Comments by Van Zant | Eastern NC Now

TBT: There's one thing about it: I'm not Stan and you're not Truth. The dishonest gaslighting going on from the local RINOs is now reaching incredible levels of ridiculousness. It's obvious that you folks are willing to tell any lie that has any chance of sticking with an ignorant person. My advice to people is, if you do not know check it out yourself.

One thing to do is go to the NC State Board of Elections website and do a voter search. You'll see Hood Richardson year after year in a straight unbroken stream as a Republican all the way until the list stops at 1992.

Then look up Frank Waters. He was a Democrat until 2012 when he changed in order to run as a Republican for the County Commission.

Randy Walker was a Democrat even longer. Remember he first ran for the County Commission as a Democrat and lost. Then he changed party affiliation, started attending Conservative Club meetings, and got the Conservative Club to help him get elected. Upon his election, he burned all bridges with real Republicans and has governed as the liberal Republican we see today. I doubt it would do any good, but if I were Conservative Club members I would send the dude a bill.

Just know this. These people on a mission against Conservatives will do or say anything to accomplish their goal. Please do your own research and do not trust these utterly despicable people.

Commented: Tuesday, August 18th, 2026 @ 12:47 pm By: Van Zant

It is well past time for the two heads of the local Republican political machine to publicly apologize to Stacey Davis.

Enough has leaked out of that bat $hi# crazy episode to determine that Ms. Davis essentially did little more than retrieve stolen property taken from her child. The real villain in this is former BC School Superintendent Cheeseman who used the press to attack a School Board member he felt threatened by. The mystery is why Mr. Kidwell and Ms. Garris piled on so quickly and so forcefully. People are left wondering what that was about.

The doofus award should go to the Beaufort County School Board for never taking any action or position what-so-ever in the matter other than sitting like knots on a log like a bunch of knot heads. They should have reprimanded the former Superintendent and reined him in. The whole mess shouldn't have happened. The former Superintendent acted unilaterally leaving the Board out entirely.

Perhaps Kidwell and Garris should explain their motivations in this.

Commented: Tuesday, August 18th, 2026 @ 6:00 am By: Van Zant

TruthBeTold: With all due respect, you have no credibility as a truth teller. You say, "The GOP is focused on the election for all Republicans." What a blatant lie. Garris identified herself under the heading Chairman Carolyn Garris of the Beaufort County Republican Party. She then publicly attacked an incumbent Republican candidate in an election season. The cat is out of the bag. She should at least apologize to Commissioner Deatherage and the general public. The Executive Committee should at least reprimand her. Frankly, the more appropriate actions would be an apology followed by a resignation or a dismissal.

Concerning the other charge: Many of us continued to vote for Kidwell despite his increasingly heavy-handed behavior locally within the Party and also within the community. I do not agree with his public attacks and demands on local conservatives in the press and bullying threats otherwise. I appreciate much of what he did in Raleigh as District 79 Representative - enough to continue voting for him. But I personally know several conservatives that did not vote for him this time around because of those escalating behaviors. Both he and Garris are fair game in the community on those issues. There is a different standard for the Party - there is supposed to be, but it isn't so in Beaufort County.

Oftentimes, you and your crowd seem delusional. As far as the truth goes, there is no truth in you.

Commented: Friday, August 14th, 2026 @ 8:50 am By: Van Zant

Additionally, as of late there have been appeals here and other places for those involved in this local Republican squabble to cool it in this general election season. The response to those appeals were for Chairman Garris of the Beaufort County Republican Party to attack Republican Commissioner Deatherage, a candidate in this election. She made this pronouncement on the Party Facebook page. That alone is reason for Garris to go. If the Executive Committee cannot figure that out, they should go also. This is a real low point.

Commented: Tuesday, August 11th, 2026 @ 7:38 pm By: Van Zant

No informed local conservative Republican recognizes this leadership of the local GOP. Also, what's with the weak-kneed executive committee? Are most of them as bad as she is, or are they just ignorant?

If this is what the Republican Party is, there is no real party. People need to increase efforts for ballot access reform. As is, the parties are way too corrupt for any expectation for good results.

Commented: Monday, August 10th, 2026 @ 4:19 pm By: Van Zant

Careful Hood, it seems like these self-labeled "True Republicans" are gearing up for another crazy sexual harassment charge to be laughed out of court again. Obviously, they will do anything to avoid anything real.

Commented: Saturday, August 8th, 2026 @ 10:16 am By: Van Zant

Speaking of Death or Rage: After the treatment given by the local GOP toward Republican Commissioner Deatherage as well as other local Republicans, and also citizens in general, maybe the berserker mentality is the appropriate response. It is painfully obvious that this local GOP, that is so fond of baselessly charging others with party disloyalty, is more guilty of party disloyalty than any entity in history. The unbridled hostility coming from these people is quite incredible. It appears Chairman Garris has removed her totally inappropriate "statement" from Facebook. It is too late. The world is awash with hardcopy evidence of her latest party disloyalty.

I really hoped that these characters in official party positions would stop and think enough to control themselves and tone things down enough to get through the election season. No way. The only thing these self-serving haters know is double down - no matter how bad their behavior is. These overweening leaders and their narcissistic moron followers are not suitable for the positions they occupy. I truly believe if they do not step down on their own or otherwise, and if they are not replaced by credible interim leadership now, then this party will not survive as anything worthwhile.

Things have gone too far. The Chairperson must step aside. She cannot be replaced by one of her lieutenants or bosses. An honorable interim leader willing to work with all factions must step forward now. Short of that, this dumpster fire will burn a very long-time and nothing will be left.

