From Staff Reports

The Buncombe County Republican Party elected Glenda P. Weinert as its new chair during its convention on March 6 at Brookstone Church’s Merrimon  Avenue campus in North Asheville.

Also elected at the convention were Cindy Davidson, first vice chair; Betty Hudson, second vice chair; Roger Frizzell, secretary; and Jennifer Elswick, treasurer.

Elected members at large were Ken Hawkins, Debbie Hrncir, Tamara Parker, Sherry Warner and John Anderson.

All of the party’s incumbents ran for re-election  — and they all were defeated.

Weinert, who noted that she was not a candidates, was nominated from the floor and went on to top incumbent Chair Jerry Green, along with challengers Don Yelton and Everett Pitello, by a majority vote. 

Weinert told the Daily Planet in a March 9 telephone interview that the vote tallies remain confidential. She also noted that “I would say over 100 people were in attendance” at the convention.”All COVID  precautions were taken. Temperatures were taken at the door. Masks were worn — and encouraged. And social-distancing was observed.

“We were very happy with the attendance. it was a great crowd and people were enthusiastically engaged in the process.,” Weinert said.

Besides the election, the new chair said the other highlight was that the two speakers — Pat McCrory, a former North Carolina governor and former Charlotte mayor, and freshamn U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-Hendersonville —  generated much interest and enthusiasm from the BCGOP faithful.

“Pat McCrory is obviously a long-time Republican”  and spoke of his love for Western North Carolina, Weinert said. He noted that during the years he served as governor, he always was overjoyed to visit WNC.

 â€œThe crowd was certainly excited to have him (McCrory) there,” she said. “He mostly spoke about his love for Western North Carolina — and his radio talk show ... and being part of the conversation” on state and local issues.

As for Cawthorn’s speech, Weinert said, “Madison is always encouraging and supportive of the issues that face Western North Carolina — and wants to support and listen to his constituents in Western North Carolina. 

“He ovviously spoke about the challenges facing D.C. and some of the very difficult conversations that are going on right now — and how partisan Washington really is. And he said he wants to represent his district and that he stands for the values that the people of this district ask him to support and got him elected.”

So what are the new BCGOP chair’s goals and aspirations, given that Asheville is a one-party city and Buncombe is one commissioner’s seat away from being a one-party county?

“Well, obviously our goal is to get our message out, to make sure people understand the facts and understand what commissioners and city council people do,” Weinert replied. “We’d like to put up candidates who people can support, meaning that all of our candidates should be about their messages.”

After a pause, Weinert added, “I think it’s about getting the message out. In Asheville, we’re facing numbers. There’s a large Democrat base here. We just have to get our message out.”