislative and congressional districts are redrawn in 2011.

"A storm is coming and we need to be ready, but we're not,'' Frederick said.

Jo Ann Abbott of Dale City in Frederick's Prince William County district said she heard him speak a couple weeks ago and liked what she heard. The former Army and National Guard member, who said she always votes, said she was attending her first convention because she doesn't like where the GOP is headed.

"I'm sick and tired of the bipartisan BS that means we're giving up our ideas,'' she said.

Rita Davis, a teacher from Stafford, met Frederick after her son's artwork was one of several pieces chosen to be displayed outside his office in Richmond. She said she was impressed with his commitment to education and his work in the House of Delegates.

"I just feel he's a great leader,'' she said.

Frederick was first elected to the House in 2003. He had said he would not seek re-election next year if he was elected party chairman.