HAYWOOD COUNTY GOP - ARE YOU REALLY READY?

The responsibilities and obligations of the Haywood County Republican Party to the Republican Party in general and to the registered Republican voters of Haywood County are numerous, wide-ranging, ongoing, and require daily attention. They are not duties that can be limited to or carried out during a one-and-a-half-hour monthly Executive Committee meeting. Nor can the county party's mission be fulfilled by the investment of a mere few hours a month or a year by the members of this body.

Haywood County has twenty-nine Precincts, with only eleven of those Precincts having sitting Precinct Chairs. Additionally, the Haywood County Republican Party has five elected officers, bringing the total number of Executive Committee members to thirty-four. Of those thirty-four positions, only seventeen are filled, resulting in a fifty percent vacancy rate among the Executive Committee. Unfortunately, that number has been steadily declining over the past several years.

Only five of those seventeen officers and committee members are committed volunteers. Only five are willing to sacrifice hours every week, volunteering to carry out the work necessary for the county party to barely continue to exist as a political entity and attempt to fulfill its stated mission and vision—only five of the seventeen.

The other twelve seem only willing to contribute a few hours a year, in addition to the one and a half hours they spend attending the monthly Executive Committee business meeting. Sadly, this number includes the sitting Chair and First Vice Chair, who over the past several years have not been able to find the time to make themselves available to volunteer on committees or at events. Furthermore, of the twelve, several rarely find the time to even participate in the monthly Executive Committee business meetings.

All of the above facts are unacceptable and render it impossible for this body, and by extension, the Haywood County Republican Party, to fulfill its oversight responsibilities while simultaneously ensuring the execution of the numerous tasks necessary to achieve the Party's stated mission.

The preponderance of the county party’s responsibilities and obligations falls upon the Chair of the county party to ensure fulfillment and execution of the county party's stated mission and goals. The Chair's level of responsibilities is numerous, various, and time-consuming and includes the responsibility to ensure the recruitment of strong and electable conservative Republican candidates, promoting those candidates and the Republican Party, and turning out the votes to elect those conservative Republicans. After all, the chair’s primary responsibility is to get Republicans elected.

These obligations and

With each day that passes, it is another day squandered to take corrective action, another day of opportunity missed for effecting changes to ensure that the Haywood County Republican Party is politically effective, relevant, and prepared to meet the challenges that lay ahead.

So, the critical questions which must be asked and responded to are:

What is Michael Loomis' strategy to incentivize the few members of the Executive Committee still available to become more active and engaged in fulfilling the Haywood County Republican Party's stated mission?

What is Michael Loomis' strategy to fill the numerous critical vacant Precinct Chair Positions? After all, it is the Precincts that are the lifeblood of the Republican Party, and for the Precincts to be effective in winning elections, they need strong leadership that can only come from a strong, conservative, dedicated, passionate Precinct Chair.

What is Michael Loomis' strategy for recruiting solid conservative candidates for the municipal elected offices to run against the Democrat incumbents? Those elections are rapidly approaching, and we must unseat the Democrats currently controlling our cities' General Assemblies.

What is Michael Loomis' strategy for increasing republican voter turnout for those municipal elections, or for expanding our party’s base in preparation for those elections?

What is Michael Loomis' strategy for ensuring a clear and meaningful messaging initiative to our constituents so that they have a clear understanding of what is at stake and why it is critical for them to turn out and vote this coming November?

What is Michael Loomis' strategy for advocating for Republican values and promoting the Republican Party, our mission, and our vision for Haywood County?

What is Michael Loomis' strategy for raising the funds necessary to carry out our mission and our vision? One potentially successful event in June, which he found no time to help plan and organize, will not be sufficient to cover the costs associated with running a viable and relevant political force within Haywood County.

I don’t believe Michael Loomis has even begun to consider these critical issues, let alone taken action to fulfill the responsibilities that rest on his shoulders. And what of the Executive Committee? The majority of that body's members are nowhere to be found when time-consuming help is needed.

Is Michael Loomis really ready, capable, or willing to submerge himself in the political world that he must navigate as the Chair? It'll mean giving up his laid-back, easy-going, 'I'll get to it when I can' lifestyle and being willing to commit thirty-plus hours a week to fulfilling his obligations and responsibilities as Chair, ensuring we achieve our mission. Is he ready to make that commitment?

And what about the Executive Committee? It falls upon the Executive Committee to maintain a constant vigilance on the Chair to ensure that these responsibilities are, in fact, being carried out successfully. If he fails to fulfill his obligations, he must be held accountable, and the Executive Committee has a duty to take corrective action. Are the minimally committed members of that body ready to carry out their responsibilities and obligations?

The past history of the new Chair and the Executive Committee places significant doubt on whether they are willing or capable of performing as expected!