Election Night 2026: On the Ground from Cumberland County GOP Headquarters

Peter and Laura: And welcome back to the Carolina Cabinet, coming to you live from the Fayville GOP Republican headquarters on seventeen seven Owen Drive. And I'm in our makeshift studio with the lovely Laura Mussler. Hello, hello. So good to have you here with me tonight. The starting to pick up some energy in the room tonight. Thank goodness. This is my favorite holiday. It it is. I I didn't want to take away from Christmas or Thanksgiving, but it doesn't feel like fall unless we're hitting an actual election. That's exactly right. Now I know there's Greek spaghetti coming too. In a couple of weeks we have Greek spaghetti dinner coming. So that's the other indicator that fall has arrived. Does it deliver? it does for special people. So I I rode the short bus. If you get your order. If you get your order in, then sign me up. You know, so well we got a lot a lot going on tonight. we did miss Congressman Rouser. He was in here a little bit earlier. But he did say he's gonna be on the cabinet before long. So hopefully it should be Don't you laugh, be nice. But the g he says a lot. I I know, I know. Well he's that is that he's busy. Am I gonna say he's a politician? Is that you could say that. Okay, all right. We're not to bust him up too bad, I don't think. joining us off camera is my long lost producer, Jim. hi, Jim, we miss you. Good to see you again. we don't have a camera on him, but he's very happy to rejoin the cabinet in his very important role of keeping me away from the technical stuff, because that can be dangerous. So look It's after seven o'clock on election night, and here's where we're. polls in North Carolina are gonna close in about eighteen minutes now. And if you're in line at seven thirty, stay in line. You'll you'll vote. Our first statewide numbers won't come until at least eight fifteen. five polling places across the state did get some extra time. after some computer trouble in this this morning. So for the next hour, you're gonna meet the people on your ballot right here in the room. isn't like forty five minutes extra? Forty yeah. Forty five for those few and we're gonna detail where those are at. starting at eight fifteen, we're gonna call the Board of Elections Cumberland County. who are we gonna call there? Board member Irene Grimes has volunteered to hop on the phone with us and just update us with just a general how it's going down there. Did anybody say no that they wouldn't help us? No, not at all. Okay. we're gonna walk you through every race that matters in Cumberland County. the sheriff, the county commission, the judges, the legislature, but we are definitely focused on local first. And Laura is gonna be working the crowd a little bit. Yeah. When her when her partner in crime appears, we're gonna have the first installment of Laura on the loose since a long time. Last election. December? Yeah, like it was Christmas. You I actually found some old clips that you even got you got the mayor to talk to me on on camera. You have a talent for that. Mm-hmm. I can make anybody talk to me. I won't Even people as yeah, even people that don't like me that how do you coerce them to do that? Just special that way. I always said you had more emotional intelligence than I did, so maybe that's what it is. Maybe, probably not, but yeah. Yeah. So I did call one of the candidates scared today to one of his poll workers and she took a picture of me and she's gonna tattletale on me, I guess. Really? Yeah. I stopped short of calling him a coward, which is what I wanted to call him, but anyway. Are you gonna tell me who it was? Later, off camera. Yeah. I'm not gonna say it. No, I'm not doing it. No. I have some scruples. Okay, you say so. It's too early for that. It's too early for that. So let me get a few drinks and you yield. Okay, the top of the ticket. The US Senate, Roy Cooper is the Democrat who kept us locked down in COVID. But anyway, against Michael Watley, who is the Republican, and we have Shannon Bray, the libertarian. Michael Dublin is the Green Party. So Which is how far left of socialism? I'm not sure, but it's pretty far out there. No, I will say he did appear on the cabinet and he was a good guest. And I actually and you know what I liked about him is I made a good point and he said I have never thought about it that way. I'm open to hearing that idea. So he was very open, which I can appreciate 'cause a lot of Democrats are not. I think very jokingly, I was like, I don't believe in any of this crap, but I have learned s I truly did feel like I learned something from the individual, Mr Mr. Dublin, because he was a teacher for so long and the way he put things, it just made it We're I'm I'm happy say I learned something. So well we have three constitutional amendments. Income tax ceiling from seven percent to three and a half percent. Then the property tax levy limit that sets no number itself. The legislator is gonna write it later. Just pass it, we'll tell you what's in it later. Don't worry about Okay, ACA all over again. Uh-huh. And then photo ID for absentee voting, because it's current law already. but we're making it go into the constitution if approved. And On to the Supreme Court. We have Earls is the Democrat versus Stevens the Republican. In the Court of Appeal Appeals, there's lots of different seats. Seat one, Arrowwood is the Democrat, Byrne is the Republican. Seat two is Hampson is the Democrat. Bell is the Republican. Seat three, Walscheck is the Democrat versus Collins is the Republican. And then these are for eight year terms. That's a long time. It is a long time, but not it's not a lifetime. Well some Supreme Courts have lifetimes. Turno talk about the turnout. I think we had some updated numbers and I believe those are on the next page under I think actually