These characters with screwed up priorities are harming the Party, and they are harming the community. Are there any grown-ups left?

Commented: Sunday, August 2nd, 2026 @ 9:59 am By: Van Zant

I went on Facebook to check this out and it is everything this article complains about and more. To start with, the headline 'STATEMENT FROM CHAIRMAN CAROLYN GARRIS OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY' was under the Beaufort County Republican Party heading, so as most people guessed, Ms. Garris is the one posting and reacting as the Beaufort County Republican Party. At least in this post she correctly sub-identified herself as who she is and in what capacity she is speaking. In most instances that would be the appropriate way to communicate. This particular instance was still not appropriate, because the Chairman of the Republican Party has no business publicly saying such nasty things about people in the community - both unaffiliated and Republicans (I didn't see a Democrat name). She is also inappropriate saying she is the Beaufort County Republican Party, because the whole committee is the official Beaufort County Republican Party. In this particular time, she is not right in saying the things she said using the title Chairman of the Beaufort County Republican Party because she made the Party look bad to the public, she harmed the Party's credibility in the community, and she harmed at least one Republican candidate in an election season. All of this is inexcusable behavior for someone serving in her official capacity.

The vitriol in her "statement" was largely untrue, oftentimes misleading, and oozing with hypocrisy.

Chairman Garris states that the Republican Party exists for one purpose - to get Republicans elected. If that is true, then why is the party chairman actively attacking at least one Republican candidate in the present election season? Mind you she is making this statement under the heading of "CHAIRMAN CAROLYN GARRIS OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY". If she wants to run a PAC (Political Action Committee) she should do that. It is not appropriate to do that under the auspices of the Republican Party, which is what she has been doing for a long time. She continues to misuse her position.

Also, remember this chairperson has broken all records for falsely charging many local Republicans (some were candidates) with disloyalty while protecting several Republicans actually guilty of disloyalty.

All mentioned here is only the tip of the iceberg. Unimaginable damage has been done to the Republican Party in Beaufort County.

Commented: Thursday, July 30th, 2026 @ 9:10 am By: Van Zant

As things are now, this recently put together audit committee amounts to being the fox in the henhouse, and the big bad wolf chasing Goldilocks and the three piggies, all rolled into one. A lot of people don't want to hear it, but Hood is right about putting together a representative audit committee people might have some faith in. Please, please, please, no more coverups. I think Ms. Davis' recommendation for a third-party audit is a good idea.

Commented: Thursday, July 30th, 2026 @ 7:17 am By: Van Zant

Fauci under whatever name still needs to be buried under a prison. Biden's pardon says it all about him and Fauci as well as the shadowy figures behind the autopen. Criminal justice for them is not the same as criminal justice for us.

Commented: Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026 @ 11:08 am By: Van Zant

The hypocrisy is off the charts. The same people that will shut down a meeting and call the police before they will answer committee questions or provide a committee report are making demands on everyone else. Of course, they always do it combined with an insult. These nasty party leaders owe the Republican Party Executive Committee and Republicans in general at least a year's worth of reports and answers as well as an apology.

Commented: Wednesday, July 15th, 2026 @ 9:27 am By: Van Zant

Several things are going on here. This executive committee was formed in early 2025. Why are they just getting around to creating their Audit Committee in mid-2026? The just formed Audit Committee itself is made up of Victory Committee members and friends of Victory Committee members. No consent vote by the Executive Committee. It's pretty easy to see what these folks are up to.

So, what are we left with: It must be Gremlins. Nameless Gremlins spent on those campaign items. Nameless Gremlins authorized campaign spending. Nameless Gremlins have harmed good Republicans using the name of the Republican Party. How convenient. How ridiculous.

Commented: Tuesday, July 14th, 2026 @ 10:05 am By: Van Zant

I suppose people have noticed that I periodically ask questions in my comments. Obviously, they are never answered. The silence is the answer. I'll keep asking those rhetorical questions.

On this thread Mr. Leary is asking some VERY relevant questions that need an answer. A lot of us have a very good idea what the answer is to those questions. The silence along with the extremely petty insults directed at many of us provide those answers also.

On the Repub Executive Committee Mr. Richardson is attempting to ask those same type questions of leadership. We've seen the flagrant over the top reactions from party leadership to those attempts. They've called the police and brought bogus court actions against him to avoid any consequences to their own actions. They will do ANYTHING to avoid those questions, and they will shut down meetings entirely to not have those legitimate questions before them.

Commented: Friday, July 10th, 2026 @ 9:47 am By: Van Zant

It seems like the BC Republican Party Treasurer of the BC Republican Party Executive Committee determines on his own what executive committee members to report to just like the BC Republican Party Chairman of the BC Republican Party Executive Committee thinks she can determine on her own who to recognize as even being on the committee at all. That's the epitome of dysfunction and that perfectly defines this committee as a rogue committee.

Commented: Wednesday, July 8th, 2026 @ 8:51 am By: Van Zant

I'm wondering some more. I wonder why the Washington Walkers (Carolyn and Randy) were working so hard in Republican Primaries outside of their own school district.

Commented: Monday, June 22nd, 2026 @ 7:28 pm By: Van Zant

The only person in the upcoming commission election with a real record on the subject of taxing is Deatherage. Others are just talk, and as we've seen time after time, talk is cheap.

Commented: Friday, June 19th, 2026 @ 9:36 am By: Van Zant

We've got to actively think about covering each-others backs.

Commented: Friday, June 12th, 2026 @ 8:55 am By: Van Zant