Hope on the Horizon,

Greetings for 2024!  

Whether you have lived here many years or just moved here, a kettle of Republican activity is bubbling, and you are invited to participate in “fun-raiser” events, precinct gatherings, phone calling and door knocking – ain’t no stopping us now. Look at this newsletter to see a list of new, exciting candidates running in 2024; outreach efforts to grow our base; and ways to help during election days.  

There is reason for hope. Ask yourself…is there anything un-electable about safety, good education, strong families, free enterprise? These are parts of the Republican Platform. A summary of the Platform is included in this newsletter. I like to believe that our county will vote for these values instead of hanging onto a traditional party name. 

Buncombe is heavily Democrat.  I hear it often:

• The Democrat machine is just too entrenched

• Republicans are not effective in getting in office

• Republicans want representation but don’t know how to build a base

• Republicans are fractured or “stride the fence” 

No more! Stop repeating this nonsense. New year. New Party. New GOP culture. 2024 is our year to be seen and heard. Our values speak to all Americans; we are not alone. So, Wake up. Stand up. And vote in 2024. We’ll be knocking on your door this year! Decide to help us.
 

Get involved with your GOP! See you soon.

PS. Get on board! Town Halls are every 4th Monday of the month at 6:30pm at the BCGOP HQ. Can’t make it? Email us at info@buncombegop.com. We'll send a zoom link.

Thank you for staying up to date by reading our newsletter updates. 

We are proud to announce that we have several new local candidates that are running for office in 2024. See the list below. We also will be featuring local candidates and their platforms in upcoming newsletters.

We appreciate the work that our Candidate Team did to identify and assist new 2024 candidates. Thank you to our generous donors for their help in funding these activities.

New Local Candidates - March Primary - Early Voting Starts February 15th

Buncombe County Commissioner - District 1

Rev Paul Benjamin (Rep) - Life Center International Founder, Author, Speaker

Rondell Lance (Rep) - Retired APD; FOP president

Asheville City Council

CJ Domingo (Rep) - Biologist, Loomis Security

New Local Candidates - November General Election

Buncombe County Commissioner - District 2 - Signatures needed for Gen'l Election

Bruce O'Connell (UNA) - Pisgah Inn Owner, Ran for U.S. Congress in 2022

State Representative - District 114

Sherry Higgins (Rep) - CPA

State Representative - District 115

  Ruth Smith (Rep) - Attorney

State Senate - District 49

Kristie Sluder (Rep) - Social worker, Ran for U.S. Congress in 2022

A Special Thank You to Candidates for Your Willingness to Serve

the Citizens of Buncombe County!

Bruce will be a watchdog for our tax dollars and see that our infrastructure is no longer neglected. Water, sewer, roads, traffic patterns and the grid will all be on his priority list. He will support law enforcement and work to encourage cooperation between the Sheriff and Police departments. The homeless population problem will be priority. Bruce believes all homeless people cannot be treated with the same remedy. Mental health, drug problems, and unique situations all must be treated differently. He also believes there should be penalties for law breakers. Bruce will always protect our environment and emphasize smart development. He will work to protect our residents from being unduly burdened by skyrocketing tax valuations and the subsequent struggles many residents are facing to simply remain in their homes. In a nutshell, Bruce O'Connell will bring common sense and rational responses to the issues facing Buncombe County.

No Republican candidate is running for Commissioner - District 2. Bruce O'Connell is running for BC Commissioner - District 2 as an Unaffiliated candidate. The BCGOP supports Bruce as he has strong conservative values and knows what it will take to get elected in Buncombe County.

To get on the ballot in November, Bruce needs 3,000+ petition signatures. The petition is available by contacting the BCGOP (828-253-5800) or contacting Bruce directly by clicking here to email him: Bruce@Bruceoconnell.com.

The importance of having a conservative challenger to the liberal incumbent in District 2 cannot be overstated. We cannot allow the status quo to go unchallenged. We must get Bruce on the ballot in November. Petition signatures are a critical, crucial, and absolutely necessary challenge for Bruce and for all of us. Get a petition today and help get Bruce on the ballot in November.

The 2024 election season is well underway. In order to support you, we have added information to our website to make it a one-stop site for all your voter information needs.

