A Critical Look at the Commissioners Race | Eastern NC Now
Only one proven conservative is running...Stan Deatherage.
A Critical Look at the Commissioners Race
BY: HOOD RICHARDSON
The 2026 Beaufort County Commissioners races are unusual compared to all commissioner’s races since limited voting came into being more than 30 years ago. This is an odd man out race. Actually, it is an even man out race because three of the four candidates will be seated. The fourth lowest vote getter is out. An individual voter will be able to vote for only one of the four. That makes your vote very valuable considering the mix of political values of these candidates. There is one liberal Democrat (Ed Booth), one liberal Republican (John Edwards), another Republican of erratic behavior (probably) sponsored by the Republican Party’s secret Victory Committee (Ashley Woolard), and one proven conservative (Stan Deatherage).
With only one vote per voter and the top three vote getters being seated any one of these candidates could be the “even” man out. Conservatives, unaffiliateds, Republicans and Democrats have only one chance to select someone who desires to lower taxes and limit the size of government. That is Stan Deatherage.
Ed Booth is an incumbent Democrat. If asked, he would probably say he is conservative, but he votes liberal. Booth voted to close the S. W. Snowden School, continue to consolidate schools with the new Eastern Elementary School, close the Belhaven Hospital, support LGBTQ+ at the Community College, and voted to increase fire and property taxes 7.48 percent this year.
Neither of the two newcomers are tried and tested. Both are carrying substantial baggage. John Edwards came by invitation to the Conservative Club and made a presentation. John Edwards has not attended any other meeting of the Conservative Club. His presentation was closely patterned to that of Fake Frankie Waters when he ran for commissioner the first time. When asked questions he gave very conservative answers. But he always qualified his answer with: “I would have to know all of the information about any situation in order to make a decision”. Translation: What I just told you to prove how conservative I am does not matter, I will always have an excuse to vote liberal.
Fake Frankie Waters announced at the September Commissioners’ meeting that he is supporting Edwards.
Ashley Woolard is a member of the Beaufort County Republican Party Executive Committee. Ethically, commissioner candidates who are members of the Executive Committee should resign after winning the primary during the election campaign. This keeps them from using the Executive Committee to unfairly influence their campaign against those who are not members of the Executive Committee. Ashley Woolard is a double dipper; he is a member of the secret Victory Committee. Ashley Woolard’s refusing to resign is why Stan Deatherage kept his seat on the Executive Committee. Other members of the Victory Committee are Queen Carolyn Garris, Steve Rader, Paul Varcoe, Keith Kidwell and Greg Dority. The Victory Committee, secretly and without the approval of the Beaufort County Republican Executive Committee, uses Party money to influence elections.
One of the Victory Committee’s recent claims to fame was to spend money in such a way as to insure the election of Randy the RINO Walker during the 2024 elections. Another project of the Victory Committee was to enter the City of Washington Council races, a nonpartisan race, to campaign against registered Republicans. This resulted in the election of two Democrats to the City Council. Queen Garris and Kidwell have publicly demanded the resignation of a conservative Republican School Board member. The Victory Committee has attacked Republican candidates.
Voters are advised to be suspicious of any candidates for county commissioner who are recommended as being preferred by the Beaufort County Republican Party. The Beaufort County Republican Party must endorse all three candidates equally.
My belief is the Victory Committee will try to rig things so voters will believe that Woolard is number one, Edwards is number two and Deatherage is the number three choice. Actually, there is only one proven conservative and that is Stan Deatherage. They will be spending money donated to the Beaufort County Republican Party by Republicans.
Do not help the Victory Committee corrupt this commissioner race. Vote for Stan Deatherage. There will be two liberals elected regardless of the vote. Keep the conservative.
Voters can send a strong conservative message to the Democrat and Republican Parties by voting only for the proven conservative, Stan Deatherage. Three of these four candidates will be seated regardless of the vote. Let Edwards, Woolard and Booth struggle over the crumbs. A low vote for these three sends a strong message. The Victory Committee can use a dose of this same medicine.
