Your Public Square Disclosing what is True, what is Real
Woolard celebrates his party's nomination as Republican candidate for U.S. Congress
In Tuesday’s primary election, 34-year-old Beaufort County resident, insurance-company vice president and political novice, Ashley Woolard defeated three competitors to win the North Carolina Republican Party’s nomination to run for the U.S. House of Representatives District 1 seat, currently held by Democratic congressman and veteran politician G.K. Butterfield.
Woolard received 45 percent of the 8,302 votes cast across 23 counties for the four Republican contenders for the District 1 congressional seat; whereas Butterfield received 73 percent of the 63,243 votes cast for the two Democratic contenders.
“We were really concerned with making sure he got enough to avoid a runoff, and it looks like we did that,” said Republican Party Chairman Larry Britt, at the Election Night victory party at Down on Main Street in Washington.
Beaufort County commissioner Stan Deatherage, candidate for U.S. Congress Ashley Woolard and Woolard's campaign manager Bill Tarpenning, from left, watch the local news channel at last night's victory party at Down on Main Street in Washington as votes accumulate for Woolard and Woolard's opponent U.S. Representative G.K. Butterfield (Dem-N.C.).
Butterfield has held the District 1 congressional seat since July 2004, when he filled the unexpired term of Representative Frank Balance (Dem.-N.C.), who was indicted for money laundering, mail fraud and conspiracy. Butterfield was sworn into office after a special election in which he defeated Beaufort County resident, Greg Dority. In November 2004, Butterfield faced Dority again, and won his first full term, with 64 percent of the vote. He was unopposed for reelection in 2006, and he defeated Dean Stephens in 2008, with 70 percent of the vote.
The fact that Butterfield, with the advantage of incumbency, lost 27 percent of the vote to Chad Larkins, who had never before campaigned, has emboldened Woolard.
“What the telling story is, is what happened in the Butterfield race,” said Woolard. “It shows the vulnerability he’s got.”
The last time Butterfield had a primary was in 2004 when he defeated three contenders for the District 1 seat with 71 percent of the vote.
Republican Party activists Charles Hickman and Buzz Cayton, Woolard and Republican Party Chairman Larry Britt, from left, look at a printout of vote totals from across Beaufort County.
Woolard credits his primary victory to the theme of his campaign.
“I attribute my success to our message: We need jobs. That’s a message that resonates among Republicans, Independents and Democrats,” he said. “People understand that we have to have fiscal conservatism to turn this country around.”
Over the next five months, Woolard will need to raise enough money to spread his conservative message across a portion of the state, in order to have a chance in the general election against Butterfield, who raised $792,239 in the 2008 election cycle. Woolard’s prior fundraising successes include obtaining the Ruritan Club’s fundraiser award for his “work in getting (the) club back on a good sound financial basis” and the Pirate Club’s recognition as 2006 Rookie Chapter President of the Year, for leading the Beaufort County chapter to a 16-percent increase in members and a 20-percent increase in donations.
Woolard receives a gold, plastic name tag reading "Ashley Woolard Candidate U.S. Congress" from campiagn volunteer Larry Herwig, from left, who said that by winning the primary Woolard had graduated from paper sticker tags, and that if he wins the general election would receive an official brass name tag.
Woolard is a 2003 Fellow of the North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership; served on the City of Washington Planning Board from 2001-2004; was president of the Beaufort County chapter of the Pirate Club in 2005 and 2006; was chairman of the Beaufort County Republican Party from March 2007 until March 2009; and has been a representative of the East Carolina University Educational Foundation since 2003.
He and his wife, Jessica, have two young children and one on the way. During his victory-party speech at Down on Main Street on Election night, Woolard said though he hopes Fate is kind to him in November, he is more concerned with receiving blessings of health and peace of mind for his family.
