McCrory will cut

GOP HQ ribbon
By Scott Nicholson
nicholson@wataugademocrat.com

The Republican candidate for N.C. governor will highlight the grand opening ceremony of the Watauga County Republican Party’s campaign headquarters on Aug. 1.

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory will visit the headquarters from 11:30 a.m. to 12: 30 p.m., meeting with local supporters and discussing his candidacy. He’ll also cut the ribbon to commemorate the opening of the headquarters, which are located at 149 Meadowview in Boone, near the former Granny’s Donuts location.

The party’s media chairman Hugh Sturgill said the headquarters would have visibility from Blowing Rock Road and said a number of local officials and candidates would be on hand for the event. Former governor Jim Holshouser will be on hand to introduce McCrory.

“We’re real excited about getting Pat McCrory here,” said county party chairman Jim Goff. “We think it’s a good location, visible and accessible.”

McCrory began his political career in Charlotte in 1989 when he was elected as an At-Large City Council representative. He was reelected in 1991 and 1993, when he served as Mayor Pro Tem. He was first elected mayor of Charlotte in 1995.

In December 2007, McCrory was sworn in for a seventh term as Charlotte mayor. Since September 2001, McCrory has served on the Homeland Security Advisory Commission.

McCrory won the Republican primary by getting 46 percent of the vote, topping Fred Smith, Bill Graham and Bob Orr. He will face Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, in the fall.

Goff said the party’s mood was good, despite not having any county commission candidates, and the party was stronger after is local defeats in 2006. “There doesn’t seem to be any local issues inspiring people enough to put themselves out there,” Goff said, adding that some were content with the county’s direction but others were opposed but didn’t want to get involved this year. “In the end, I’d rather we not have candidates than those who didn’t really want to run.”

The county Republican Party is holding its annual fund-raising picnic the following day, Aug. 2, at Brookshire Park in Boone. The picnic is open to the public between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., with hamburgers, hot dogs, watermelon and drinks available.

The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for kids 6 to 12, which pays for food and helps finance the fall campaign.

County- and state-level candidates will be present, and people can find out how to volunteer for campaign work. U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-5) and General Assembly candidates Dan Soucek and Jerry Butler will attend the picnic. There will also be bumper-sticker sales and a cake auction, as well as children’s activities and live music.

For more information, contact Jim Goff at (828) 264-8569 or Jim Hastings at (828) 264-7115.