The News and Record of March 1st reported on the recent controversy surrounding the upcoming election of a new chairman of the Guilford County Republican Party. The article outlined allegations by announced candidate Jeff Hyde and Jodi Riddleberger, both co-founders of Conservatives For Guilford County (C4GC), that the Republican “establishment” had threatened to make public the past felony conviction of Riddleberger’s husband and the circumstances surrounding that conviction, if Mr. Hyde did not withdraw from the race.
When this story surfaced this past weekend, Mrs. Riddleberger alleged it was the “GOP establishment” that was behind this sinister scheme to prevent Mr. Hyde from seeking the chairmanship. That allegation was later scaled back and an even broader brush stroke was painted of some unidentified Republican perpetrating the supposed conspiracy. This entire episode has been one void of facts, but full of allegations and finger pointing at the local GOP.
As chairman, I abhor the politics of personal destruction, will not be a part of it, and will not tolerate anyone in the leadership of the local party being involved in such. My interest is in providing a fair and equitable election process in the upcoming county convention. I intended to stay silent on this and like many political controversies, let it play itself out. However, even though I am not seeking re-election as chairman, I cannot and will not sit by and allow unfounded, unproven, and unsubstantiated allegations go unanswered against the Guilford GOP. We have far too many honorable individuals who have worked tirelessly for the GOP for many years who unfortunately are being tainted by this disappointing and seedy episode. Long before the C4GC formed a year or so ago and became involved in local politics, the many “establishment” Republicans, as we older Republicans are now despairingly referred to, carried the water for the Republican Party and the conservative principles that define our Party Platform. These many honorable individuals working at the grassroots level, helping Republican candidates throughout the years, don’t deserve to have that devotion to conservative principles and the Republican Party denigrated by sordid rhetoric.
The belief in sound conservative principles and the time honored values that our founders enumerated in our nation’s Constitution did not originate from C4GC. Those principles and values have been and continue to be the bedrock foundation of the Republican Party of which I’m honored to be part.
Meanwhile, Tony Wilkins, who serves as executive director under Wright, is somewhat more blunt about his feelings.
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