Comments | Eastern NC Now

Washingtonian, it certainly looks like the records of the state board of elections disproves what you claim as "truths". Maybe you should seek professional help for your Kidwell Derangement Syndrome.

Commented: Friday, February 13th, 2026 @ 7:59 am By: Bubba

That Big Ag PAC that is mailing a deluge of postcards for Armstrong is funded by people who employ illegal aliens, and a lot of them. Armstrong would be bought and psid for on immigration enforcement and deportation issues by pro-amnesty forces, a prostitute for that special interest.

Another group funding that Big Ag PAC that is mailing the Armstrong postcards are the environmental extremists who tried to put out shrimping indutstry in eastern NC out of business. He would be bought and paid for on that issue, too.

Commented: Thursday, February 12th, 2026 @ 9:01 pm By: borderhawk

To be clear: Any and all Email lists acquired by and or belonging to Beaufort County GOP are the property of Beaufort County GOP and may not be given out to any candidate or committee.

Commented: Thursday, February 12th, 2026 @ 3:25 pm By: Carolyn Garris

Kidwell & his local right arm Garris, r workin shoulder-2-shoulder to destroy all conservatives locally who dont agree to tak orders from those two.
It appears he has some lobbyist on this forum too, who for th life of me I can only assume r paid off as well. No one worships a politician like they do unless they r gettin things in return 4 it, perhaps a big payoff? Heck I dont even kiss up to Trump th way they do to Kidwell. Perhaps its bec I know tht politicians arent Kings, just flawed ppl as th rest of us. So u guys here must b bought off, th same way Kidwell is by th lobbyist.
As for Darren Armstrong, no one growsup & say, I want to become a farmer.
Farmers r born farmers. Born a farmer & a farmer all their life. Trump tells us to value our farmers. They wrk hard to feed us. Only EVIL ppl would attack a life long farmer simply bec he chooses to serve n govt.
Yet u ppl want to destroy him 4 his associations. So Kidwell is a no vote 4 me bec of his closeness w Garris.
NO TO KIDWELL

Commented: Thursday, February 12th, 2026 @ 10:44 am By: Washingtonian

The BCGOP is happy to send messages on behalf of the candidates. Please email your message to me and I will be happy to share. You have access to the same data that all candidates have access to.

Commented: Thursday, February 12th, 2026 @ 7:08 am By: Carolyn Garris

Am I hearing the local party has an email list of county Republicans? If so, how is it being used? Do some Republican candidates have access to it and other not?

Commented: Thursday, February 12th, 2026 @ 4:10 am By: Van Zant

Stan Deatherage, you know is this not true. You have run for office how many times? You know how to get the list. Hood’s Club is sending letters to Registered Republicans. He was able to secure a list. You have access to the data.. Just reach out to the Board of Elections and they will also give you the list just like they have for other candidates.

Commented: Wednesday, February 11th, 2026 @ 8:48 pm By: Carolyn Garris

Where does Washingtonian get all her absurd fantasies? This one is as wacky as her claim that Armstrong contributed to a Republican group that gave to Kidwell, which was revealed to be a lie by the online records of the NC Board of Elections. Of course, someone provably fed her that lie instead of her just making it up herself.

Again, if you look at the actual records, this latest smear by Washingtonian is clearly disproved. If any legislator was controlled by lobbyists, you would see it in the campaign finance reports. For example if Duke Energy "owns" a legislator, they will give them the max but if they just want to put out some money so maybe he or she will at least give the lobbyist the courtesy of listening to them, then they give a few hundred to one thousand. If they giving none at all, then that means they have concluded that a legislator will not even give their lobyyist the time of day. I use Duke Energy as an example because they are one of the biggest purchasers of legislative favors.

Kidwell has, in fact led the charge against some of the largest special interest groups that were funding legislators. Last term that was the casino lobbyists. Kidwell and the Freedom Caucus blocked their casino legislation. Many legislators were on the receiving end from casino interests, but not Kidwell.

Some committee chairmen are bought and paid for by special interests that deal with their committee. Not Kidwell. He is chairman of the Banking Committee. Banks have a lot of well funded PACs, but look on Kidwell's reports and you will not see contributions from those banking PACs. That is the best evidence there is that he cannot be bought because the bank PACs do not even try.

Now if you want a special interest candidate, that would be Darren Armstrong who is all about the Big Ag agenda and nothing else, and a Big Ag PAC is mailing out postcards trying to buy the seat for him. Even more, he seems to be in bed with an out of state chemical company that wants legislation to prevent people suing them over a cancer causing chenical the company produces. RINO Jimmy Dixon, who recruited Armstrong to run had introduced a bill to protect that chemical company from lawsuits by North Carolinians who were injured by their product. Dixon was doing the bidding of that special interest and they are mad at Kidwell because he was one of those who stood up for citizens and stopped that special interest bill.

Commented: Wednesday, February 11th, 2026 @ 6:35 pm By: Conservative Voter

Kidwell is bought and paid for by lobbyist. Whoever pays the most owns him. The local citizens have no value to him. That's why he ignores WeThePpl.
Kidwell is like most politicians... just a dirty diaper...time to change and throw him out with the rest of the dirty politicians.

Do us, the local citizens a favor:
JUST SAY NO TO KIDWELL when you vote.

Commented: Wednesday, February 11th, 2026 @ 4:36 pm By: Washingtonian

Me too Van Zant: I have to wonder to what extent I am running against the Beaufort County GOP, as well as the 4 other non incumbent candidates, since I am the "Proven Conservative."

Commented: Wednesday, February 11th, 2026 @ 1:48 pm By: Stan Deatherage

Anyone who was at the debate between Kidwell and Armstrong saw what an empty suit that Armstrong is. He is nothing but a "johnny one note" for Big Ag.

Commented: Wednesday, February 11th, 2026 @ 11:11 am By: Rino Hunter

There are always improvements that can be made. One I think is overdue is more extensive vetting of candidates on actual issues, not just perceptions. Incumbent politicians have a record that can be evaluated to adequately ascertain their positions on conservative issues, but that is not true of first time candidates. Endorsements should be made on policy, not personality. One way to do that is to interview the candidates but an easier way is to use written candidate questionaires. That also helps nail down politicians to their postitions if they get elections. In this election, I do not believe there was anywhere near sufficient vetting of House candidate Armstrong, for example.

Commented: Wednesday, February 11th, 2026 @ 8:25 am By: John Steed