Politics

Whitmire announces re-election bid

By Bill Moss, Published: February 3, 2014

State Rep. Chris Whitmire, a first-term Republican who represents Transylvania, Polk and southern Henderson County, announced his intention to seek re-election to the North Carolina House of Representatives.

"I enjoyed tremendous success with multiple local, state, and national issues during my first term and we are seeing results," he said in a news release. "Job providers are expanding employment opportunities in the area; Constitutional rights are better protected; educators appreciate my relentless efforts to better enable them to prepare our students to become contributing citizens and future leaders; and numerous constituents are grateful for my attention to their worthy concerns.
"While much has been accomplished, much remains," he added. "Public education, job creation, healthcare, and North Carolina's military interests are four areas that need enormous attention and where I will place much of my focus."
Whitmire specified regulatory reform as a major accomplishment of the legislature last year along with the passage of a balanced budget; voter ID, and tax reform. Additionally, he was one the most successful freshman legislators in the past decade with 14 bills as a primary sponsor enacted into law including the session's most significant military-economic bill, two education bills, one jobs bill, and one identity protection bill, the news release said.

Six of the bills that Whitmire filed as the lead sponsor have become law, along with many other bills that he championed as either a primary or co-sponsor.
A lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserves and former chairman of the Transylvania County School Board, Whitmire serves on 10 standing committees and three study committees.