Big Changes in the Beaufort County Republican Party | Eastern North Carolina Now

    The annual Beaufort County Republican Party convention was held at the Beaufort County Court House on March 19, 2019. There were about 100 people in attendance Those whose families have been life time Democrats stood out.

    Patricia Garrison Chairman announced she was running for chairman. Garrison announced she did not intend to run for chairman. There were rumors that Tony Keech may run. Keech is a conservative Republican. Right away a group centered in the Cypress Landing area announced that former Senator Bill Cook would be their man. In the meantime Keech had agreed to be Federal House candidate Phil Law's Beaufort County campaign manager. The rules of the Republican organization provide that those who support candidates during the primary cannot serve as officers of the County Republican Party during the primary. This lef t only Senator Cook.

    The purpose of this convention is to pick the leadership of the party for the coming two years. Usually all factions of the Republican philosophy are represented on the executive committee. Usually anyone who volunteers is seated on the executive committee. Picking the executive committee this way keeps down a lot of the bickering between the liberal and conservative extremes.

    A group led by Paul Varcoe, Joseph Knox, and Ron Buzzeo decided to cleanse the local party of conservative Republicans. They produced a list, the yellow sheet, of people that only they and their minions would support. The yellow sheet is a part of this article. If you have an interest in local Republican politics you need to study the yellow sheet.

    Turns out this was a well orchestrated deal, Somewhat like the back room deals that happen on the Beaufort County Board of County Commissioners.

    Steve Rader, former State Republican General Council had trouble making a motion. If there is any body in the State of North Carolina who knows how to make a motion it is Steve. Steve Rader. His motion was to elect executive committee members the way we have historically elected them, That is by self nomination or to volunteer. The appointed convention chairman was Bob Pruitt from the Onslow County area. It was obvious Pruitt had been clued in by the liberals because when he saw the motion Steve made was not the one he wanted he scrambled Steve's motion three or four times. Pruitt claimed he did not know what Steve Rader was talking about. Pruitt, contrary to the rules, allowed Joseph Knox to get the floor. Pruitt was ungentlemanly, unkind, crude and heavy handed toward Steve Rader. Knox made the motion for each executive committee member to be elected individually. Right away Pruitt accepted the motion, leaving Steve out in the cold. Pruitt then had the convention to vote On Joseph Knox's motion.

    That is when t he yellow sheets came out with Paul Varcoe sitting in the front of the room aided by Sheriff Ernie Coleman who gave quite a show of grinning an making either complimentary or derogatory comments when the liberals won or the conservatives lost. Varcoe raised the yellow sheet when his minions were to vote for someone and lowered it when they were not to vote for them. The result is that we have a board composed almost entirely of Cypress Landing area people with two or three conservatives. The yellow sheet is attached to this article.

    Senator Bill Cook blew his acceptance speech by making the statement that there would be no more criticism of Republicans by Republicans. That is we are not going to be able to tell the truth about liberal Republicans. This is a violation of constitutional free speech rights. Dictators typically control speech.

    We are moving toward a dictatorial Republican Party that could take action not to allow conservative Republicans access to the Republican ballot.