City View got updated this morning. That's the very top line, Cumberland Early and Mail. Okay, so Cumberland Early and Mail, we have sixty one thousand seven hundred and sixteen ballots were cast before election day. That's five Fifty nine thousand nine hundred and fifty six early or in person and by mail votes. that's thirty five percent up over the twenty two year to two twenty twenty two midterm. So anyway. That's I mean, well more Democrats than Republicans. Yeah, we definitely lost some ground this election for the early vote, but now although okay. I will say that traditionally Republicans show up on election day. Traditionally Democrats vote early. So while the regular Democrats have voted, they don't have a whole lot left in their tank for election day, while Republicans do. So perhaps we can catch up. Well, I'm hoping they will. And you know, luckily President drunk President Trump I'm I'm reading and I'm talking, so I shouldn't do that. So and I haven't had a dropped a drink yet. President drunk. President drunk. yes. You know he's never had a a sip of alcohol. I know, I He's a teeth, but he's not really drunk. Yeah, yeah, that Twitter feed, man. But no, so President Trump for so long he was telling Republicans don't only vote, don't only vote. And so we didn't, and I think that contributed to his loss in twenty twenty, that we did not get that we did not mobile. But now I think Republicans are learning that it's a good tool. It is. on election day you never know what happened. You get a flat tire. Yeah. Your engine doesn't start. Or who knows what could happen. You don't feel good. you know, it's your day to wash your hair. Whatever. Well, and something I brought up with the Congressman earlier this evening was y as Republicans, we wanna be good with money. So it's more expensive to reach the voter on for election day than it is if we get out Early vote because then we can drop you off those lists. We stop texting you and calling you and all the annoying things that you get as a citizen for our campaigns, and we can focus on the last holdouts. The low propensity voters. The low propensity voters. And yeah. The Cumberland County GOP has been texting people, so we're gonna look and see how that works. I got text. Did you? I should excellent. I got invited here tonight. I was like, I'm already invited. Well, we invited people. That was a waste of a dollar or whatever because I was already coming. It wasn't that. Okay, well whatever it is. We're we're Republicans, we're not gonna pay full freight, you know that. Whatever. So coming up at in about ten minutes, Judge Michael Byrne is going to join us from wherever he is. I think he's up in Wake County, I believe. But he's been out at the polls all day and we're looking forward to hearing from him. He was a former guest. we can talk about did you go out to you were working all day today, so you just I worked all day. I did not see the I did wear my patriotic sweatshirt. Okay. Did you wear that thing that you got kicked off of the human relations for? That whole Trump thing? No, I did not. Yeah, yeah. I l I liked how it's a a a c a board for anti racism stuff, the human relations, but she wore a Trump thing and They had to have a discussion with her, like called the DMO. What? It's a necklace. Yeah, show me on the doll where it touched everybody, you know? Like, come on. So I did go to about half a dozen different precincts today. I How'd that go? It was very quiet. Very honestly. I mean, I I was out there one o'clock to three thirty or so, and Max Abbott, Glendale Akers Elementary highlands, there was just no voter activity at all. Very few poll workers on top of that too. out of That's very depressing Lake Rim and where else did I go out there? Somewhere out west. Lake Rim and someplace. Were you running food or I was running food. Yeah. Come on. That's what I do. I'm a sandwich maker man. I know I understand. I wanted to tout and say, hey, how great what is? How great Baldino subs is why not get some free air? Absolutely. So Let's see. Now, did anybody watch my Brooks Fuller episode that came out? I did post it the other day, but I interviewed the gentleman from Common Cause North Carolina. So to be clear, that's a progressive leaning group. they told us so. He did admit, yeah, we're a little left leaning. His point was a fair one. The rules for mail voters keep changing. This fall it was the inner envelope. If it's not sealed, your ballot gets thrown out, and then they mail you another. he did tell us that spoiled absentee ballots were running at about 3.1% of the spoil of the ballots coming in, up from 2.6% in 2022. So we have seen more ballots that are mailed in getting spoiled. I can't get past my view that a sealed envelope, it's not too much to ask, but the timing matters. It's these rules of the last minute. I don't agree with you know them being changed in the 11th hour, especially when there's already ballots that have mailed Well, if you don't know to seal your envelope, what do you two? Yeah, see, that's where I I go there too. It's like I have to look at both sides. Like, is it that high of a bar and a standard? Now, we can ask Mrs. Grimes when she comes on at eight fifteen about the absentee rules. According to her, she explained to me that there's like seven or eight pages worth of instructions for an absentee ballot now. Really? Yeah. It's crazy. That's why you should register local. Yeah. So Maybe we can have Khalissa talk about absent active duty votes and registering local. Absolutely. Well I'm seeing some candidates filter in here. I think we need to maybe get work the room. I think we need to work the room a little or have Mr. West come sit down, have Bob for a few minutes. right. Grab Bob. Bob, come join us. You're in the hot seat. go ahead, grab a seat. Joining us here is going to be Mr. Bob