One of Buncombe County’s few remaining elected Republican office-holders, Amy Churchill, plans to continue to be a party member despite facing contentious opposition from some party members who are accusing her of disloyalty, she told the Daily Planet in a telephone interview on Dec 18.   

“I wouldn’t say, ‘I’m surprised’” when she was notified that her support — via several Facebook postings and public comments — of three candidates (who happen to be Democrats) for the Buncombe school board in the recent midterm elections (all of whom won) necessitated her removal from the BCGOP Executive Committee,” Churchill said. 

“I would say I was unaware of all of the rules of the (BCGOP’s) Plan of Organization —  specifically, for what was a nonpartisan race. 

“My impression always has been that nonpartisan races are just that, nonpartisan. So I’d support the best candidates in a nonpartisan race” — and, in this case, thee candidates happened to be Democrats, she said.

“Because of the (BCGOP) Plan of Organization rules, that is what happened,” Churchill said, referring to her removal from the party’s executive committee.

To her, “it does not matter” whether she is “sitting on an executive committee” of the BCGOP, as it is not a position she sought.

“I’ve not really been that involved in that committee, but was on it by default (requirement), as an elected Republican official. Over the 10 years (she has served on the school board), I attended maybe several (meetings of the executive commitee)” — and no meetings of that body since November 2020.

The Daily Planet noted to Churchill in the interview that some of her critics have said that “there’s no such thing as a nonpartisan election” — and asked for her response to such an assertion.

“Sadly, that’s probably correct in that assessment” that some BCGOP members feel calling any election “nonpartisan” is tantamount to a joke, but “I don’t feel there’s any place for politics in a school board race. 

“At the end of the day, school boards work best when they set aside their party politics and focus on the issues that best serve the students.

“The notion of a nonpartisan election is quite feasible, especially in a school board race — and I feel that we should all strive to make sure that happens. 

“We have to make decisions for a very diverse group of students. We need strong leaders on the school board and people who are able to work together without having party politics drive everyone in their decisions.

“The three Republican (school board) candidates — I would say they were not the best choices for what our school system needs, in my opinion. They were not candidates who appeared to have leadership experience that our schools need. 

“On their Facebook pages, there was much discussion of partisan politics and not so much focus on the current issues that Buncombe County schools are facing now and in the future,” Churchill said. 

To the contrary, she added, “Funding is the biggest issue. The recovery opportunities, post-pandemic, also are consuming the school board... Learning recovery and funding are the two big issues right now.

“I feel the same way about judicial races that are billed as nonpartisan — they should be chosen based on the party.”

Regarding BCGOP Chairwoman Glenda Weinert, Churchill said, “I think highly of Glenda ... as a strong leader — and she is very consistent in her leadership and excellent in communicating with multiple groups with differing opinions. 

“She works hard to try to put a positive face on the Republican Party in Buncombe County, which, as you can imagine, is not always easy.”

When pressed by the Daily Planet on how — if at all — her expulsion from the BCGOP Executive Committee affects her, she said, “For me, not a whole lot changes. I will continue to just come in (to BCGOP general meetings) and give (school board) updates. I didn’t feel strongly about sitting on  the (executive) committee as a voting member,” anyway.

Chuchill then emphasized that “I have no intention of leaving the party....

“In my opinion. there is nothing to appeal” in her ouster from the committee. “Rules are rules. This decision” is one with which she will abide.

Churchill added, “Glenda didn’t decide” on her own that she should be removed from the committee.

“It’s ‘some people’ who brought concerns to Glenda about me, which caused Glenda to review the Plan of Organization. As a leader, she reviewed the plan and found that I was not in compliance. “

To that end, “she actually asked if I even knew I was on the executive committee. ‘Well,’ I said, ‘come to think of it, I think I knew that I was.’” 

At that point, Churchill said Weintert informed her that “this is the BCGOP Plan of Organization .. and, unfortunately, because of this … you (Churchill) are going to have to be removed from the executive committee.”

After a pause, Churchill asserted, “I think, as a Republican, we give Don Yelton, Jim Fulton and other like-minded individuals too much ‘stage time,’ representing the party as a whole out in the community. 

“And I would like to see more moderate Republicans — and people with the ability to work well together — to come forward and support our party,” Churchill said, in concluding her interview with the Daily Planet.