Our Chairman, Dr. Timothy Johnson, was selected to be an official greeter of Governor Sarah Palin, during her trip earlier this week to Greenville, NC. Mayor Pat McCrory, Senator Dole and Senator Burr also spoke at the event. I hear the energy in the room was off the charts! We’ve got a few really nice pictures from the event in our Photo Gallery.

Do you want to help the Republican Party and make a little money at the same time? You can be a paid poll worker on election day!

We are looking for Republicans to work at polls throughout the county. Tasks will include greeting voters, taking names, helping with lines, and helping voters use the machines and correcting rejected ballots.

Poll workers must work from 6am until about 9pm and will not be able to break for lunch. You would need to bring food with you or have someone bring it to you during the day.

Poll workers are paid $115 for the day. There is an optional 1-hour training session on October 18 which pays an additional $15.

If you have the interest and time on election day, please contact us and we will get you signed up for this very important position.

The following press release was sent out today alerting the media to events we will be having tomorrow, during Barack Obama’s visit to Asheville. Please attend any and all of the day’s activities if you can!

Two things you should be aware of as participants in this event:
1 - If you have McCain/Palin yard signs, please bring them with you to use at the event. You WILL be taking them home with you again! They are in such high demand that we do not have enough for the event.
2 - We will be meeting at 11am at Victory 08 Headquarters, located at 16 Regent Park Blvd, Asheville, to prepare and organize before the event. Parking will be very difficult at Asheville High! So it is in everyone’s best interest to meet at Victory 08 HQ in order to carpool.

Thank you for everything you do for our country and our community!

For Immediate Release
October 4, 2008

GOP To Celebrate McCain/Palin During Obama Visit

This Sunday, while Barack Obama holds a rally in Asheville, local Republican Party activists will gather at the Asheville High School beginning at noon, to show their support for Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin as well as Republican candidates at the local, state, and federal levels. The group will then reconvene at the City-County Plaza for a 3:30 press conference, where candidates and local business owners will talk about why it is essential for Republicans to be elected at all levels of government in order to get our economy and our country back on track.

“Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin understand what our country needs to remain economically strong. Our state and county candidates, many of them local business owners themselves, appreciate what working people, seniors, and business owners of North Carolina need to remain economically strong during these difficult times,” says Chairman Timothy Johnson of the Buncombe County Republican Party. “Democrats have been in control of our state and county governments for far too long, wasting our tax dollars and avoiding accountability, while Washington has become entirely beholden to special interest groups, such as ACORN. We need mavericks like John McCain, Sarah Palin, and Carl Mumpower in Washington to represent the average person again.”

The schedule of events for Sunday will be as follows:
12:00-2:30 PM - McCain/Palin Celebration at Asheville High School stadium (McDowell St. side)
3:00 PM - Continuation of Celebration at City-County Plaza
3:30 PM - Press Conference highlighting the differences between Republican and Democrat economic plans and how they would effect North Carolinians. Local candidates and business owners will be participating.

Confirmed to attend are County Commissioner candidates Mike Fryar, Ron McKee, and Don Yelton, NC Senate candidate RL Clark, and NC House candidate Paul Purdue.

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We have been informed that Sarah Palin will make 2 stops in North Carolina this month. One in Greenville next Tuesday and the other in Greensboro in about 2 weeks. We will post details for the Greensboro visit when we get them. Here are the details for her visit to Greenville:

WHO:  Governor Sarah Palin
WHAT: Road to Victory rally
WHEN: Tuesday, October 7th
WHERE: Minges Coliseum on the campus of East Carolina University
TIME:  Doors are tentatively set to open at 5:00 p.m.

Tickets available at our Victory Offices throughout the state starting on Friday.

We have just confirmed that Governor Sarah Palin is coming to Greenville. The event will be held on Tuesday October 7, 2008 at the Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum at ECU.  Doors will open at 5:00pm. The tickets are free and they  will be available at the 14 Victory Offices throughout North Carolina either Friday or Saturday.  The tickets will be given out on a first come first serve basis.  We will update you as we get additional details.  Please do not ask us for additional details as there are no more available at this time. We are very busy prepping for this event and appreciate your cooperation and patience as we work to make this a successful event.

Our 4 Republican candidates for County Commissioner discuss our economy and other local issues on Take A Stand, with Matt Mittan.

All Democrats were invited to participate but either declined or didn’t bother to respond to Matt Mittan’s invitation.

You can listen to the broadcast from our Video Gallery page.

In related news, the Buncombe County Republican Party (along with about 200 other people) received this strong praise of one of our fine Republican candidates, Ron McKee.

Dear Friends,

I was fortunate to grow up in a very supportive city full of special mentors. One such person was Ron McKee – then General Manager and owner of the Asheville Tourists Baseball Team. I was quite young when I cold called and asked if I could twist balloons at the local stadium as a part-time summer job.

After meeting with him, he agreed to a short trial run. It turned out to be mutually beneficial and was a fixture at the ballpark for about ten years. During that time, I saw him run the operation and create a really special place for the whole community to enjoy.

Over the years I have learned many lessons from him about business and life. He manages effectively and runs organizations like clockwork. He has a commanding presence – one which conveys his knowledge and understanding of local business needs, as well as those of the average person. I always appreciated his insight and time he would give to not only me, but anyone who asked. I saw the loyalty of the ballpark staff from concession sales workers to senior management, who returned to work for Ron season after season.

I was in my early teens, and he had many opportunities to mislead and take advantage of my naivety of the business world. I was also in Boy Scouts then, and we Scouts were taught that “integrity was what you do when no one is looking”. It impressed me then that Ron was one of those rare individuals who are in positions of control and authority AND maintained true integrity. That still holds true today.

The content of his character and the passion he holds for the community, local business, and citizens is what leads me to write to you.

Ron McKee is running for Buncombe County Commissioner and I would encourage you to get to know him, check out his website - www.ronmckee.com, and vote for him in the upcoming election on Tuesday November 4, 2008.

Please let me know if you would like me to deliver a yard sign to your home, property, or business. Or join me in being involved with his campaign.

Very truly,

Mark DeVerges