HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. — Strategies for the Henderson County Republican Party to significantly increase voting for Republican candidates in elections were presented by HCGOP Chairman Greg Beam during a breakfast meeting of the Henderson County Republican Men’s Club on April 11 at American Legion Post 77 here.

In turn, Beam also sought — and received — a wide variety of ideas from the Men’s Club members.

About 40 people attended the meeting during which doughnuts and drinks, such as coffee, orange juice or water, were served — at no charge to the meeting attendees.

Usually, the HCRMC meetings feature a breakfast buffet, including bacon, eggs, biscuits and other fare — for $13 cash, prepaid.

However, HCRMC President Bill Fishburne noted that there apparently recently was a small fire in the American Legion’s kitchen, necessitating simplifying breakfast to doughnuts. 

He added that the the American Legion’s kitchen “should be okay” by the next Men’s Club meeting, when Fishburne expects to see a return of the popular breakfast buffet.

Next, Men’s Club Treasurer Ed Carlyle gave treasurer’s report at the end of March, noting the club has 40 total members — 24 regular (men) members and 16 associate (women) members.

The meeting was promoted as a session to discuss party strategy for electing more Republicans, featuring Beam and 11th District 11 Chairwoman Merry Guy. However, Guy did not appear at the meeting and her absence was not explained there.

Immediately after the meeting, the Daily Planet questioned Fishburne about Guy’s absence. In response, Fishburne explained that Guy had notified him — in advance — that she would have to miss the Men’s Club meeting because of a special GOP Executive Committee vote that same morniing regarding the replacement of U.S. Rep. Mike Clampitt, who died on March 18. (Clampitt represented Jackson, Swain and Transylvania counties.)

During the meeting, Fishburne, in introducing keynote speaker Beam, emphasized that “the purpose of the Men’s Club always has been to help get Republican candidates elected… I hope by this fall, we’ll have 80-some members and associate members…. and we’ll get behind them” and win seats.

Fishburne, with dramatic flair and enthusiasm, then told Beam, “You are the tip of the spear — and we are the shaft!” triggering some chuckles and cheering from the meeting attendees — and a broad smile from Beam.

Fishburne finished his introduction of Beam by stressing that the HCGOP is “seeking idea on how to help get (Republican) candidates elected” at the Men’s Club meeting.

Beam opened the program by noting that Henderson County used to be a heavily Republican-dominated locale, but “lots of new people have moved into the district” in recent years, dilluting the county’s GOP dominance, but that it remains deeply Republican. 

Regarding his program with the Men’s Club, Beam said, “I kind of view this as a brainstorming session.”

The HCGOP chairman then asked, rhetorically, “What are we (the HCGOP) trying to achieve? How do we measure progress?... So I started working on that a little bit...”

He noted that there are a number of Henderson County people who vote irregularly, adding that “these are the people who may or may not vote,” numbering “about 21,500... So our efforts really need to be focused on them.”

Beam also spoke of the HCGOP’s successes with a tent and booth at the annual N.C. Apple Festival in downtown Hendersonville, “especially Friday nights.”

The party chairman suggested that the club might try the same strategy with other major local events.

He added that “this is something the Democrats are very good at… So this is not original thinking. It’s matching them....”

Also, Beam said, “We need to vary the talking point, depending on who our target audience is.”

He also mentioned the need for more party promotions through social media and the use of more signs, coffee meeting events and voter registration efforts.

At that point, Beam said, “So those are some ideas.” He then asked, “Are there any ideas” from the Men’s Club attendees?

A woman noted that when she moved here a few years ago, she “would see (now former) U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows at every event.”

In response, Beam noted that N.C. Sen. Tim Moffitt and N.C. Rep. Jake Johnson and Ted Orr, a candidate for the Henderson County Board of Commissioners, “do not have challengers,” so they do not have to be out and about, fighting for re-election on Nov. 3.

Agreeing, Ed Carlyle, the Men’s Club treasurer, said a number of GOP candidates with no opposition in the general election not only are not motivated to campaign — and they “aren’t motivated to campaign for others.”

As the discussion with Beam continued, meeting attendee Jeff Brewer noted that “I was the (the party) chairman over in Transylvania... I wouldn’t advertise it -— that these candidates have no challenger.”

He added that “education is the key.”

Later, after someone said the HCGOP “needs to mainly knock on doors,” an unidentified man said, “The number of people who will knock on doors is very small and going down” rapidly.

A unidentified woman suggested sending personal emails to people that one knows, suggesting GOP candidates to support.

Another woman said, “(U.S. Rep.) Chuck Edwards has really stepped up his social media… I think we need to step up the HCGOP’s social media... 

“Chuck Edwards has mentioned his seniority, putting him on key committees, giving him a position of influence, while (Edwards’ Democrat challenger) Jamie Ager would be starting at the bottom.”

When an unidentified man suggested that “a mailing would be great,” Beam said, with emphasis, that “a first-class mailing is really expensive.”

Buncombe County GOP member Jim Fulton, who also is founder of First Tuesday Conservatives and runs a pro-GOP newsletter, spoke of the need for local Republican parties, such as the HCGOP and the BCGOP, to work together cooperatively to achieve their goals. Fulton also noted that a number of BCGOP members were present at the meeting.

In response, Beam said, “We’ve talked about outreach ideas. We have another volunteer who would like to do outreach to churches. His idea is to meet with pastors from different churches....”

At that point, James W. Bruggeman, a Republican from Fletcher and a theologian, stated that “the most impactful thing to me is the comparison chart between the Republican and Democrat showing that this is where they stand. You could hand it out and easily put on-line for free.”

Beam nodded and noted with a smile, “We call them ‘green sheets.’”

Continuing, Bruggeman note that “I live in an HOA (Homeowners Association) and when he posted political signs there recently, “they said, ‘You have to take that down.’ Can anyone tell me where to find a document to say I can do that?”

Beam confirmed to Bruggeman that “it is illegal for an HOA to ban political signs.”

After the meeting, Men’s Club member Brandon Apodaca, the son of former N.C. Sen. Tom Apodaca, provided Bruggeman with a written copy of the law that says political signs are allowed in HOA areas.

Toward the end of the meeting, an unidentified man triggered some laughter from those present when he told Beam and others at the meeting that “the Democrats have been sneaky since the Civil War…”