We have Conservative Club sample ballots and palm cards.
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One of our major problems is finding people that have common sense, management ability and integrity. Many qualified people are reluctant to expose themselves or their families to the mudslinging and hostility that define today’s political climate. We need to find some of these qualified people and let them know we are behind them and need their help. There are more elections coming up. We need to find good candidates. We need better choices when we go to the polls. “Change the method, change the results”.
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JV, What we have here is a shadow Govt. It prevails everywhere these day. I could give the same answer to VanZant abt his comments on the local GOP and VictoryCommittee. My query is who has taught these local officials that its ok to disrespect the public, to ignore our needs? I say it is bigger than just Garris, or the school board, etc. I say it is a sickness, an indoctrination over USA institutions. Every thing is being infiltrated and destroyed from within. I could just say the left. But we need to find the culprits. Just as the DOJ was corrupted from within and went after Trump under Biden, there are agencies within NC that have been infiltrated and are then spewing out malice and dishonest policies for governing. Propaganda. People have a weakness for it.
We have to quit simply trusting that a person with a title wouldnt lie to us. They do. Everyday. They circle the wagons w mumbo jumbo and then go silent on us... or lie. People w titles do LIE to you. |
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Washingtonian: I want the public to know that what is being discussed can be validated by public web search and critical thinking.
Topic 1; Students and Parents leaving Beaufort County/BCS. I know parents, who live in HWY 92/Hunters Bridge area, who've expressed concern about their community schools hypothetically being closed and their children forced to the Metropolis Elementary on the North side of the river The BCS student withdrawal rate is an issue that Commissioner Deatherage brought up some months back and Commissioner "Mr" Randy Walker appeared to deflect with "stupid" but, after several playbacks, I think he was actually reinforcing what Unca Stan brought up: "Houston, we have a problem. Please advise." If the schools are screwed up, it can and will affect the price of real estate within the school district. If young'uns ain't going there, somebody ain't getting as much gubment money due to specific demographics leaving the area. This ain't rocket science..yes or no? |
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JV, you wrote:
"Let's open public discussion and talk about real shit here, folks." OK, I'll play. Which "real shit" do you want to open discussion with? Let the sun shine on it all! |
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John Valley: I disparage over the fact that far too many junior politicians in Beaufort County believe they are untouchable as neophytes, when the big picture is never considered by them and their fellow patterned players played poorly.
That is why Beaufort County is not doing better on so many levels, while petty political wannabes play petty games, which, in the end, hurts others, and, of course, they believe themselves to be UNTOUCHABLE. |
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SD: We disagree on some issues BUT we agree on two major things: "Stupid" and bizarroworld. The Beaufort County GOP is in the same shape as the national GOP; They've f-ed up, they KNOW they've f-ed up and, now, are trying to distance themselves from recent shenaniganry..mostly due to shit they've previously ignored from the people.
Both Trump and the GOP know that they don't have the support they had in nearly 2015-2016. Those voters, who are now closer to 40 than 30, have long since told everyone in politics to "go to hell" and have a good idea about how shit really goes down; they tell it like it is without bias or use of bizarrotalk. All that is wanted by the core group of those seemingly holding a substantial amount of potential "number power" in the midterm: "The shit's f-ed and we want the public to know how f-ed up it is. Let's open public discussion and talk about real shit here, folks." |
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Under this system, voters have a MUCH harder time in holding politicians feet to the fire.
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Those of us that have the courage to serve honorably and well need to politically know these "many qualified people are reluctant to expose themselves or their families to the mudslinging and hostility that define today’s political climate," and that they show the courage to present themselves, and get deeply involved with Conservatives and Conservative issues before they should get my, and our support.
I worked 3 years for Republican party candidates before I ever ran for office, and I ran for office for all the right reasons. I want to see some of that diligence, before I commit to anyone going forward.
This is the way I see it going from here on out.