Chad Nesbitt

From Daily Planet Staff Reports

Chad Nesbitt was elected chairman of the Buncombe County Republican Party March 27 during its annual convention at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.

After his election to serve a one-year term at the BCGOP helm, Nesbitt said that he immediately resigned as chairman of the Carolina Stompers, a strident, conservative — and sometimes controversial — activist group he founded. He also operated its Web site, but no longer does that task either. He said the Stompers claim 2,600 members around North Carolina. The new Stompers chief is Harry Marronie.

Nesbitt won on a 75-32 vote against his sole challenger, Mark Delk, whom he described as a fellow conservative. He said he won because he is better at marketing and promotion.

The 39-year-old Asheville native lives in Leicester with his wife Nancy and 16-year-old daughter Savannah. He is vice president and general manager of WNC Parking Lot Services, a family business that, he said, “is the largest power-sweeping and sewer-cleaning company” in the region. He also owns High Impact Productions, which produces TV and radio shows, and oversees Kangaroos convenience store, one of his family’s businesses, in Leicester.

Also elected at the convention — which was widely described as “lively and (atypically) over at noon” — were Christian Eck, first president; and Miah Siemion, secretary.

Nesbitt succeeds Robert Malt, who was appointed by Tim Johnson, an African-American, to succeed him as interim chairman after Johnson took a job as vice chair of the state party shortly into his term.

Prior to Johnson’s election, the previous two chairs resigned or refused to run for re-election. In his run for the state vice chair, Johnson himself faced a bitter, contentious battle. Nesbitt and the Stompers were outspoken in their support of Johnson in his fights with other Republicans.

As BCGOP chairman, Nesbitt said he plans “to raised hundreds of thousands of dollars,” all the while promoting adherence to the principles of the Republican Party, which he said, were ignored too often by elected Republicans, resulting in today’s challenges.

Under his administration, Nesbitt said the BCGOP would have a number of active committees, including faith, minorities, Constitution and business, research, judicial and teachers and student scholarships.

“It want not just Republicans, but all citizens of Buncombe County, to see an absolute fighting machine that comes out in support of American values and our kids’ future,” Nesbitt said. “They’re going to see an absolute fighting machine with the BCGOP!”