HENDERSONVILLE — The two candidates for chair of the Henderson County Republican Party — Greg Beam and Chelsea Walsh — deliniated their aspirations for the party’s future during a monthly breakfast meeting of the Henderson County Republican Men’s Club on March 8 at American Legion Post 77 here

The current HCGOP chair, Brett Calloway, recently told the Daily Planet that he does not plan to seek re-election.

(The Henderson County Republican Party is billed as Western North Carolina’s largest and most prominent Republican organization.)

In addition, HCGOP stalwart Merry Guy of Hendersonville announced at the Men’s Club meting that she will be running for the chair of North Carolina Republican Congressional District 11, a post now held by Michelle V. Woodhouse, who lives in Laurel Park and is runnng for re-election. N.C. District 11 covers most of the counties in WNC — and continues to lean heavily Republican. 

About 50 men and women, including candidates, attended the buffet breakfast that was followed by a slightly more-than-an-hour formal meeting. Besides the three aforementioned candidates, also recognized at the meeting were elected officials, including Jay Egolf, a newly elected member of the Henderson County Board of Commissioners. 

In announcing that she is running for the N.C. District 11 chair, Guy asserted, “Our party runs best with management from the bottom up — not top-down management.”

If elected, “I’d serve as a facilitator and manager. I’m the only candidate who has the experience as a county chair (for four years)… Every county has the same goal — getting their (GOP) candidates arrested. My solid leadership is one of transparency, mutual respect’ and appreciation for the volunteers.

After a pause, Guy triggered cheers and applause from the crowd when she added, “And frankly, I hate drama!

Further, Guy noted, “The (GOP) executive committee was very gracious and has agreed to present ‘our plan’ for adoption at the convention.

She stated that the Henderson County Republican Convention will be held at Point Lookout Vineyards in Edneyville on March 29, when registration will close by noon — and after which the precinct meetings will be held for about an hour. Henderson County has 35 GOP precincts. After the precinct meetings, officers will be elected and other party business conducted.

Guy added that the district convention will be held on April 26 at Tuscola High School in Waynesville.

Also, Guy said that Michael Peace is running for HCGOP vice chair and Rebecca Moon is running for secretary. 

At that point, Scott Blankenship, a retired Marine Corps colonel who lives in Brevard and who noted that he has been a public servant since the 1980s, said, “I am very interested in — and am intending to run for — the U.S. Senate seat,” which now is held by Thom Tillis.

Men’s Club President Bruce Hatfield then said that, “if you’ve got fire in the belly” and are a Republican, run for office.”

If he could have his way, Hatfield added,, “I’d send shockwaves throughout the 11th District… I’d make sure we elect every Republican to every seat — and get rid of the Democrats... I hope you’re all registered for the convention on March 29” at Point Lookout Vineyards in Edneyville.

In the race for Henderson County GOP chair, Beam, who spoke first, began by noting that he has been married to his wife Lisa for 17 years now...

“I’ve been involved in Republican politics for the last 30 years. I care very much about the future of the Republican Party... So how’s it going for us? After the precinct chairs were thrown off the executive committee,” party morale plummeted. ‘That’s a problem because they are very active members....

“So what can we do? What would I do? I think the most important thing is to get this new Plan of Organization  (approved)  — and that would get the precinct chairs back on the executive committee...

“So let’s say the (county) convention goes very well and the new Plan or Organization is passed — what would I do? 

“There are some things we have to do — like executive committee meetings… some things we’d like to do… and then there are things that people might have a passion for doing — and I think we need to encourage that...

“To build committees, we need to open up our executive committee meetings... Another thing we could do is to attend district meetings.” 

Beam also said the HCGOP needs to do “more of an outreach thing... I don’t know if you’ve seen that the League of Women Voters are having outreach events... Of course, we have all these new people moving into the community… I think too much (in the recent past) has been top-down… All of this, I think, would build a strong team” for getting out the voter, voter registration and election integrity.”

Beam concluded, “I’ll be in the back after the meeting to talk with anyone” who with questions or ideas.

Next, Walsh, the other HCGOP chair candidate, began by noting that “what happened in 2021, when I signed up to be chair” and was victorious, but then decided to step down so she run for a seat on Hendersonville City Council — “that also was not on my radar.”