“I need all your support, I need the prayers, and most importantly, regardless of this campaign, I would ask you to pray that we have a healthy baby. That’s the most important thing to me is my family,” he said. “And I’d like to apologize publicly to my wife, because this has been very, very tough on her going through a pregnancy and a political campaign.”
At the conclusion of his speech, Woolard took turns thanking a roomful of his campaign volunteers and other supporters.
Woolard speaks to a crowd of supporters, including his wife, Jessica, far right, after the Associated Press called the race and declared him winner of his party's nomination as Republican candidate for U.S. Congress.
Scott Shepherd, right, congratulates Deatherage on his first-place finish in the Republican primary for Beaufort County commissioner.
Go Back
Woolard received 45 percent of the 8,302 votes cast across 23 counties for the four Republican contenders for the District 1 congressional seat; whereas Butterfield received 73 percent of the 63,243 votes cast for the two Democratic contenders.
“We were really concerned with making sure he got enough to avoid a runoff, and it looks like we did that,” said Republican Party Chairman Larry Britt, at the Election Night victory party at Down on Main Street in Washington.
Butterfield has held the District 1 congressional seat since July 2004, when he filled the unexpired term of Representative Frank Balance (Dem.-N.C.), who was indicted for money laundering, mail fraud and conspiracy. Butterfield was sworn into office after a special election in which he defeated Beaufort County resident, Greg Dority. In November 2004, Butterfield faced Dority again, and won his first full term, with 64 percent of the vote. He was unopposed for reelection in 2006, and he defeated Dean Stephens in 2008, with 70 percent of the vote.
The fact that Butterfield, with the advantage of incumbency, lost 27 percent of the vote to Chad Larkins, who had never before campaigned, has emboldened Woolard.
“What the telling story is, is what happened in the Butterfield race,” said Woolard. “It shows the vulnerability he’s got.”
The last time Butterfield had a primary was in 2004 when he defeated three contenders for the District 1 seat with 71 percent of the vote.
Woolard credits his primary victory to the theme of his campaign.
“I attribute my success to our message: We need jobs. That’s a message that resonates among Republicans, Independents and Democrats,” he said. “People understand that we have to have fiscal conservatism to turn this country around.”
Over the next five months, Woolard will need to raise enough money to spread his conservative message across a portion of the state, in order to have a chance in the general election against Butterfield, who raised $792,239 in the 2008 election cycle. Woolard’s prior fundraising successes include obtaining the Ruritan Club’s fundraiser award for his “work in getting (the) club back on a good sound financial basis” and the Pirate Club’s recognition as 2006 Rookie Chapter President of the Year, for leading the Beaufort County chapter to a 16-percent increase in members and a 20-percent increase in donations.
Woolard is a 2003 Fellow of the North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership; served on the City of Washington Planning Board from 2001-2004; was president of the Beaufort County chapter of the Pirate Club in 2005 and 2006; was chairman of the Beaufort County Republican Party from March 2007 until March 2009; and has been a representative of the East Carolina University Educational Foundation since 2003.
He and his wife, Jessica, have two young children and one on the way. During his victory-party speech at Down on Main Street on Election night, Woolard said though he hopes Fate is kind to him in November, he is more concerned with receiving blessings of health and peace of mind for his family.
“I need all your support, I need the prayers, and most importantly, regardless of this campaign, I would ask you to pray that we have a healthy baby. That’s the most important thing to me is my family,” he said. “And I’d like to apologize publicly to my wife, because this has been very, very tough on her going through a pregnancy and a political campaign.”
At the conclusion of his speech, Woolard took turns thanking a roomful of his campaign volunteers and other supporters.
| Board of Elections releases vote totals | Bloodless Warfare: Politics, Op-Ed & Politics | There Once was a Dream |
Home
Contact
About
Service Rates
Privacy Policy
Follow on Facebook
Subscribe to Newsletters
Rss Feed
Keywords
Eastern NC Now & ENC NOW © Copyright 1998-2024 All Rights Reserved.
