Ashley Woolard Announces his Candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives, 1st District | Eastern North Carolina Now

Ashley Woolard Announces his Bid to Oust G. K. Butterfield

    Former candidate for the First District Seat in the United States House of Representatives, Grey Dority, announced, by way of the introduction, that "Beaufort County's Favorite Son Ashley Woolard" would run and win the seat currently held by G. K. Butterfield.

    Ashley Woolard took his place behind the podium and gave a rousing speech that began with, "Much has changed since G.K. Butterfield was first elected to the Congress: Unemployment in North Carolina has grown from about 4.5% when he took office to over 11% in our North Carolina. It is even higher here downeast."

    Ashley Woolard explains his position on issues important to the members of the Beaufort County Republican Men's Club.

    Candidate Woolard also announced, "Our government is becoming more intrusive in our lives: They own many of our banks, most of car industry and soon, if we do not stop them, they will own our health care delivery system."

    Mr. Woolard continued, "If elected, I intend to remain a citizen politician which means, I will be staying in Beaufort County, when I am not needed in Washington, D.C., so I can be close to constituents. Washington, D.C. often changes politicians, but I give you my solemn promise: It will not change me. In fact, I would sooner change Washington, D.C. before it would change me."

    Ashley Woolard finished his announcement by pledging strict allegiance to the constitution and to defend it against all that would subvert its original purpose. All newly elected politicians take an oath to defend the constitution, but Ashley, I believe, sincerely believes it. Now that's change I can believe in.

    Ashley Woolard with Beaufort County Commissioner Hood Richardson as the candidate candidly answers questions from the crowd.

    After speaking to this large assemblage of supporters, Candidate Woolard took questions from the crowd, and was most candid with his answers. He just did not sound like a politician, and theat is to his credit. The President of the Men's Club and Beaufort County Commissioner Hood Richardson said of Ashley, as he retired from the room to be with his waiting family, "I believe Ashley Woolard to be a true conservative, and the man knows the meaning of what it means to have principles, and to live his life accordingly."

    The candidate continuing with the questions.

    Within the scope of this article is Candidate Ashley Woolard's press release here below:

October 8, 2009

Dear Friend,

   Please let me introduce myself. My name is Ashley Wollard and I’m running for Congress for the 1st Congressional District because I believe not enough is being done to improve the lot of its residents. The unemployment situation is dire. The educational system is not serving our needs, and we are being taxed unnecessarily to support poorly conceived and wasteful programs.

   I’m a lifelong resident of Beaufort County as are my parents and my grandparents before me. I graduated from Washington High School and earned a BS from ECU. Upon graduation, I joined the family business, the Woolard Insurance Group, where I serve as vice-president.

   My wife Jessica is also a Beaufort County native. We have two boys, Payton, eight, and Parker, three, and live on Market Street Extension in Old Ford. We attend the Hunters Bridge Church of Christ.

    The candidate's wife, Jessica, and his youngest son, Parker, quietly and patiently waits for his father to finish with all that political stuff.

   I have been involved heavily in civic and political organizations, and served as Chairman of the Beaufort County Republican Party from March, 2007 until March 2009. I was an officer of the Washington Rotary Club for three years. In 2005, I was Rotarian of the Year for the Washington Club. I am also a member of the Old Ford Ruritan Club. I served as a board member of the club for two years and as president in 2004. In 2002, the Greenville-Goldsboro District named me Ruritan of the Year. In 2002, I was given the fund-raiser award for my work in getting our club back on a good sound financial basis.

   Since 2003 I have been a representative of the East Carolina University Educational Foundation. In 2005, I was elected president of the Beaufort County chapter of the Pirate Club and was elected president again in 2006. In 2006, I was named Rookie Chapter President of the Year out of all 35 chapters, for leading my Chapter to a 16% increase in members and a 20% increase in donations. In addition to the duties as president, I organized the annual banquet and golf tournament and oversaw all major fund-raising initiatives for the chapter. One of my favorite activities is coaching my son Payton’s flag football team.

   I am a 2003 Fellow of the North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership. The Institute is a multi-partisan, nonprofit research and educational institution, formed to improve the overall quality of political and governmental leadership at the state and local levels. Ninety-one percent (91%) my class has been involved in elective and appointive political, government and community service.

   From 2001-2004 I served on the City of Washington Planning Board.

   I am well versed in the problems in Eastern North Carolina, especially in the areas of jobs, taxes, and education and you can be sure that I will not be a rubberstamp for programs that benefit cities at the expense of our small towns and rural areas.

Ashley Woolard