Politics

Meadows headlines local GOP convention

By Bill Moss, Published: March 1, 2013

Newly elected U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows headlines next week's annual convention of the Henderson County Republican Party, which also includes the area legislative delegation, Sheriff Charlie McDonald and other elected officials.

The convention is Saturday, March 9, at the Chariot on Church Street, starting at 10 a.m. Meadows, a Highlands developer who cruised to a general election victory after emerging from an eight-candidate GOP primary, will be keynote speaker for the convention. Mark Martin, the senior associate justice of the state Supreme Court, will speak at the luncheon event from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Other speakers include state Sen. Tom Apodaca, state Reps. Chuck McGrady of Hendersonville and Chris Whitmire of Brevard, state GOP Vice Chairman Wayne King, County Commission Chairman Charlie Messer and Dr. Dan Yoder.

"You don't want to miss these speakers because it gets you very familiar with who the elected officials are," party chairman Mike Scruggs told the Republican Men's Club last week. "We just has a presidential election but I've been told people in Henderson County are more about who's sheriff than who's president and I've found a certain amount of truth in that."

The Master of Ceremonies will be former Hendersonville Mayor Greg Newman. Admission to the convention and to hear Meadows' address is free to all registered Republicans.

There is no charge for parking, which is available across the street in the large area just east of The Chariot on Church Street. Complimentary coffee will be served.

The annual convention is held to elect local party officers to manage the organization for the next two years and to elect delegates to the District and North Carolina Republican conventions. The State Convention will be in Charlotte June 7-9.

The buffet-style luncheon costs $25 per person and $45 per couple, with reservations required. Checks should be payable to HC Republican Party and mailed to P.O. Box 2552 Hendersonville, NC 28793. For more information call the Republican Party office at 693-6040.