As chairman of the Forsyth County Republican Party, I’ve always said that for Republicans to improve, we need to have healthy competition at the polls. Imagine my delight in seeing not one but two candidates announce their intentions to run for the District 1 Commission Seat in the November general election.

What I don’t know right now is if our Republican candidate will be facing someone from the Democrat side, from an independent campaign or both. What I do know is that neither Pam Bowman nor Pete Amos let anyone know what their party affiliation is in their announcements. They certainly are not Republicans because I have never seen them at a Forsyth County Republican event in the 8 years I have been associated with the local party and I have only missed two meetings in those 8 years.

Ever noticed that when Democrats campaign in conservative areas they never put “Democrat” or “Liberal” on their campaign materials? This gives them a chance to “sneak past” voters who may not be paying close attention. That’s OK because Forsyth County Republicans need a second or third party candidate to help make us better.

We look forward to your participation in candidate debates, with our Republican nominee, following the primary elections in July that would be sponsored by a reputable, non-partisan group. Good luck to both of you and thanks again for the competition. We in the Republican Party know you’ll make your own parties proud, whether Democrat or Independent.

R. Gray Smith

Chairman, Forsyth County Republican Party