Comments for Continuing With “Why Vote for Conservatives?” | Eastern NC Now

In our county commission race, there are two overriding issues - 1) will we get a majority that elects Republican leadership for the board instead of doing a sleazy deal with the Democrats for control, and 2) will we get a board that will cut wasteful spending and cut taxes.

When I look at the candidates, Stan Deatherage is the only one with a proven record to support both propositions. He is the clear first choice, and since we only get one vote, he will get it from me.

On the other end of the scale is Ed Booth who has a proven record of doing corrupt power deals and raising taxes. He should not even be considered.

Then there are the two in the middle. Woolard makes a strong commitment to both electing a Republican leadership team and to cutting taxes. He has no record yet, but his commitments are firm. Also, there is John Edwards, who won't give you a straight answer and commitment on what he plans to do. Edwards is little better than Booth.

If I had a second vote, it would be for Woolard, but I don't so I will stick with the candidate with the proven record, Deatherage.

On Bobbie, he cleverly calls himself a small "r" republican, not a capital "R" Republican, and there is a huge difference. Clearly, however, he is a socialist, and that does not even qualify as a small "r" republican.

Commented: Tuesday, October 27th, 2026 @ 6:13 pm By: Concerned Taxpayer

Stan, Parties are not supposed to engage in primaries, and that includes turnout for primaries. Turnout in a general election can be critical to whether Republicans or Democrats win races, but that is not the case with primaries. With the funds we had available, we concluded that using them for radio and facebook offered the best bang for the buck. I would have liked to have been able to have done at least one mail piece, too, but we did not have the funds for it.

Commented: Tuesday, October 27th, 2026 @ 3:49 pm By: Steven P. Rader

Steve: What is the "Victory Committee" doing at this point to influence the turnout, since they did nothing to drive turnout in the primary?

I have my media outlet, Eastern NC NOW, but the Executive Committee does not use me since my politics are far different than that of the RINO Whisperers and RINOs in charge of the Executive Committee, so, I am oblivious to what could happening, unknown by me. By the way, please elucidate as to which out-of-county, and, or out-of-state media that they will be using to accomplish this promised turnout.

Commented: Tuesday, October 27th, 2026 @ 2:29 pm By: Stan Deatherage

Stan, off year elections like this one are turnout elections. Motivating your own side's base to turn out is what wins or loses elections. We have to reach the low propensity GOP voters with a message that will get them to the polls, and then they vote for the whole ticket. But if they stay home, like in 1982, we are in trouble. At the last Executive Committee meeting, it was explained that the Victory Committee was looking at past experience and current polls to determine what issues and races accomplish that. The name of the game is simple - what is likely to motivate the highest turnout possible of GOP voters.

Those who do not understand the importance of turnout in this particular election year, should read the following article from the Daily Haymaker: dailyhaymaker.com

Expertise in campaign messaging is a limited resource, and committees guiding campaign plans have to rely on those resources that are available locally. Committees which direct these campaigns need that expertise if they are going to be effective.

Hood, I answered your argument about the city election and you have failed to respond with anything. If you have a specific allegation of some improper advertising, please give the details. I have not seen anything of that nature and would certainly not stand for it if I did. Please remember that a lot of people can put materials up on social media these days, so give some proof of who paid for it. I would agree that whoever put up those :Hood ornament" ads acted inappropriately, but that did not happen through the Victory Committee.

Due to gas prices, this election is very challenging, and internal disputes do not help. These things need to be put out in the open early and disposed of.

Commented: Tuesday, October 27th, 2026 @ 12:06 pm By: Steven P. Rader

Clearly Beaufort County is not as extreme as you.

Commented: Tuesday, October 27th, 2026 @ 11:21 am By: big Bob

There are no victory committee approved candidates for county commissioner? Duh, one of the Victory Committee members IS a candidate for county commissioner!

This is like a SNL skit. Title it, corruption.

Commented: Tuesday, October 27th, 2026 @ 7:50 am By: Van Zant

Chairman Garris and the Victory Committee are willing to blow the local GOP to smithereens for the chance to get Deatherage. Don't worry Ed (Booth). These savvy Repub "insiders" aren't focused on you at all.

Commented: Monday, October 26th, 2026 @ 9:00 pm By: Van Zant

Hood, the point of having experienced campaign committees like the Victory Committee is to see that party campaign funds are used effectively to try to elect the entire ticket. I have never heard anyone on the current committee address supporting one Republican over another, to do so would be highly improper. The committee did not even meet during the primary.

There are no "victory committee approved" candidates for county commissioner and the committee has done nothing to take sides in that race. The committee does not ccontrol the facebook page or website. We are presently advertising on radio and on social media.

I have heard of the highly inappropriate "Hood ornament" ads, but have seen nothing to indicate that the Victory Committee paid for or had anything to do with such ads. The Victory Committee spent money SUPPORTING Tex Melton and Shari Clark, certainly NOT anything opposing them.

As an individual voter, when I look at who to vote for I look at two things. One is whether they stand strong on conservative issues, not take evasive and uncertain positions. If multiple candidates pass that test, then I look at their record. Do they walk the walk as well as talking the talk? When you look at the three Republicans running for county commission, it is easy to put them into a 1,2,3 position, with the Democrat, of course, being 4. With "limited voting" however, we only get one vote, not the three we should have in any fair and democratic system.

Commented: Monday, October 26th, 2026 @ 5:26 pm By: Steven P. Rader