Laverick. He is the chairman Cumberland County GOP. he's not just the Cumberland County Chair of the GOP. He is the hardest working man in Cumberland County over the last couple days. He certainly is busting his butt. He has been here every time I've come here. He's been working, working, working. Yeah. So he is yeah, I I I I don't know how he does it. but just go ahead and pull that microphone towards you. Okay. Well Bob, welcome again. Well thank you. So the hardest working man of the GOP this this election cycle. the candidates did more than I did. Well well, you know, that's their campaign and their support. That's their job. That's their job if they want to. This is volunteering for you. So this is what an outstanding job you've done. Moving on to next year, I hope you're running again. Yes, ma'am. I think there has to be a permission. I was gonna say she's just as hardworking. We we come as a couple. So tell us about a couple of things that we accomplished this year with the GOP. And we're gonna have you back in the next couple hours. So you since you're roaming the room. So you don't have to hit all. The big thing is Coming together as a team. We're we're starting to look at each other as in this together. there we go. It was really unique this year that all the candidates came together and they were working with each other, putting their signs out, handing out miniature and just moving forward. changes did we make this year? well with your okay, look, everyb every board's a little different. So what was something that you saw as a priority that you wanted to do? let fires die out. Okay. There was a lot of bickering back and forth. that was me. That was me. Yeah. but like I don't know what he's talking about. Everybody has I'll I'll fully admit I was I was the problem. Yeah for some of the stuff. Yeah. And it's okay. Yeah. a lot of people come into this and everybody's wondering what their angle is and you guys didn't know me. Did I have an angle? Is there something that I'm looking for for myself? And it's truly I just don't want my daughter to grow up and have a rations card and food and bread lines. Fair enough. Fair enough. That's all I want. And a better Cumberland County. So it was the the the biggest thing we did was we stopped talking about each other and we got to start talking to each other. And and I think as long as we keep going forward that way, we're gonna we're gonna grow. We're gonna grow as a part of Well well the change is palpable. we have a growing room of attendees here, so hopefully we're gonna eat all the food and have the drink and have a good time. So we'll have you back in another hour as we're gonna have election results drop at eight fifteen. Yes. We're gonna have to call board member Irene Grimes on that one. And And once she comes back on, we'll have you for some commentary and all. So thanks for joining us and we'll see you back in about half an hour, forty five minutes. All right, see you in a bit. Thanks, Bob. Okay, and with that you've got Bob Laverick, the chairman Cumberland County GOP. Good to put a face to the name. he has done a lot of hard work. We Republicans can be kind of stubborn at some time, so he's had a uphill battle. I think and and I think he's overcome everything too. Yeah. I think he's done a fantastic job and I look forward to him being the chair next year. Well I don't know if I just want to say that I'm continuity. I did apologize for being a dick, Really? Yeah, I did. I told him. I I told him what I didn't like about him and then I said, But I'm past it now, so we're good. Well, he and I had conversations long time ago. We sat down one on one and I told him how I felt about some things that he did and he apologized and we moved on. Yeah, yeah, which I think we have a good way forward. So if there's one thing about me is I can get past anything, just ask Kalista. Yeah, yeah, your partner in crime. Where is she? Don't know. She's probably finishing up at the polls because it's only 737 and she works the far, far away ones. So I just got a message in the chat here. I'm gonna show it on the stream. An hour of people in curbside. Yeah, that's crazy. Carol Alinger. Hi Carol. Hey Carol, thank you for watching and tuning in. So we're sharing your comments. Spring Lake should be busy tonight, Carol. And honestly, Spring Lake should be ashamed of themselves for losing their early vote site because frankly they weren't using it. So if they want their voices heard, they need to turn out. They need to give us a compelling reason why we need to waste what? Twenty, thirty, forty thousand dollars on a early vote site? Isn't it almost twenty? But why should we expend it right if they're not gonna use it? Yeah. And it ended up being like a couple thousand dollars per vote. Yeah, yeah. It was ridiculous. Right. Yeah, well 'cause early voting's ten days. Yep. And they had in the hundreds of votes, not thousands. So Carol, thank you, thank you, thank you for watching, and please share us wherever you can. Hopefully you see where your friendly neighborhood republic. Yes, I know who she is. She's your other baby grandma. She's your other baby grandma. Yeah. Yeah. That's yeah. Well, and she was on the show with us. She she phoned in a few weeks ago when she and Mr Zach trailer went down the city hall and she's very active when it comes to politics. No, I know she is and I look, red or blue, that energy should be rewarded and respected because so many people on I think I even had somebody today allege on Facebook that I don't care for the homeless or whatever. I'm like, nah, I just asked you how many there were. So at any rate. So it's seven thirty nine right now. Mr Judge Michael Byrne is waiting to join, so we're gonna bring him in right now. So Jim I I don't think you have to do anything. Hello. Hello, Judge Byrne. How are you, sir? So

