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"Our mission in the Western NC Republican Men’s club is to unite our party locally, grow our party membership exponentially and shed a positive light on the Republican Party in Henderson County and other WNC counties," organizer Larry Shealy said. "We will work diligently to vote conservative Republicans into office in each and every election, and in all WNC counties."

The new club comes about weeks after a contentious Henderson County GOP convention followed by a special called meeting in which a few party leaders led by chair Brett Callaway ousted most of the executive committee. At the called meeting on April 15, Callaway and a few other party leaders adopted a new guiding resolution for the county party; precinct chairs ousted from the executive committee members have aruged that the action was improper. Michele Woodhouse, the 11th Congressional District chair for the GOP, told the Lightning that the state party had told her the move was needed to correct the party's plan.

"It's Brett's attempt to try to control everything," Bruce Hatfield, president of the county Men's Club, said of the new WNC club. "There's a group trying to go back to Raleigh because what he tried to pull at the April 15 meeting is illegal. You can't change the plan of organization midstream. It's not permitted. So there is a group going to Raleigh to protest what he's done and make them comply with the 2023 plan of organization. He’s trying to usurp the power of the executive committee and make it where it's controlled by Michele.”

Woodhouse responded to Hatfield's comments by sending the text of the state Republican Party's response to the local party's question about the county Plan of Organization.

"Yes, the Henderson County Plan of Organization contains inconsistencies that must be rectified to be in compliance with the State Plan of Organization," general counsel Russ Ferguson and state Plan of Organization chair Dan Barry wrote. They cited three sections of Henderson County'a plan that were "out of compliance and inconsistent with the State Plan."

Asked why he would form a new Republican Men's Club when one already exists, Shealy responded via email.

"Great question! The simple answer is this: Our mission is to win elections by voting conservative Republican candidates into local and regional offices. Period," he said. "You can’t plan or win elections screaming at one another."

"We will be serving up coffee & conversation with our conservative Republican friends," Shealey's Facebook announcement said.

The owner of Hendo Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy here, Shealy previously owned a Jiu-Jitsu academy in Jacksonville, Florida. Guest speaker at tonight's kickoff is Colton Smith, "a conservative Christian, husband, father and war hero."

"He is still active in the U.S. Army, a UFC veteran, Ultimate Fighter 16 winner and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt," Shealy said.

Membership costs $25 a year.

"Women can be associate members but can’t be an officer or vote," Shealey's announcement said. "In addition to our speakers, we will be raffling off an Avidity Arms PD-10 9mm pistol."