RANDOM NOTES FROM A GRAND MEETING
Verne Strickland June 10, 2013
NEW Charlotte Observer SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 2013
THOM TILLIS
House Speaker Thom Tillis, who announced (U.S. Senste) last month, was the only one to speak Saturday. In a speech that lasted little more than a minute, he focused on Hagan.“How many people think we need a cheerleader for Barack Obama?” he said. “How many people (want) a Democratic, liberal progressive senator from North Carolina representing us for six more years?”
Cary physician Greg Brannon is the only other announced candidate. Convention organizers had him speak Friday, when fewer delegates were in the audience. Brannon is a favorite of many tea party supporters.
He focused on the primacy of the Constitution and talked about “buzz words like bipartisanship, crossing the aisle or compromise.”
“This is where Mr. Tillis and I are going to disagree in the primary,” he said. “We do not compromise.”
The two are among at least seven Republicans talked about as possible candidates.
Two others, former Ambassador Jim Cain of Raleigh and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger of Eden, did not attend the convention.
Two members of Congress often mentioned as possible candidates did, though neither spoke about the Senate race.
U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx of Banner Elk said she’s been “urged not to say no yet” to a Senate run. But, she added, “it’s a huge mountain to climb in terms of fundraising, and I love what I’m doing.”
U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers of Dunn said she’s “a couple weeks away” from deciding.
“I do have a lot on my plate,” she said.
Making the rounds Saturday in a possible Senate bid was the Rev. Mark Harris, pastor of Charlotte’s First Baptist Church and president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Last month Harris supporters filed papers to form an exploratory committee with the Federal Election Commission.
“I’m certainly encouraged by what I’m hearing,” said Harris, who’s undertaking a “listening tour” of the state. “I’m hearing a lot of positive feedback.”
While Tillis appeals to many establishment Republicans, and Brannon to libertarian or tea party Republicans, Harris could appeal to social conservatives. He was an outspoken backer of last year’s constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. Supporter Mary Frances Forrester of Gaston County, also a leader in the effort, called him “a new Jesse Helms.”
“Obviously, Mark has a built-in base,” Lt. Gov. Forest said when asked about his possible candidacy. “You’re going to have a tight race in the primary.”
Tillis, meanwhile, is a proven fundraiser. The Cornelius lawmaker raised $1.7 million for the 2012 election, using most of it to help elect fellow Republicans. His supporters have also organized a so-called super PAC, which can raise and spend unlimited amounts.
And Brannon could tap a national network of like-minded supporters. He said he’s already talked to Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, a tea party favorite.
Pope, the new chairman, said he’s not worried about preserving party unity.
“The party has many flavors of conservatism,” he said. “And it’s not disloyal to disagree.”
NEW FB POSTS JUNE 10, 2013
- Thom Tillis Kelly Mullins Common Core was adopted under a democratic General Assembly and democratic Governor. Like so many other sins of the past, we are trying to figure out an orderly way to deal with it.
CLAUDE POPE -- NEW CHAIRMAN OF NCGOP. CONGRATULATIONS!
I ran for Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party because I want to build on the successes we’ve had in the past two election cycles and establish the Republican Party as the dominant political organization in our state for the foreseeable future.
Staying on top is even tougher than getting to the top, in my opinion, but I believe my combination of business and political experience has prepared me to lead the Republican Party to a successful future in North Carolina – and that will be good news for the state and its people.
Our great new Governor, Pat McCrory, and our Republican majority in the legislature are going to make the reforms and changes North Carolina needs to get its economy moving again, put an end to the constant tax increases and pervasive corruption that marked the recent Democrat years, and give all North Carolinians a government that works efficiently and treats them like they were valued customers.
But the Democrats aren’t going to roll over and play dead. You’ve probably read that they have a plan to “cripple” and “eviscerate” Republican leaders and “weaken their ability to govern.” They promise to use private investigators and other shady tactics to dig up dirt on Republicans.
To fight that kind of disgusting negativism, our party is going to have to be strong, and I’m ready for the challenge.
