Comments for Queen Garris Shoots Herself in the Foot - Again | Eastern NC Now

Someone tell me if what I have been told is right. In the local Republican Executive Committee meetings (when they have one) the Chairman sometimes asks for a report from the County Commission. Doesn't she always ask for that report from Frankie Waters or Randy Walker and never from Commissioner Deatherage, Dunn or Richardson? Coincidence or indicator?

Commented: Tuesday, March 17th, 2026 @ 8:33 pm By: Van Zant

Stan: Yes, I believe you are stating the obvious, even though it is not obvious to a lot of people in the general public. The local Republican Party is bizarro world.

You're right. This corrupt party organization did everything but get the vote out for Republicans. The only thing these disparate factions come together on is their opposition to most conservatives - the exception seems to be Kidwell. The big mystery with Kidwell is his conservatism in Raleigh weighted against his alliance with those working against conservatives at home. That strategy did not work for him in this primary with a well-funded challenger.

Excluding most conservatives is a very bad strategy for building the party. These stupid strategies create a blissful environment for the liberals coming over from the Democrat Party looking for an election platform to operate from. They are the group benefiting most from this local party run by morons and crooks.

Commented: Monday, March 16th, 2026 @ 8:36 pm By: Van Zant

CT: I agree the major task before us is the general election and that what happens in the dysfunctional party will largely have to be dealt with in conventions. But I also disagree somewhat. I do think that those of us who know should warn those in the public that do not know about a local GOP that has gone off the rails in a very big way.

I one hundred percent agree with JS and what our priorities must be going into the general election. With all due respect, the intrigues within the local GOP are largely caused by the leadership of the local GOP. They made their own bed. Let them be responsible for the mess they have made.

CV is absolutely right about Randy Walker. He changed his party registration in order to get elected. He did not change his party philosophy as a public official. He governs as a liberal. He is a liberal pretending he is not at election time. It's time for that farce to end. Same for his ultra-liberal wife on the school board.

Commented: Sunday, March 15th, 2026 @ 7:55 pm By: Van Zant

Our upcoming elections should be our top priority. We must, indeed, reelect our state seantor, Bob Brinson, and our sheriff, Scot Hammonds. They are doing great jobs.

The county commission is also critical. Right now we have a governing coalition of two actual Democrats and two ex-Democrats in Republican clothing. The opposition is three actual Republicans. We need to get to a governing majroity of four actual Republicans. The three seats not up for election are one actual Democrat, one ex-Democrat masquerading as a Republican, and two actual Republicans. That means we will need to elect two actual Republicans to get a real Republican majority whixh is four members.

Four candidates are seeking three seats in November. Looking at their commitments to lower taxes, the list from most to least pro=taxpayer would be as follows:
1) Stan Deatherage
2) Ashley Woolard
3) John (Rebholtz) Edwards
4) Ed Booth
That list would also be a good analysis of most Republican to least Republian. Indeed Booth is an actual Democrat. There is probably little differece between Deatherage and Woolard on loyalty to the Republican Party.

The order of finish, however, in the GOP primary was:
1) John (Rebholtz) Edwards
2) Ashley Woolard
3) Stan Deatherage
There was no Democrat primary, but with only one Democrat running and the way our crazy limited voting system works it will be hard to block Booth from winning one of the seats. A huge GOP turnout and a small Democrat turnout might do it, but even then it would probably require something that moves some usual Democrat votes over to one of the Republicans.

The ideal result would be electing all three Republicans, but given the numbers and the system that is not likely to happen. The important thing, then, is to get Deatherage and Woolard finishing as the top two Republicans. that is going to take some work, which needs to start now.

There are some positive signs for Deatherage. Many of his primary voters had spouses split their support with one voting for Deatheage and the other for Travis Martin. Deatherage should get most of the Marin vote in November. The mix of voters will be different in November as well, since some elements come out stronger in November than in the primary.

One also has to look at who might join a coalition with Democrats. Deatherage has stood strongly against such coalitions. Woolard has often been at loggerheads personallywith Hood Richardson, but he has openly denounced doing dealings with Democrats for board control, and could also be relied upon. However John Rebholtz 'major role in Edwards' campaign raise some real issues there, since as long as Rebholz was a commissioner himself, he did deals with Democrats for board control.

The tax issue is also critical. Ed Booth is an unapologetic tax and spend liberal. Stan Deatherage has never voted for a tax increase in 20 years on the county commission and often proposed tax ccuts. Woolard makes cutting tax the main issue of his campaign. Edwards, however, has not taken a clear stand on taxes, and his mentor Rebholts never supported tax cuts.

There is a lot of work to do between now and November. There is no time for intrigues within the local GOP organization.

Commented: Sunday, March 15th, 2026 @ 4:10 pm By: John Steed

Speaking of opportunists, one of the "retired school teacher" candidates backed by the Walkers was an active Democrat until a couple of years ago. Another total phony. The Walkers who have been working to make the school board more liberal and keep the county commission effectively controlled by the Democrats, need to be top targets for removal by conservative voters in 2028 when both are up for election again. Let them go do their social climbing somewhere else. They are opportunists and infiltrators. They spent most of their lives as Democrats, and at their core, still are Democrats.

Commented: Friday, March 13th, 2026 @ 9:57 pm By: Rino Hunter

While many conservative Democrats have legitimately joined the GOP, there are also a lot of opportunists like Frankie Waters, Randy Walker, and Carolyn Walker. These people care nothing about Republican principles, just about power.

Commented: Friday, March 13th, 2026 @ 6:45 pm By: Concerned Taxpayer

The party is in a mess. John Thune is demonstrating his inner Mitch McConnell in fighting the SAVE Act, the key election intergrty bill supported by 80% of Americans. We have a corrupt cesspool in Raleigh thanks to pay-for-play Phil Berger and his Tammany Hall style of apparatus which is almost certain to survive even his well deserved defeat. Locally, we have the dark money special intrests buying our NC House seat and a reincarnation of the defeated John Rebholz emerging as top votegetter for county commission (John Edwards). Add to that a couple of RINOs at the top of our statewide ticket starting with Tillis apostle Michael Whatley. Not a pretty picture. But what can you do? The Democrats are crazy as a loon..

Commented: Friday, March 13th, 2026 @ 4:04 pm By: Rino Hunter

Ms Garris has (HDS) Hood Derangement Syndrome.

Commented: Tuesday, March 10th, 2026 @ 7:01 pm By: Washingtonian

I was there; it was not pretty.

Commented: Tuesday, March 10th, 2026 @ 11:53 am By: Stan Deatherage