A Candidate Information Page Titled "2024 Candidates"

• All 2024 candidates are listed

• Easy access to information for all Buncombe-Area candidates

• Candidate website links have been provided where available

• Select candidate information by area or by office with the drop down boxes

• Search for a candidate by name (listed alphabetically)

• To view the 2024 Candidate information page Click Here

Voter Information Page

• Get a registration form (Feb. 9 is the deadline to registration to vote in the Primary

• See your voter information including, districts, jurisdictions and polling places

• Request absentee ballots - deadline to request this is Feb 27th by 5pm

• To view the Voter Information page Click Here

Welcome Jerry VeHaun to the Buncombe County GOP Board

We also thank Bruce O'Connell for his prior service as the Secretary of the BCGOP. Bruce has stepped down to focus on his run for Buncombe County Commissioner.

Outreach to Young Newly Registered Buncombe County Republicans

Our Office Team has contacted 100's of recently registered young Republicans (mostly 18 and 19 year olds) over the holiday season. Our goal is to let these newly registered voters know that their voices are valued and we welcome them to the GOP. We want to energize the young base, encourage them to meet each other, and help them build a conservative peer support system.

Thank you office team for your outreach work. We're off to a good start!

January 6 - 7th - BCGOP booth inside the Asheville Gun Show, Saturday 9am - 5pm and Sunday 10am - 4pm, WNC Ag Center, Fletcher, NC 28732

Come meet fellow Republicans and learn more about what we are doing in Buncombe.

January 13th - Congressman Chuck Edwards debates candidate Christian Reagan, 11:30am - 1 pm, Brasstown Community Ctr, 255 Settawig Rd., Brasstown, NC 28902

A key primary debate between these two NC-11 Republican candidates for Congress.

January 14th - Asheville Freedom Group, 2:30 - 5pm, Ferguson Auditorium - 19 Tech Dr. on AB Tech Campus, Asheville, NC 28801

Congressman Chuck Edwards will speak about what is happening in Congress and Todd Lester (Braver Angels) will speak about their working alliance to depolarize America.

January 22nd BCGOP Town Hall - 6:30pm, BCGOP HQ 18g Regent Park Blvd, Asheville, NC 28806

Come get updates on GOP activities in Buncombe County, ask questions, tell us what's on your mind, and inquire and learn about local issues.

See additional events on our website: CLICK HERE TO SEE EVENTS

We Don't Need to Outnumber Democrats -

Republicans Just Need to Show Up and Vote

March '24 primaries are coming. Early voting starts on February 15th. Are you ready to vote by mail or take 5 minutes to vote at an voting site? We'll inform you about candidates, how to get your ballots, and where to vote. Avoid the rush and vote early!

Join us. Call now to be part of our GOTV - Get Out The Vote - efforts to phone/text voters or to drop off door hangers to Republicans in your neighborhood. Call Bob, our GOTV lead at (703) 472-7959.

Have you volunteered to help at elections before and not yet heard from our team? Have you been thinking about helping? Are you new to the area and willing to help? Call our office at 828-253-5800 or go to www.buncombegop.com and click the Volunteer button or click here: VOLUNTEER 

  Thank you!  

“We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” Thomas Jefferson

 We believe:

1. Our nation’s strength lies with the family.

2. …In free market solutions, that wealth creation is the product of human enterprise.

3. …In individual liberty:  the right to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness, and the free exercise of religion.

4. …In the sanctity of all human life.To assist women and empower with them with compassionate, life-affirming resources and care. 

5. …that in a free society, power should rest in the hands of the people. We believe in a limited government which serves the people, rather than one that burdens them.

6. … in an honest and accurate election process – easy to vote, hard to cheat.

7. …in an educational system that provides all children access to an education that empowers them to reach their highest, God-given potential, allowing them to contribute to the betterment of our society.

8. …one of the main duties of government is to maintain law and order.

9. …we are stewards of our God-given natural heritage, we have a duty to protect and wisely use the earth’s resources. 

10. The US Constitution is the supreme law of this land. As such, it outlines the foundational principles of this great nation. These principles include a legislature which creates laws, an executive who enforces laws, and a judiciary which interprets laws. To this end, we support the separation of powers and all efforts to maintain independent branches of government, based on a strict interpretation of the constitution’s original intent.

Federal dollars should not be used to block immigration enforcement

“Everywhere I go in WNC, the top concern that I hear from constituents is about our border. It is clear that this administration’s open-border policies have turned every state into a border state. The Cooperation with ICE Act will stop rewarding sanctuary cities with federal dollars when they refuse to cooperate with ICE or try to block the enforcement of our immigration laws.”

The BCGOP HQ resumed regular hours starting January 2, 2024

Monday - Friday Noon - 4 pm