Since Republicans have dominated local politics since 2010, it would be easy for party members to simply get together, pick a candidate and watch as they took office with minimal opposition. Thankfully, most of the races in Cherokee County have had competition – even if only in the primary election – so voters at least still had a choice.
One of the best ways to learn how to differentiate between the candidates, especially those who belong to the same political party, is with a live debate before the people who will be doing the voting. When candidates are solely on their own, without the ability to call for help, voters can see firsthand if they grasp the important issues – and how they response to the pressure of answering questions in a short period of time, which is nothing compared to the pressures of the office.
 |
On Thursday night, the Hiwassee River Young Republicans and Cherokee County GOP hosted an informative debate among candidates for the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners at the courthouse in Murphy. It’s especially nice to see younger people engaged in the political process.
On Jan. 13, the Clay County Republican Party hosted the only congressional debate between U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) and challenger Christian Reagan at the Brasstown Civic Center. Pulling that debate off was quite the coup for far-western North Carolina.
The Cherokee Scout live-streamed both of these events live on our Facebook page, where you can still watch them. The local newspaper has also hosted dozens of political debates and forums over the last three decades, so we recognize how much work goes into making them a positive experience for the public.
We thank all of the folks who made these debates possible for our communities.
– Publisher David Brown