BY MILES LAYTON
Since the Albemarle Observer covered Republican Party conventions in Chowan and Perquimans counties, I thought I’d be good to include Tyrrell County’s convention too.
I’ll say it again, if Democrats have news or perhaps an invite to that party’s county convention in our area, send it this way.
A few takeaways from Friday’s Tyrrell County’s annual GOP convention — First Congressional District Chair Harvey West spoke for his re-election (more on his speech later) and for his team of officers, which includes his mother, Secretary Lynda West, who was also present. No one from the challenging team of candidates attended. The convention Chair was Kim Cotten-West, Harvey’s wife.
Though Stick Burnin’ Barbecue has great food, the convention was lightly attended, but perhaps that is to be expected in a non-election year. During the 2024 election cycle, I’m told that far more folks attended the party meetings at Stick Burnin’ Barbecue in downtown Columbia.
Another takeaway, Tyrrell’s GOP needs local leaders passionate about politics to step up to serve as party officials who can organize and energize the base, attract new members and register more Republicans to vote because change begins in your backyard, not on FOX News or CNN, certainly not DC. The same can be said for local Democrats.
To be a better nation, both parties need to take strides to reach out to voters – build an organization from the ground up, not just trust the morons and talking heads on television to fire up the base with trigger phrases and nonsense.
People like Ron Toppin are the ones who make a big difference by energizing Republican voters.
Tyrrell GOP Chairman Ben Winslow praised Toppin – “Mr. Republican” – for his efforts.
“To help ensure that we had Republicans elected and especially putting up signs, talking to people – Ron Toppin – this guy right here is Mr. Republican. I’m gonna tell you what; For everything this man has gone through in the last two years, I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. And still he has persevered, he’s pushed forward to make sure this country goes forward.”
Winslow continued, “Ron has put up signs – he has spent probably thousands of dollars out of his own pocket putting up signs, having people put up signs, talking wherever he can talk, and wearing his Trump hat everywhere he goes. You can always pick Ron out in the crowd. So Ron, thank you very much for everything; it’s been a pleasure. Your hard work has paid off. You’re not done yet. You’re not done. We gotta keep going.”
Before Tyrrell’s convention began, I talked with Edith Deltgen of Columbia, a staunch Republican elected to serve as a member of the local party’s Executive Committee. She shared with me the “ground game” of who’s who in local GOP politics. I shared with her my memories and thoughts about how politics have changed in Eastern NC from days of yore, maybe not so long ago, when Democrats dominated local politics to these days with Republicans being ascendant, dominating many local governments.
Edith Deltgen was elected to the party’s local Executive Committee.
Winslow offered kind words for Deltgen’s knowledge of local politics.
“I want to recognize Mrs. Edith Deltgen – whether you realize it or not, we all talk to people in the community,” he said. “I had a lady ask, “Ben, who do I need to vote for? I talked to Mrs. Edith, and she pointed me in this direction.’ I said, ‘If Mrs. Edith pointed you in that direction. Follow.’ To Mrs. Edith, I say, you’re doing alright; she knows who to vote for.”
Winslow continued, “We all have our circles in Tyrrell County. Mrs. Edith, thank you for what you do because I have heard people sing your praises of how you help them and lead them in the right direction.”
Winslow said party activists like Toppin and Deltgen spur others to vote and get involved in politics by reducing misinformation spread by social media.
“There’s so much disinformation on social media,” he said. “Some people don’t know what to believe and it’s bad because there’s so much bad stuff about good candidates. You just have to look through the lines of bull crap to see what their truth is. And for people like Mrs. Edith to speak up on that, Ron and everybody else, that’s what it takes. I appreciate it because a lot of people can’t and they don’t have the patience to decipher.”
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West touts party’s accomplishments
A candidate for First District Chair, Harvey West and his family have strong ties to Columbia. West is an alumnus of Columbia High School, and his mother, Lynda, taught for 45 years in the county’s school district.
“I know most everybody in this room growing up,” Harvey West said. “I have been allowed to serve as your district chair for the last six years, and I’m once again seeking reelection to serve at least two more years. The district has come a long way in the last six years.”
Harvey West talks about the strides the GOP has made in recent election cycles.
West recalled what this writer remembers about how Democrats dominated the political landscape.
“Prior to 2019, we were a D-17 district, and every two years since 2019, we have gone through a redistricting. And with every redistricting, the district got just a little bit better. We went from a D-17 to a D-1, which is a true toss-over,” he said.
Flashback to November of 2024 — Democrat Don Davis did not secure a majority of the votes cast (49.5%/186,341 votes) in a three-way race, he narrowly defeated Republican Laurie Buckhout, a resident of Edenton, who captured 47.8%/180,034 votes with Libertarian candidate Tom Bailey garnering 2.6%/9,949 votes. That’s huge how a Republican came within a whisker of winning that race.
“We came the closest last election in securing a Republican congressman for the first time in the history of the first district,” West said. “Now, Laurie Buckhout ran an excellent race. She came the closest that any Republican congressional candidate has ever come.”
Citing statistics about Libertarian voter turnout, West said if that party’s candidate, who historically gains but a small percentage of votes had not had “help” – a shot across the bow against Bobbi Foley, his challenger for First District Chairman – then Buckhout might have been elected to Congress.
“I will stand on the fact that Don Davis did not beat her. The Libertarian candidate garnishing 10,000 votes is what took our Republican candidate out of the contest, and that Libertarian had help,” he said.
West talked about infrastructure and other GOP accomplishments he’s spearheaded, including raising over $15,000 for the congressional district.
“We now have a federal election campaign account — we are one of two congressional districts in the state of North Carolina that actually boast having a federal account,” he said. “That means the First Congressional district can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on a congressional candidate as long as we raise it. With a state account, a congressional district can only give up to $1,000 on a federal race. But with a federal account, we can give unlimited. So the district has positioned itself to do a lot more for our next congressional candidate.”
A recent speech by Senator Norm Sanderson at Chowan County’s annual Republican Convention should put things in perspective for the next election cycle. Sanderson said if party leaders and GOP voters don’t continue to organize and get out the vote to be victorious for the 2026 midterms, President Trump will come under siege from Democrats who hate him and will seek impeachment – same as they did twice before during his first term.
“We got to keep our majority or we are going to lose our president,” Sanderson said.
Last word goes to Winslow: “People on the left are crazy. They’re dumb crazy right now. They’re stupid crazy. When you see somebody in the crowd that’s wearing a Trump hat, have their back. If you see somebody wearing a Trump shirt, have their back. Trump flags, American flags – have their back because I tell you what, after the people firebombing Teslas and doing other stupid things — I know Ron (Toppin) has had his yard vandalized before — have your neighbor’s back. You know, you just never know when somebody is going to be stupid.”