She added, ‘When I looked at the City Council ballot, I took it as my duty to ‘step up to the plate’ and do something that nobody else was willing to do. So, I put myself on the City Council ballot. Did I win? No. But I learned what it’s like to be a candidate. I had to step down as county chair” to run for that seat,” which has triggered some concern from local Repubican in her current bid for the HCGOP in the upcoming party election.

“I hope as chair, I can take that experience as county (HCGOP) chair — for just a little bit — and also as a (Hendersonville city council candidate)... and help our candidates” now, Walsh said.

In a playful jab at her opponent’s relative advanced years versus her relative youth, she prompted a few chuckles from the crowd when she said with a smile, “Greg (Beam), you’ve said you’ve been involved in the Republican Party for 30 years — that’s almost as long as I’ve been alive!” 

In returning to the subject of her relative youthfulness, Walsh said that, given the aging of the HCGOP membership, a big question is: “Who can bring younger people to our meetings?”

Speaking more personally about her trajectory to becoming a Republican, Walsh said, “9/11 was my pivotal moment. That’s when I learned that the mainstream media is not our (Republicans’) friend....”

In closing, Walsh asserted, “So here’s what I’d like to do… We need the precinct chairs to be involved — to have a voice. What is the plan after the (organizational) plan? We need to bring the Lincoln-Reagan dinner back — that’s non-negotiable... We need to find a way to bring new and young people into” the HCGOP... Just remember, my question is: What is the plan after the plan? And we’ve got to win...; I would appreciate your vote at the convention on March 29.”

During a question-and-answer session that followed the speeches by Beam and Waslh, Jay Egolf, a new member of the Henderson County Board of Commissioners, asked, “Do you support our new (proposed) Plan of Organization?”

“I think it’s a terrific plan!” Beam replied, enthusiastically.

Walsh answered, “I am in support of the changes — at least temporarily — until the state passes its own version. Then ours’ just needs to be in (brought into) compliance with the state plan. It’s up to the executive committee to make those corrections.”

Beam then noted that he actually has attended state Republican conventions and that “trying to get through 60 pages at the state convention is really hard.”

An unidentified woman asked the candidates “if they would be willing to serve as vice chair — if their opponent loses.”

Walsh said that, while she has great respect for Beam, that Michael Peace has announced he would be willing to serve as vice chair for either candidate, so if she is elected chair, she would favor Peace as her vice chair of the HCGOP. 

In turn, Beam said, “I agree with Chelsea that Michael Peace would make the best vice chair.”

An unidentified man asked, “How are you going to go out there and recruit precinct chairs?”

Walsh replied, “I love this idea of these pod meetings — to work in their own communities, with the guidance of their executive committee… It’s our responsibility to start the outreach. It takes all of us, collectively, to bring everybody together.”

Beam answered, “I’m hoping after we get the new (HCGOP) Plan of Organization approved, the precinct chairs who dropped out will come back. Or, maybe we’ll get new people at the precinct meetings who want to run… That’s why it’s such a shame we lost them....” 

He then added somberly, “Hendersonville’s always such a problem — it’s so Democratic...”

To Beam’s comment about the loss of the precinct chairs, an unidentified man said, “You didn’t lose the precinct chairs — they were run off...”

Nodding, Beam said, “I completely agree with that statement…. As far as recruiting individuals from the convention, I think we’ll have to see where the vacancies are.”

Walsh said, “ Part of the uncertainty of the (HCGOP) convention is not knowing who the party chair will be… We hope people will continue to show up, regardless…. Just like anything in life, you show up… and if the results don’t turn out the way you want,” then one keeps showing up and working hard.

An unidentified young man then asked, “How does the party plan to attract young people? There are not a whole lot of young people in this room — and it’s the same with the other meetings I’ve attended....”

Beam replied, “Of course, there’s the (local) Young Republicans organization, so we could reach out” to its leader… It’d be a wonderful opportunity to work” together.

Walsh answered, “Backdating to what I’ve said, we did breakfasts and/or dinners for female Republicans -— rotating between Friday mornings and Thursday evenings for monthly meetings” — and achieved much success.

“When I went down to St. Pete, (Fla), I took back a lot of ideas… I hope, as we continue to grow, we don’t have to reinvent the wheel and we can use” ideas that have succeeded elsewhere to draw more young people into the HCGOP.

“I’d also like to see the back-to-school events (resumed by the HCGOP) — some people think we (Repubicans) don’t care about young people — except before they’re born,” Walsh said.