Michael Byrne: Hello, how y'all?

Peter and Laura: we're doing well. We we need to get a camera on the crowd, Jim. This is getting to be s quite a crowd here, but like a party. It is almost so yes, it

Michael Byrne: It it it does sound a bit raucous, I must say.

Peter and Laura: is a little bit I'm gonna turn down my mic just a little bit so we can hear you a little better. But so Judge, how was your day?

Michael Byrne: Well, it's just we've been doing this for a a very long time. We started this in July twenty twenty five and i it t today was really wonderful because we got to go out and see the citizens and meet them at the polls and it it sounds a bit Mr. Smith goes to Washington, but it was sort of a a good bit of democracy in action. So it was a lot

Peter and Laura: Right, right.

Michael Byrne: of fun. Br my my wife Brigitte worked the polls with me all day. she is, I think frankly, a better candidate than I am. and man many people I think around the state would share that sentiment. But we're we're simultaneously glad this is over and

Peter and Laura: Mm-hmm.

Michael Byrne: very but we're very excited that we had the chance to go on the journey and we're deeply grateful to you and Laura that you know y'all were able to be a part of it.

Peter and Laura: Well, it was definitely a a pleasure to be part of it and When when when they come in with the poll results and you win, I hope you'll find time to come and say, Hey, I won, I won, I won

Michael Byrne: Well

Peter and Laura: I don't know if you share that enthusiasm because you know, it is a job.

Michael Byrne: So I've I've got someone asked me the other day, they said, Well, Judge Byrd, d do you wear a suit and tie at home? And and I said, No, ma'am, I do not. So I've proved that to you and to the voters of North Carolina tonight. So I may not do that, but I I may come on to say a quiet thank you, Laura, if that's okay.

Peter and Laura: Okay. Absolutely. Well, you are welcome at any time. So tell me about anything out there that surprised you or did a I y I always kind of joke about you judicial guys that you have to run kind of quiet races. You really can't throw much mud because of your judicial ethics and all. but were any citizens like familiar enough with your campaign to be happy or upset, indifferent? I mean, what did you did you see any extremes of behavior while you were out there?

Michael Byrne: Some actually were. I I had a lot of law enforcement officers come up to me and say that I I I know that you were endorsed by North Carolina PBA, North Carolina FOP, NAPO. and that meant a lot because obviously law enforcement support is a core element of our campaign and and and simply because I spent so much time in court as a lawyer protecting their rights, that was very heartening to see that that they had noted that and appreciated. and just generally that people are still generally decent. y you know, you hear these sad stories about quote incidents of the polls. I didn't see any of that. so

Peter and Laura: Right, right. Yeah, come to Cumberland County. Come to Cumberland County. We had it here. Yeah, we had plenty I think we concentrated the drama here for you. So

Michael Byrne: I'm I'm sorry to hear that.

