Why Do Some Candidates Run as Republicans and Then Vote With the Democrats? | Eastern North Carolina Now

    It is an open secret that there are two active Republican Parties in Beaufort County. One is conservative and independent and the other is liberal and submissive; to the Establishment. Well, they are submissive to all except the conservative Republicans. The liberal Republicans mistakenly believe it is their duty to force conservatives into their liberal beliefs and behaviors. Like allowing the two Democrats to pick County Commissioner Chairmen when there are five Republicans on the board. They're willing to cut deals with Democrats but you have to wonder at what cost in principles.

    This is more than an innocent rivalry. Over the years a great many dirty tricks have been pulled by the liberal Republicans. Among these are the destruction of the Belhaven hospital building, the building of the useless US highway 17 bypass on the west side of Washington, the county park at Pamlico Beach and building $20 million worth of schools where they are not needed. But the greatest "sin" of all is their letting the Democrats control the management of the county which has cost the taxpayers millions of dollars on single bid contracts, poor planning and special interest favoritism. Sound like the "other" Washington? You got that right!

    I have always been reluctant to expose Republican factional infighting to the public. Most of the time it hurts the Republican Party. However, the truth is the truth. How will the people know unless someone blows the whistle. When Democrats change their registration and run as Republicans because that is the only way they can get elected, and then return to voting like Democrats when elected, we need public debate about what elected officials and each party really stand for.

    The simple truth is: if you tell the people one thing then vote the opposite you are not being truthful. People are getting fed up with such duplicity. I think we'll see this on November 3.

    It true at the Federal level and we are about to see it in the confirmation of the next Supreme Court Justice. It's true at the state level, when some have pointed out: "there's not a dime's worth of difference between the Democrat and Republican leaderships. And it is certainly true at the local level with people running as Republicans, claiming to be "conservative" then voting with tax and spend liberal Democrats. By definition, you can't be a conservative and vote with the Democrats.

    The most recent insult for me came at the Reagan Day celebration on September 17, with about 100 Republicans in attendance. There were several state level elected officials present. Former Senator Bill Cook, the "yellow sheet" elected Chairman of the Beaufort County Republican party exhorted Republicans to vote and contribute money. Then he said "even though we have one elected official who has said not to contribute money to the State Party"

    I am the Republican elected official who said that. What I said and have said many times is: "Do not give your money to the Republican Party, it is better to find a local Republican candidate you like and give the money to his/her campaign." There are a lot of reasons for this. For one thing, the State Republican party rarely shares money with minor or local Republican candidates. They over whelmingly give our donations to the big boys. Robin Hayes is under federal indictment for his money handling shenanigans. One of the things he did was to take North Carolina Republican contributions and send them to other states. What about helping our own to be great first?

    I have tolerated Bill Cook and his "hold your nose and vote Republican" buddies for years. His behavior now has become too much. He has berated me publicly saying I am the cause of all Republican problems. He did this at the Beaufort County Convention right after the "yellow sheeters" elected him chairman. He lost his temper and stormed out of the Beaufort County Conservative Republican Club meeting during the Spring of this year. If you do not agree with King Bill and kiss his ring, he gets really angry. This is not a good leadership quality.

    Bill Cook refuses to notify some members of the Beaufort County Executive Committee meetings as is required by the Republican party rules. For state, district and county executive committee meetings, all elected Republicans office-holders are ex officio members respectively of these various executive committees. I have written three letters of complaint to Bill Cook and party officials, King

    Cook still refuses to follow the rules. Not giving notice of executive committee meetings is his way of shutting out conservative Republicans.

    Bill Cook is conducting most of the work of the executive committee in the back room, and is using the executive committee to support one liberal Republican for County Commissioner while pretending to support the other three of us.

    The people of Beaufort County and particularly registered Republicans in Beaufort County deserve better. Bill Cook needs to learn to control his temper and his dislike of conservatives.

    In order for any political party to be successful in a republic that treasures free speech, the factions have to be able to tolerate each other. Dictatorships do not last very long.

    We are at risk in Beaufort County 2020 commissioner elections of electing a liberal Republican who will join vote with the Democrats. Watch and see, if he is elected, he will vote with the two Democrats to elect Frankie Waters Chairman with Jerry Langley being the Vice Chairman. If that happens we will continue to waste a lot of tax money, do county business in the back room and try to build a jail we do not need. We will increase the cost of trash handling with the false claim the trash pick will not increase your cost

    To those who will fault me for raising a ruckus just before the November elections, I refer you to President Donald J. Trump and ask would he do this differently?