Republicans to ‘bring it” in Chatham this Primary Season!
Dear CWF readers,
The article below should send home the reason that we ALL need to participate in the Primary in Chatham on May 4th.
CWF supports a strong slate of candidates – two of which are in a Republican Primary – a scenario not heard of in some time in Chatham. The candidates that CWF supports are:
Brian Bock
Brian is the Chairman of the Chatham GOP and is responsible for the absolute energy and revitalization of the Republican Party in Chatham County. He has been building a dialogue with the current Commissioners for reason and accountability. PLEASE support his effort to unseat the Progressive incumbent by donating to his campaign through his website.
Pamela Stewart
Pamela Stewart’s website will be available soon as she does not have a Primary runoff. She has an impressive background. She is Manager for US Web Communications for Bayer Corp. Fundamental Conservative principles and her corporate teamwork background demonstrate her ability to work with other leaders to create common sense solutions and that is the experience that she will bring to the Chatham County Commission.
Walter Petty
Website to be released very soon – One of our members, Heather Johnson, knows Walter very well. He has been a bookkeeping client of hers and he is well regarded in Chatham County. An honest, Conservative businessman. District Voting will be a priority for Walter Petty. “A Commissioner’s vote should represent the desires of the people they serve. As a County Commissioner I will advocate for Voting by District.” As the owner of Atlantic Power Solutions in Siler City and 30 years of small business management, Walter Petty understands how to maintain a successful business in a difficult economic climate. “I find it necessary to cut expenses to sustain a profitable financial statement and the government should have to operate within the same guidelines. My desire is to establish this same level of accountability in our county government.” Walter Petty was born and raised on a farm in Western Chatham County.
FOLKS – THIS IS IT – THE DREAM TEAM FOR CHATHAM!! We CAN take our County back!! Please support these candidates and more to follow as soon as we have more information. Of utmost importance, though, is that the Democrats will be working for Brian Bock’s opponent in the Republican Primary. His opponent is a life long Democrat who changed to Republican last fall. He is the town barber. The Dems will seize on this opportunity to shut down the incumbent’s strongest opponent. Ensuring that we volunteer for Brian Bock and get out the vote will be more important than ever this May 4th!!
On to the Herald Sun article:
gchildress@heraldsun.com; 419-6645
Look for the Chatham County primary season to have a much different political look than it has in recent years.
When the filings ended Friday at noon, Republicans in the traditional Democratic stronghold had set themselves up for an active primary season. None of the Democratic incumbents are being challenged so there will be no primaries in those races on May 4.
“We usually have more Democrats,” said Dawn Stumpf, director of the Chatham County Board of Elections. “It appears this time we’re going to have a more active Republican run.”
Karl G. Kachergis, chairman of the Chatham County Democratic Party, said he is especially surprised that the two commissioner races will be without primary races.
“It’s strange to me,” Kachergis said. “As a chairman of a party, however, I’m glad our two candidates can save their resources for the November election.”
Kachergis said the surge in Republican participation is likely due to the party’s recent success in high profile races such as the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts, where Republican Scott Brown won the seat long held by Democrat Ted Kennedy, who died in August 2009.
“It looks like to me that they [Republicans] feel they have a better chance than they had in the past,” Kachergis said. “I know they plan to bring it.”
Still, Kachergis said, noting that registered Democrats in Chatham make up 50 percent of the county’s voting population or about 20,000 voters, Republicans face an uphill struggle. Republicans are 25 percent of voters, the equivalent of 10,000 voters, and another 10,000 voters are unaffiliated. There are about 40 registered Libertarians in the county.
Attempts to reach Chatham County Republican Party Chairman Brian Bock were unsuccessful.
In the County Commissioner District 3 race, Democratic incumbent George Lucier is uncontested. Republicans Brian Bock and Cadle W. Cooper will face off in the May primary for a chance to run against Lucier in November.
District 5 County Commissioner incumbent Carl E. Thompson is also facing a double-challenge from Republicans Kim Beal and Walter Perry. The Republican winner of the May primary will face Thompson in November.
Tom Vanderbeck, the incumbent Democrat in County Commissioner District 4, is being challenged by Republican Pamela Stewart. The two will square off for the seat in November.
In two state Senate races, there won’t be any primary elections because the Democratic incumbents in District 18 and 54 were not challenged by other Democrats and neither were the Republican challengers.
In District 18, Democratic incumbent Bob Atwater is being challenged by Republican Roger Gerber while Democratic incumbent Joe Hackney of District 54 will face Republican Cathy Wright.
Sheriff Richard H. Webster also avoids a primary election because no Democratic challenger stepped forward to challenge him. He will, however, face Republican Larry Meadows in November.
The non-partisan school board races in Chatham drew plenty of candidates.
In school board District 3, four candidates, Tina Ford, Jeff Johnson, Martin Pinnock and Del Turner, will vie for the seat held by Kathie Russell, who must vacate the post because of a mapping error that placed her in District 3. Russell lives in District 2.
And in District 4, Illana Dubester, Elizabeth Haddix, Gary Leonard, who was appointed to the board last month to fill the unexpired term of Gerald Totten who died in December, and incumbent Deb McManus, the current school board chairwoman, will compete for two seats in the district.
District 4 has two seats on the board because of its size.
School board candidates will be on the ballot in November. Because they are non-partisan races, there will be no primary elections.
The General Election is Nov. 2.
