Some Endorsements Matter | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: This is Chip Olmstead's continued opinion in our Words With the Publisher category regarding the heated contest between Candidates Joan Perry and Greg Murphy. To the public: Please feel free to respond in this category, Words With the Publisher, if you have a similar or contrary position.

    Just when I thought I had seen it all, which is far more than I ever wanted to see when it comes to politics, Greg Murphy is coming to Emerald Isle on June 22nd for a fund raiser to bolster his campaign for the NC 3rd Congressional District seat and this event is featuring as its guest, Amy Kremer. I'm willing to bet that most of us have no idea who Amy Kremer is, so I did a little research and this is what I found.

    Amy Kremer is a political activist most closely associated with the Tea Party movement, but be careful, because she's been associated with a lot of movements. She was involved with the 2009 Tea Party protests, then was a founding member of the Tea Party Patriots (TPP), but later defected to the Tea Party Express (TPE). A law suit was actually filed against her by the TPP for preventing others from accessing collective resources. She has endorsed Scott Brown for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts, Joe Miller for the U.S. Senate in Alaska, Tom Tancredo for Governor of Colorado - none of whom were elected. She, herself, ran for the 6th District Congressional seat in Georgia in 2017, where she garnered a whopping $2,500 in contributions, received 351 votes (0.16%) and had her entire staff resign for failure to receive payment. Undeterred, she then co-founded Great America PAC but resigned when decisions were made without her input. Women for Trump was her next and current effort to remain relevant, pledging to raise $30 million for Mr.Trump. She only fell short by $29.98 million and the organization was actually $20K in debt at the end of 2017. In this capacity, she has endorsed Greg Murphy. Now to be completely honest, Greg Murphy has received a number of endorsements, but frankly, I'm not sure this one is an endorsement I would covet!

    In comparison, Dr. Joan Perry, who is a woman and is for President Trump, has the full and public support of every current Republican Congresswoman and several former Congresswomen including Rep. Sue Myrick as well as current Congressman George Holding. She is endorsed by former candidates Celeste Cairns and Mike Payment, Former NC GOP Chairman, Congressman Bill Cobey, and Linda Daves, former House Speaker Pro Tempore Paul "Skip" Stam, and former State Senator Buck Newton. Organizational endorsements include Maggie's List (A federal organization dedicated to electing fiscally conservative women to federal and statewide executive office), Winning for Women (Organization supporting conservative women running for federal office who advocate for a strong national defense and free-market principles), FreedomWorks (The nation's leading Conservative grassroots organization dedicated to helping activists fight for lower taxes, less government, and more freedom), Value in Electing Women (supports conservative, electable Republican women running for federal office and deploys voter contact efforts on the ground and on the airwaves to support competitive challengers), and the Susan B. Anthony List (Susan B. Anthony List's mission is to end abortion by electing national leaders and advocating for laws that save lives, with a special calling to promote pro-life women leaders).

    Truth be told, most of us probably don't give a second thought to who is endorsing a candidate. Yet, sometimes, when you see these distinguished individuals and organizations line up behind someone there's reason to take note. Dr Joan Perry is the real deal. She is the real conservative in this run-off on July 9th. Don't be fooled into thinking otherwise!