Peter and Laura: Yeah, we even had charges brought, so yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Michael Byrne: gosh.

Peter and Laura: Well that was between candidates though. It was between candidates. Yeah. So don't tell me no candidates

Michael Byrne: Well I

Peter and Laura: are fired up over the over the process, 'cause we certainly are.

Michael Byrne: I I do hope I defeat my opponent, but I have no wish to engage in fisticuffs.

Peter and Laura: Yeah, no, no, it's no that wouldn't be a fair fight anyway. So well Judge Byrne, listen, you tell your wife hello

Michael Byrne: Yeah.

Peter and Laura: from the cabinet and enjoy your evening and I wish you luck, sir. And we're gonna and we're gonna if I wanna be the first one to tell you congratulations, 'cause I believe that you're going to win.

Michael Byrne: Well, thank you both very much for everything you do, and I'm very, very grateful I have the chance to appear on your show again and have a great evening. Thank you. You're all the best. Bye-bye.

Peter and Laura: Thank you. Thank you, sir. Good to see you. Goodbye. Okay. Okay. So it is noisy, noisy, noisy here in the cabinet. But you know what? That's good. I think that adds to some of the, you know, the excitement. You're right in the middle of it right now. We're in the middle. So we need to get Mr. West. We got I see Ron Ross in the room. I see LaRue Windham running for sheriff in here. And our county commissioner came in just a minute ago. Which county commissioner? Deep. One of the elected? Yeah, he's already elected. Okay. All right. I was gonna say what I mm I can't remember. Ron, come on over. This is the unscripted portion of the cabinet. we don't we have scripts? No. I thought we wing it. We usually do just wing it. I think we do pretty well at that. Yeah, we got a rough outline. Yeah, they do. You know, whatever. So, do you have you kept an eye on any of the other judicial races? I mean I I I stop short of saying, Judge Byrne, your judicial candidates are boring, but you know, they can't say much. So Well you know, it's hard to get To me, we need to focus more on their personality and their morals and things like that, not necessarily on the cases and the way they're going to rule, but more about their morals and where they come from, how they grew up and things like that. That would be more more useful. Yep. Yeah, absolutely. Well and So we need to come up with some good questions for the them tell me about your best childhood memory or something and let's see and let's hear more in the future. Okay 'cause otherwise it's boring. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. we it's not a Senate confirmation hearing. We can't ask them, how are you gonna vote on Roe Wade or something? Well even if they did even if we did ask them, they can't say. And I yeah, I'd have to look at the facts before me and I would hope so. Yeah. I hope they're not gonna just answer it for us. So so getting ready to join us is Cumberland County at large commission candidate, mister Greg West. He's putting on his headphones right now. He should Hear us. If it sounds like it's a lot of fun here, it is. If you are a registered Republican, come on down to the Cumberland County GOP headquarters. We are located at seventeen seven Owen Drive. The whole holiday in Bordeaux. That's exactly right. Come on over to the the side door, somebody'll let you in. We've got food, we've got fun, we've got candidates. Come on in. Yeah, what did I describe it as last night? If you went to you used to cheat on your wife, this is where you would come to the hotel. bro. Anyway. Come on. Mr. West, you know damn well I'm gonna have some colorful commentary on something. So welcome to joining us this evening. I'm glad to see you here. thanks for bringing the grub. Appreciate that. I'm happy to do it. I wanna thank these volunteers for all they've done for the many months leading up to tonight. So it's exciting time. So when did you start campaigning really? Well, I just told somebody, Franklin Crockett's over there, and I said, you know, haven't had to worry about this since July when the school board files. Yeah. We fought in December, so it's been on my mind since December and kind of been ramping up to it crescendo today and I f I feel good, based on what I was see I saw out there in the conversations I had. good. So I had Judge Michael Byrne on just a few minutes ago. I asked him, I'll ask you too, did you see any extremes out there at the polls? Anybody that knew enough about the races to be fired up and maybe angry or happy at ya? No, there wasn't any angry or happy. There was there were real conversation where people knew some issues okay and if you got past the hey I'm Greg West running for county commissioner, my spiel my elevator pitch and then I said, is there any questions you have? And they're like, wow and then they said, Yeah, let me ask you about this or ask you about What was the number one question you got? mostly about the school closings and why, you know, about that all that went on with that. Mm-hmm. Earlier this year I guess. Talking about the school closings, the consultants recommended and well, 'cause you sat on the school you sit on the school board now. Correct, so you were involved. Aren't you the chair? Yeah. Not now. I've