Beaufort County Republican Party Takes a Stand | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: This article, as a press release by the Beaufort County Republican Party Chairman, Charles Hickman, is evolutionary because of its singular, and rather profound sense of purpose.

    Today's Beaufort County Republican Party has elected to grow into a platform to serve its candidates, but only if they measure up. And while one can argue that this is not what a county political party is called to do, I will argue that, with the threshold so low to "measure up," this is precisely what the local political party is charged to perform - to create a brand that they will stand for common Republican precepts, and then to communicate that brand.

    Good work, and thank-you.

Press Release:

    Early voting for the November 6, 2012 election begins on October 18. In anticipation of this, The Beaufort County Republican Party endorsed the following Republican candidates in the November 6 election at the regular monthly meeting of the Executive Committee. The candidates endorsed were:

    1. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan for President and Vice President.
    2. Congressional Districts: 1=Pete Dilauro, 3=Walter B. Jones
    3. Pat McCrory for Governor, Dan Forest for Lt. Governor, Debra Goldman for Auditor, Steve Troxler for Agriculture Commissioner, Mike Causey for Insurance Commissioner, Ed Goodwin for Secretary of State, John Tedesco for Superintendent of DPI, Steve Royal for Treasurer
    4. Supreme Court=Paul Newby; Court of Appeals=Chris Dillon, David Robinson, Marty McGee.
    5. N. C. Senate District 1=Bill Cook, N. C. House 3=Michael Speciale, N. C. House 6=Mattie Lawson
    6. Beaufort County Commissioner: Donald Dixon and Hood Richardson
    7. Beaufort County School Board: Proctor Kidwell, District 5; Carolyn Walker, District 7; Mike Isbel, District 9.

    Charles Hickman, Chairman of the Beaufort County Republican Party, explained the endorsement process. He said: "At our August meeting we adopted a set of principles that we called 'GOP Values' they were:"

    FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY less government spending. Reduce taxes. No debt without a vote of the people.
    IMPROVE OUR ECONOMY less government intervention, elimination of crony capitalism and greater support for free enterprise.
    GREATER INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES     reverse the current trend of more and more government control of our lives, our property and society.
    REDUCE GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS     provide an environment in which private enterprise can flourish.
    TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT     Eliminate the "Culture of Corruption."
    INTEGRITY IN GOVERNMENT and HONEST ELECTIONS     Insist on voter photo ID to register and to vote then to proceed to reform campaign finance laws.
    TRADITIONAL FAMILY VALUES     Support for a strict interpretation and implementation of the N. C. "Marriage Amendment" and opposition to abortion.
    SECOND AMENDMENT     Support for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and opposition to infringement of that right by local, state, federal or international governmental executive or legislative action.

    We then invited all local candidates to develop a platform and campaign based on those values. We then reviewed the records and positions of the candidates running for state and national-level offices and invited candidates for local county offices to make presentations to the Committee.

    Based on this assessment of the records, campaign positions and direct involvement with the Committee the endorsement were considered.

    I think it significant that the endorsements were made without opposition votes being cast, although a couple of committee members present did not vote on all of the endorsements. After making the endorsements the Committee then authorized the Headquarters staff and volunteers to begin immediately disseminating the endorsements and that the media be advised of the endorsements.

    Hickman added: "We believe very strongly that this is an important election at all levels. We are all determined that our nation will return to sound fiscal policies, protection of our liberties , development of a strong military, getting our economy back on track and reducing the burden of government in our lives. Mitt Romney is the man to do that in the White House. We also believe it is time to give the Republican Party a chance to get North Carolina back on track with Pat McCrory as Governor, Dan Forest as Lt. Governor, Republican majorities in the General Assembly and Republicans in the Council of State offices. At the local level we will work hard to put an end to the Gang of Five's tax and spend approach to county government by electing a conservative County Commission. We urge all voters to join with us in helping turn our nation, state and county around and get them back on the right track."