News

Democrat announces campaign for District 2 County Commission seat

Erik Weber

By Lightning Reports, Published: November 6, 2023

A brewing company owner, father of two and youth sports coach announced Monday that he is running for the Henderson County Board of Commissioners, saying he wants to give voters a choice on the ballot and to bring a forward-looking perspective to county leadership.

“The underlying principles of my campaign are community, conversation and culture,” Democrat Erik Weber said in a news release. “My agenda is to listen to the people and engage with as many voters as I can.”

Weber has lived in Henderson County for 15 years and is well known as a coach for youth sports and as the co-founder of Blue Ghost Brewing Co. in Fletcher. He has a bachelor’s degree in biology and has worked for both Henderson and Buncombe counties in the field of environmental health with a focus on land planning.

He credits his experience on the ballfields of Henderson County with motivating him to run for office.

“When I see young athletes learning to work together and giving their all for the team, it reminds me of the things that genuinely matter in life,” he said. “I’ve chosen to run for Henderson County Board of Commissioners because I want to do everything I can to ensure that these young people have a future that is as bright and filled with opportunity as possible.”

Weber volunteers on several community boards, including the Fletcher Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

“I’ve always had a desire to serve my community and to set a positive example for my children, Grace and Jack,” he said. 

In 2021, Weber ran for Fletcher Town Council, losing by only 62 votes. He views the experience as overwhelmingly positive. “I’m especially proud that I helped increase the number of people voting so much that they had to bring in additional voting machines.” 

Weber said that meeting people during the campaign had a big impact on him.

“Talking to folks one-on-one reinforced my belief that there are a lot more good people than the news would make you think," he said. "And most of us want the same things—an affordable home, a healthy environment, and strong schools."

“My goal is to focus on issues that directly affect our community. Today, we are often bombarded by divisive rhetoric on the national level that has sometimes crept into local politics. I find this to be an unhealthy trend. I believe we should work to improve the quality of life right here and tune out the noise of extremists. I’m thankful to live in such an amazing place.”

Weber notes that as a Democrat and someone who is significantly younger than current commissioners, he offers voters a choice they haven’t had in several years.

“I want to work to make Henderson County a place where our children can grow up and live a good life. To do that, we need to better support our public schools and educators, protect our waterways and environment, and carefully consider the impact our land-use choices will have on future generations. Commissioners need to be proactive and never lose sight of who we work for, which is all the people of Henderson County, not just a few powerful individuals who make decisions behind the scenes.”

For more information about Weber and his campaign, visit his website at erikweberforhendersoncounty.com. He also invites people to contact him to discuss the issues in person. He may be reached at 828-707-8050 or erikweb09@gmail.com.

Incumbent Daniel Andreotta and Sheila Franklin, a Fletcher Town Council member, are also running in the Republican primary for the District 2 seat. Filing for the 2024 elections is Dec. 4-15.