been chair five times while I've been on the board, but you know, we've we're at eighty two percent occupancy, so the for the listeners, they just we've got more schools than we need and we had to make some hard decisions to close them. But when I was able to articulate why people are like, I get it, that's I I'm fine with that. I understand. So It was neat. what else? You know what's and we won't solve this tonight. There was a lot of people that were at the wrong polling place. Mm-hmm. Wrong they would come in, go in and then come right back out and I gotta go over here, over here. That's troubling that and some people said I don't have time now. Yeah. To vote. Yeah. And so I hope they were Democrats. That's a joke. Just joking joking. Well, I'll say it non jokingly. I hope no. yeah, no, it is disheartening. So having worked those precincts and all as on the Board of Elections side, it is disheartening because people don't have you know, they're thinking, Let me take fifteen minutes and go in and vote and now you gotta go across town. Yeah, there weren't any lines today. It was and it was it was a little weird this morning because early voting was so busy because you just have seven. And then it was a slow trickle today and so you're like, wow, turnout's slow, but I really don't know what turnout's like. so we'll we'll we'll find out. Well and I I mentioned earlier that I did I helped give some lunches out to some volunteers. So I was driving around the polls as well. I didn't see much activity. I didn't see a lot of poll workers and I didn't see a lot of citizens. I think it speaks to what we're hearing is the indifference or the in lack of enthusiasm maybe for this election cycle. Because there weren't lines and the poll workers were short there were more way too many signs. What do you think? What do you what do you think you attribute that to you? Is it lack of caring, not caring what's going on, too busy working, lack of good candidates? What do you think? Probably a little bit of everything. I I think there was no exciting candidates except no, I I was gonna say except me. But there weren't too many exciting candidates. You can self angrandize a little bit. You can say I was the most exciting candidate out there. Well, yeah. Well I worked hard and and had a lot of support and so I'm I'm grateful for that. And I feel the pressures you when you're a candidate to deliver tonight because you're gonna let a lot of people down. yeah. So that's in the back of my head. But but no. you know, Cody Sharpless is standing over there talking to Henry Tyson. Okay. He's in the home building business and they're off half from last year. So I think the interest rates, are we at war? Are we not at war? We're in a military community. That issue, you know, the Trump Trump piece, whether he's on the ballot or not. this is definitely a referendum about the current administration. All the midterms are. Midterms are, yeah. and so but I've always run on a midterm and I've won six straight elections in Cumberland County as a Republican. This the first time it's been beside my name. The school board was nonpartisan. So that changed the dynamic for me a little bit. because I knew I was having good conversations with people and right next to me, after me, the Democrats were handing out the slate card and my name wasn't on it. And so people will look to you most people will look at you and smile and to your face and act like it's insinuate or act like they're gonna vote for you. But clearly everybody didn't vote for me. So, and the results aren't even in yet. I just know I know they didn't, but Well you can't win everybody. And what was give me one or two things that you were campaigning for. I mean you didn't just do this because you wanted another office, another accolade. What what was your your reason for being I kind of articulated this over the early voting period. I've served on the board of education and I ran because nobody on the board had kids in school. Right. Everybody's heard me say that for ad nauseum. My kids are grown and gone now. The youngest is in college, so I still want to keep serving and there's just the breadth of what the county commissioners cover. I understand education, but from obviously the tax issue, keeping tax as as low as we can bu while providing essential services. But the public safety component, the parts and recreation component, the economic development po component, the data center component. Yeah that yeah. Those data centers. You had to go there, didn't you? Yeah. everybody else is talking about it, why can't I? You can I just I'm ugh I'm just Well I said Laura one You were the only one that gave a good answer in my opinion. Well thanks. What was it? He had said that it's one component in a myriad of different things for the economic development of Cumberland County. I said if we spend the next two years just always talking about data centers, we're gonna miss an opportunity to grow our economy and they're a small part of it. Mm-hmm is what I said. And obviously we need to support the moratorium while we figure out what we want to do and what terms we're going to invite them here and they obviously they need to pay their own way. We need to be better because they're here. They're environmentally, economically, grid