NEW More on Chairman Claude Pope & VP Race
June 10, 2013 Beaufort Observer
Well, it looks like the NCGOP will be led for the next two years by by Chairman Claude Pope of Brunswick County (formerly of Wake) and Vice-chairman Joyce Krawiec of Winston-Salem. Pope handily defeated Charlotte area Tea Partier Jack Brosch. Krawiec topped a four-person field with former legislator Glen Bradley coming in second, former Guilford GOP chairman Marcus Kindley coming in third, and Tea Party activist Dave "Major Dave" Goetze pulling in at a distant fourth.
Pope has publicly admitted to being the hand-picked choice of Gov. Pat. But a surprising number of Tea Party activists I've spoken with are quite content with Pope at the helm of the state party. They tell me he was very helpful to Tea Party efforts while serving as chairman of The Wake County GOP.
JOYCE CLEANS HOUSE -- WINS VP POST BIG TIME!
"As our Vice Chair, I would like to reach out to all conservatives across
North Carolina and to form a partnership that will make our state
Republican Party even stronger.”
A resident of Kernersville, Krawiec works in real estate with her husband,
Ray, and is a former member of the NC House. She represented District 73,
which included areas of Forsyth and Davidson counties. In addition to her
current position with the NC Federation of Republican Women, she has also
served as the Legislative Chair, New Membership director and Regional Vice
President of the organization.
Krawiec has also served on committees of the National Federation of
Republican Women. Krawiec is the FreedomWorks North Carolina Grass Roots
Coordinator. She has traveled the Southeast to speak to conservative groups and lead
training seminars. As the group’s membership was nearing 1 million members
in 2003, Krawiec was named the FreedomWorks National Activist of the Year.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE? SHE IS GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL VICE
CHAIRWOMAN OF THE N.C. REPUBLICAN PARTY. SO LET'S RALLY
AROUND HER AND GIVE HER OUR ROUSING SUPPORT!
NEW LETTER FROM JOYCE ON SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 2013
Joyce Krawiec
Well, it looks like the NCGOP will be led for the next two years by by Chairman Claude Pope of Brunswick County (formerly of Wake) and Vice-chairman Joyce Krawiec of Winston-Salem. Pope handily defeated Charlotte area Tea Partier Jack Brosch. Krawiec topped a four-person field with former legislator Glen Bradley coming in second, former Guilford GOP chairman Marcus Kindley coming in third, and Tea Party activist Dave "Major Dave" Goetze pulling in at a distant fourth.
Pope has publicly admitted to being the hand-picked choice of Gov. Pat. But a surprising number of Tea Party activists I've spoken with are quite content with Pope at the helm of the state party. They tell me he was very helpful to Tea Party efforts while serving as chairman of The Wake County GOP.
GLEN BRADLEY JUNE 9, 2013
We need to do a couple things. First we need to establish a reputation as a true conservative block, and a powerful block at that. Yesterday (Friday) with attendance numbering 409 delegates, we brought 40 people and swung a block of around 98 votes. Establishing a 24% conservative voting block is not something that will be ignored in a party which has been slowly losing it's conservative base now for the last 20 years! If we can bring every possible delegate to the convention today, we may be able to swing as much as a 35% block, or a 40% block, but we need your help to do it.
And I, too, need your help. I have been graciously nominated to run for national committeeman against the incumbent David Lewis. David Lewis is currently a member of the NC General Assembly and has a great deal of time and experience in NC Politics. His current position as National Committeeman was an emergency executive appointment 4 months ago, and he will be running for election for the first time today. I happen to like David personally, but politically he is a neoconservative, and he recently caused a major party fracture over siding with McCain against the NC GOP regarding the Barack Obama/Pastor Wright ad. In the end, we may or may not be able to wield enough votes to put a strict constructionist on the National Committee from North Carolina, but every single vote against him will be a message that conservancy is not dead in the NCGOP, that we are here to stay, that we are here for the long haul, and that we WILL see our party returned to the values held by Barry Goldwater and in the early years of Ronald Reagan.Glen BradleyGo Gunny someone wrote.
2nd District
Franklin Co
VS: He ain't no "Gunny". Make him prove that claim!
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