Politics

11th District Republicans to elect chair Saturday

Merry Guy and Michele Woodhouse face off Saturday for chair of the Republican Party's 11th Congressional District Committee.

By Bill Moss, Published: April 25, 2025

Two veteran party activists, both women and both from Henderson County, will be vying for the chairmanship of the Republican 11th Congressional District Committee during its annual convention at Tuscola High School in Waynesville on Saturday. Doors open at 8 a.m.

Merry Guy, a past Henderson County Republican Party chair, is challenging two-term incumbent Michele Woodhouse for the leadership role.
“I’m running because I see a need and I believe I can make a difference,” Guy said. “All election action takes place at the county level and having been a county chair I understand what it takes to actually run a county party. It’s actually the role of the district chair to take care of the county chairs. They designated the district chair to keep those relationships up at the county level and make sure they have the resources to win elections. Having been a county chair is why I believe I’m most qualified to do that job.”
Woodhouse said she’s running for re-election “because people have asked me and really demanded that I run.” She touted endorsements by the Republican state auditor and state treasurer, lieutenant governor candidate Hal Weatherman, state schools superintendent candidate Michelle Morrow and “16- plus current and former county chairs. I’m running because people saw what we did and they want our leadership to continue.”
Over the next two years, she said, the Republican Party in Western North Carolina needs to recruit, campaign for and elect Republican candidates from city hall to Congress.
“Some (counties) have municipal elections in 2025 where we either need to get Republicans re-elected or get Republicans elected in some key municipal spots,” Woodhouse said. “We have a couple of mayoral seats. Obviously our focus for 2026 is to reelect Congressman Edwards by an even larger margin. We’ve got to deliver the N.C. 11th for the Republican Senate candidate, and then a key focus is going to be the General Assembly races.”
Guy said she’s prepared to sit down with party leaders across the district to draw “a road map for success” for upcoming campaigns.
“Many counties in this districts are doing extremely well,” she said. “We would stay out of their way but leverage what they’re doing right.”
The 11th District convention will also take nominations from the floor for chair.

In addition to the leadership election, the convention is expected to take up six resolutions, including one endorsing a complete ban on abortion and one on “medical freedom” that “condemns post-Covid medical totalitarianism, including mask mandates, lockdowns, and vaccine mandates.”

Convention attendees also will honor Hurricane Helene heroes from across the 11th Congressional District and hear from U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards and other speakers.