infrastructure, all that. So I think that'll happen. We'll figure that out as other communities do and and will. But I saw a graphic on WRAL. It's like Virginia's got six hundred and we've got like a hundred and fifteen or something. It's a crazy graphic. Well i it goes look, we have to take care of our neighbors, we have to have the environmental stuff handled. We gotta have the noise and the pollution. If there's pollution, whatever has to be mitigated. But some of that unfortunately falls outside of what the county can regulate. Right. They're legal and we just need to figure out what parameters we can set and just try our best to encourage them to go where we want them to go. Like an industrial park or two that's right half full that we have. So I think we can incentivize the behavior we want to have happen. Well, I've just got to understand it. Clearly I've I've been on the I've on the education spectrum and I'm I know enough to be dangerous about all the other topics I just mentioned. So hopefully it's a data center would contribute quite a bit to our tax base. Totally. And they don't use totally so they they do use they use electricity and water. But they pay the as long as they're paying their own way, I'm all in. But they don't have kids in school. Who cares if they got kids in school? Well, because then they're paying taxes that pay for schools that they don't have children. Their value f what the value of the property on the little bit of land they take is pretty incredible, from what other communities are sharing. So, like I said, I've got a lot to learn. Well, if I'm fortunate enough to be your county commissioner for the next four years, I've got a lot to learn and I'm excited to get in there and help figure it out. I one of the I don't know what employment all the candidates have. I think I know Ron's retired. I don't know what the other two do, but I'm the only one to actively employed. yeah. Yeah. But as far as I can tell. And, you know, we've got I run a construction company and I've got a payroll to meet and I've got a lot more to give. So I hope I get the opportunity and people saw that. in in me as a candidate. I hope I got the message out. We worked hard, raised good money, I thought was spent it well with you know mail, social. It's it's hard to know the correct alchemy of what you need to do in a campaign. It's j it's very hard to communicate with everybody. It really is. So So Mr. West, we're gonna take a five minute break here, our first break of the evening, we're gonna take five minutes and like to have you back on. We're gonna be speaking to Board of Elections around eight fifteen. They're about to do a data dump. So we're gonna take five and for everybody watching, we'll be back right at eight PM. Thank you. See you soon. Okay, well thank you for joining us back here at the cabinet after a five minute break. I think we need to take a ten minute break next time, Jim. That was way too quick, way too quick. So joining us right now is Shemika Bethay. She is the president. You can put your headphones and stuff. Yeah, so you can hear us. Yeah. Yeah, it's been a minute. Yeah, you know, returning to the cabinet, I should say. she she walked through the door, I'm like, Mika, come here. So but yeah, so you are the president of Cumberland County Republican Women's Club. Yes. Still? Yes. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. go ahead and pull that microphone towards you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's it is kind of noisy in here. It's kind of lively. It is. And it's good to see so many people out. Yes. it's lively. I like to see lively Republicans doing what we do best, eating and running our mouth. Let's let's quantify. I like to see lively, productive Republicans. I don't like to see Republicans acting behaving badly. Absolutely. Absolutely. I was gonna do some clips tonight, but I I was told that if I run YouTube clips while I'm live, it could flag me. and get shut off. But I was gonna do all these like Democrats behaving badly stuffs, but I I I I couldn't do it 'cause my Claude told me no. Well, I'm glad that you listen to Claude. I do. Sometimes now do you use Claude or chat? I use chat. I don't know. You use chat? So you want a cheerleader is what it is. 'Cause chat'll say anything you come up with is a good idea. Well no you can put direction in there. Yeah, I I know how to prompt. So I took some classes and so I'm familiar with prompting and and redesigning things, so Well I told a friend today I said, Well what you need to do is tell it to act like Peter. no. Yeah. no. So if you want it to act like a dick, you say put in act like Peter and then it'll give you the candid answer. You know what, Peter, I always tell you this and I Said again, I am so glad of your progress because you are not like the man that I that we nominated about four years ago, yeah. I have changed quite a bit, I'll admit that. Good influence, right? Yeah, yeah, I had some good people around. I sure did. So so Shemika, what what did C C R W C I know you guys do a tremendous stuff you know for elections and all, but what did your club focus on or what was a big thing this election cycle that y'all helped out with? Well our goal this year coming in was to concentrate mostly locally and so we did a lot of