Comments | Eastern NC Now

Van Zant: There have been precious few business meetings; none since September.

I am showing up to every pseudo meeting, even though no real business is conducted because my one Executive Committee vote matters, and we need to straighten this mammoth mess out, irrespective of the immanent Republican primary.

Commented: Thursday, January 22nd, 2026 @ 7:03 pm By: Stan Deatherage

Washingtonian, you may not remember but Kidwell ran against Frankie Waters for county commissioner the first election Waters ran in. Beaufort County would have been so much better off if Kidwell had won that primary instead of Waters. That was the election where Waters lied to the Stop the Jail Committee on his position on the proposed mega-million dollar jail.

Commented: Thursday, January 22nd, 2026 @ 5:52 pm By: Rino Hunter

CV: As Batman said in "Batman Returns": "things change."

I've been noticing, definitely since the 2022 primary and the political suicide of MKR (Mark Keith Robinson), that the GOP, especially the NC GOP, is extremely divided on "perception". Anyone who thinks outside the box is labeled as a "conspiracy theorist" and anyone who questions ANY narrative is considered a "troublemaker".

Perception scares both RINOs AND some of the old heads. They don't like anyone who can see from 40,000 feet and call the playbook for what it is. They're used to "things as they were" because it benefits them....no matter how many people get crapped on.

Commented: Thursday, January 22nd, 2026 @ 4:46 pm By: John Valley

Van Zant: You sure have a handle on best practices; the kind that Hood and I have long espoused on the Beaufort County Commission, and now Tandy is working right along with us to effect the best governing we can muster, while still working as a slim minority, with the Center-Left /Left Coalition majority working at the behest of Democratic Socialists and RINOs alike ...

Van Zant: You sound like a Conservative, who knows many salient facts about proper governing; doing the People's business.

Commented: Thursday, January 22nd, 2026 @ 8:33 am By: Stan Deatherage

There are the Plan of Organization rules and there are the Garris rules. They are incompatible, because the Garris rules are violations of the official rules. It appears that the committee needs to have a meeting without Ms. Garris leading it. I do not have any confidence that she will deal with any of the issues that should be before the committee unless she can put together some kind of flimflam configuration of the board where she can sweep all this under the rug. This is a sad state of affairs.

It seems to me the committee should meet with a vice-chair leading it, unless Ms. Garris has unlawfully excommunicated ALL of the vice-chairs at this point in time. There should also be an observer assigned from the district or state level. Everything should be put before the committee and dealt with under the Plan of Organization of the party. This does not need to drag on any longer. Deal with all of it honestly - every bit of it.

Commented: Wednesday, January 21st, 2026 @ 6:37 pm By: Van Zant

Frankie Waters is on file donating to the Kidwell campaign. It appears Waters and Kidwell are birds of a feather.

Commented: Wednesday, January 21st, 2026 @ 1:52 pm By: Washingtonian

If you like Frankie Waters as a commissioner, you will love Darren Armstrong as a legislator. They are both out of the same mold

Commented: Wednesday, January 21st, 2026 @ 12:52 pm By: Bubba

Its really quite comical!
What we have here is an alias smearing my alias. LOL

I have no doubt that if these Kidwell funded hitmen knew my true name they would do everything to make me wish I didnt live here. All because I dont believe in the things they believe. Its just like those anarchists in Minnesota who are harassing anyone who they perceive is not on their team. Even inside a Church. These types are the true Haters.

Vote YES for Darren Armstrong!
For a better Future, Just say NO to Kidwell.

Commented: Wednesday, January 21st, 2026 @ 10:18 am By: Washingtonian

Van Zant: These are most of the reasons why the Beaufort County GOP is NO use to my re-election as the proven Conservative candidate. I will wait to see to what extent that the damage may be done, but my hope is that the public, at large, will not take their prospective rouge actions seriously.

Commented: Wednesday, January 21st, 2026 @ 8:45 am By: Stan Deatherage

I've got more questions and concerns regarding the unscrupulous people in the local party. About this "Victory Committee:" Who is on it besides Carolyn Garris and Keith Kidwell? I've asked executive committee members that I know and they tell me who they think may be on the committee, but they don't know for sure. Let that sink in. Executive Committee members do not even know who is on one of their standing committees.

Also, under Powers and Duties of the county plan the County Chair and Vice-Chair shall be ex-officio members of all committees. Have the present-day 1st Vice-Chair or 2nd Vice-Chair ever attended a "Victory Committee" meeting? The current 2nd Vice-Chair has been "pronounced" off the executive committee solely on the made-up authority of Chairperson Garris and the rumor of dubious testimony to her from her Philly friend that has a long record of lying and scheming to legendary heights of dishonesty. I get the feeling that these duly elected officers are not welcome on this shadow committee or any other committee. That is just one more rule violation by these people that have no respect at all for rules.

Consider this: The "Victory Committee" was not formed by the existing Beaufort County Executive Committee. I'm led to believe it was created by present Chairperson Garris with the possible blessing of the previous executive committee before the last county convention or not. This is surely not a legal committee at this time.

Also consider this: The "Victory Committee" does not report to the Beaufort County Republican Party Executive Committee. This is not legal either.

And consider this: The "Victory Committee" acts independently of the Executive Committee and spends money independently of the Executive Committee. At this time, they are illegally acting in place of the Beaufort County Republican Party Executive Committee.

If there is a more corrupt party organization in the state of North Carolina than this one, I would be very surprised. They make past serious indiscretions of previous committees look like Sunday school. They are a disgrace.

RH: I agree, Monica Davis running for school board in district 6 looks like a Lib plant and many of us can guess by who. Her incumbent Republican opponent is solid. That is an easy choice. Vote Rader in district 6.
The NC House District 79 race is more complicated simply because thuggery and harassment is not an issue by some and is an issue by others; especially when it involves friends and family.

Commented: Tuesday, January 20th, 2026 @ 7:30 pm By: Van Zant

CV: I'm a Clint Eastwood conservative; I'm neither a modern Democrat or a Republican. Actually, I identify more with being an old school NASCAR Burt Reynolds Conservative Democrat....like many old heads were before they switched to the GOP during the Dubya years. I'm sure you'll love that one.

As far as the "issues" and "policies" you've asked about, I HAVE stated why I do not and will not support Kidwell nor anyone else who treats they're constituency, those who ALLEGEDLY vote them into office, like dog s*it; you're near sighted and stuck in the "Kidwell is the ONLY way" mentality.

The numbers that were released here on ENCNow are not hard to decipher. Neither Republicans or Democrats hold enough of a majority to safely win an election.....they rely on the Unaffiliated vote to carry them over.

Kidwell don't have those votes; it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see this. Poll the general public on Kidwell; you'll be shocked.

Commented: Tuesday, January 20th, 2026 @ 4:45 pm By: John Valley