County GOP elects former congressional candidate as chairman | Eastern North Carolina Now

    To fill the position of the Beaufort County Republican Party Chairman, left open by incumbent Larry Britt, the unanimous choice of the 61 delegates attending Tuesday night's convention was also their only nominee.

    After being suggested for the post by fellow 2010-nominee for U.S. Congress Ashley Woolard, recurring candidate for U.S. Congress Greg Dority easily secured his Party's chairmanship with a resounding "Yea!" from the delegates.

    Dority ran in North Carolina's 1st Congressional District in 2002 and again in 2004. In 2010, he ran in North Carolina's 12th Congressional District.

    Woolard referred to Dority's campaign experience during his nomination speech, when explaining why Dority would be the right choice for Party chairman.

    "He's been a candidate. He understands the nuances of running races. He understands what we've got to do to get out the vote," said Woolard.

Ashley Woolard, above, nominating recurring candidate for U.S. Congress Greg Dority at the Beaufort County Republican Party Convention on Tuesday night.

    Before the "roll-call" vote, longtime BCRP Executive Committee member Jackie Van Essendelft also endorsed Dority.

    "Let's face it. He lives and breathes politics," she said. "And I think Greg would be a great inspiration for Beaufort County Republicans."

    For the vice chairmanship, former candidate for the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners, during the 2010 primary, Buddy Harrell nominated his ballot-buddy in the same race, Tony Keech.

    Keech, a former deputy, fired in January from the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, recently appealed a $172.50 judgment against him, entered by Sheriff Alan Jordan. Ultimately, the case was settled by Beaufort County paying Keech's judgment which was awarded against him in small claims court in return for his withdrawing his appeal to district court.

    "He's young. He's energetic. He took on the Sheriff's Department, and he won," said Harrell during his nomination speech.

    Like Dority, Keech was elected by the unanimous acclamation of the delegates.

BCRP Chairman-elect Greg Dority chatting with BCRP Vice Chairman-elect Tony Keech after the vote Tuesday night.

    The entire slate of BCRP officers was similarly elected by acclamation: former candidate for Mayor of Washington, Rick Gagliano, as second vice chairman; Pam Nuckols, as secretary; and David Cox, as treasurer.

    The delegates also selected 18 at-large BCRP Executive Committee members: Larry Herwig, Proctor Kidwell, Darrell Windley Jr., Buzz Cayton, Claudia Rodgers, Delma Blinson, Helen Eckman, Charles Hickman, Thomas Hollowell, Donna Parker, Velma Hickman, Hood Richardson, Dot Moate, Jackie Van Essendelft, John LaCava, Ashley Woolard, Fred Woolard and Buddy Harrell.

    Check back later today for Dority's stated plan for the BCRP.