News

Moffitt defeats Remillard for state House seat

By Lightning Reports, Published: November 4, 2020

Tim Moffitt, seeking election to the state House for the first time since he lost re-election in Buncombe County in 2014, defeated Democratic nominee Josh Remillard on Tuesday night with 60 percent of the vote.

Moffitt, 56, is a business owner who lives in the Bearwallow community of northern Henderson County. He and his wife, Dina, have three children.

Remillard, 38, grew up in Wilmington. He served eight years in the U.S. Army, deploying twice to Iraq, before retiring as a sergeant. He and his wife, Rhiannon, and their daughters Gwenevere and Eowyn live in Mills River. When his wife got “a great job opportunity,” Remillard was able to leave his job at Gaia Herbs and run fulltime for the state House, his campaign said.

"The perilous times we are living in demand that we have leaders who will stand up and defend our conservative values and our way of life," Moffitt said. "My family’s roots in Henderson County go back nearly 200 years. I grew up here, and I’ve always called these mountains home. And having previously served in the Legislature, I can apply my knowledge of the legislative process to effectively represent the people of Henderson County, so our area will still have a seat at the table when it comes to the big decisions made in Raleigh. I can really hit the ground running."

Moffitt opposed Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's orders in response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying it has harmed the economy.

"His lockdown has been a disaster for small businesses across the state — thousands of which are now facing permanent closure and bankruptcy," he said. "For the vast majority of the population, the survival rate for those infected with Covid-19 is well over 99 percent. Should we continue to be vigilant? Of course. But it’s way past time to open up."