engagement on the ground for is going outside our box we did a l we actually participate in in the What was that called? the Juneteenth celebrations in both. we all actually we actually went out to Godwin. and it's almost like you didn't go to places where people expect Republicans to We didn't. And you know, you would be surprised how many people we were able to engage with and actually have those conversations and especially with racial tensions, right? And they always classify why our unaffiliated our the unaffiliated group is is arising and is surpassing both Republican and they are and they are trending conservative. They it is I I hate to label it Republican Democrat. I think conservative or crazy liberal or DSA. I mean it's th the the middle Democrat is being eroded by the Democratic socialist type crazy crazy town people. Absolutely and I think that people are leaving the parties 'cause they don't want to belong to nothing. And and my my stance and the people know that that my stance is always kingdom. I'm always talking about God and and talk and and if I could have it my way, I would have the people that are called to work in politics, meaning establish policies and do all these things. We will be the Democrats and Republicans and everybody else will be unaffiliated and we will actually have to come up with policies and actually compete instead of and actually tell the truth about what is going on. and so I feel like Cumlin County is is doing a good job for people's for the the average person that's not politically engaged all the time consuming of saying, you know what, we're gonna w we're not necessarily sold on the Republicans, but we know that we're not Democrat and we gotta opening our our ears are open to find out what is truth and what is good and support our conservative values. Well, I hope you can continue the good work. I know you You you gained a PhD in the last year or so. So you've been I did, I've been working. I keep forgetting to call you a doctor. But one of these days I'll remember. But thank you so much for joining us. we're gonna turn now to we got about ten minutes before I we give a call to the Board of Elections. Awesome. To get the first kind of opinion what's going on down there. So go have some food and just circulate. Say hi to everybody, since I caught you right in the door. Hello. Thanks, Shmika. Thanks for joining us. okay. Well, always good to grab people when they walk right in the door and surprise them, you know. But let's see, we got some more people filtering in. Do you see anybody we should talk to yet? I've seen a bunch of people. Brian Moore who just came in. Okay. Candidate for school board. Candidate for school board, good. we still have LaRue Windham. So yeah, I spoke to LaRue, I spoke to Mr. Ron Ross. so yeah, we have quite a few people to talk to. let's run down. So if we're doing such a good job, just out of curiosity, just play Devil's advocate of in engaging our people to be Democrats, Republicans, whatever, then why is our voter turnout so low? You know, I think a lot of that I don't know if there's anything that anybody locally can really move the needle. I think this election was defined a lot by kitchen table issues, the what I feel of the gas pump and the grocery store, and I think people in midterms are generally just apathetic. I I don't know. I don't know. give me give me an idea. Okay. People talk about the way it feels with the gas pump or whatever. You have to realize that inflation is year over year. They're prices are never gonna go down again, ever. What we need to do is increase people the income that you're so we had nineteen percent in inflation rate when Biden was there and we're down to two and three percent what under so the prices are still going up, yes. However, they're going up slower. They're going up slower. That's correct. But that still sucks when you go pay four dollars a gallon. Now we did our state of North Carolina, wink wink, nudge nudge, we had that gas tax repeal of forty one cents a gallon. And we said last night, I think last year it was what four we're still over last year, yeah. It was two seventy six last year. This year it's three twenty is the average gallon, but but it still wasn't as expensive as it was when Biden was in the office. No, it was not. And People need to understand these things take time, but it's still very difficult to make people understand while all the while they're paying more and struggling harder. And unfortunately, no matter who's in office, that's just it's not the role of government for me to make more money. That's correct. Well they can if they in they increase the minimum wage. They could, but that just means the The people that make above minimum wage are gonna have a people on fixed incomes get hurt the most. Absolutely. So I'm gonna refresh the state board of elections. I don't see any results yet. damn. So they're they're lagging. So we have about six minutes until we're joined by board member Irene Grimes for a live update. There's Judge Tyson. I see Judge Tyson, yes. So if you're a Republican, come on down here. We probably have hundred people in this room. Yeah, yeah. It is growing. It is this is amazing too. Thank you, Greg West, who sponsored the food. It is from Southern Coles. So we've got barbecue, we've got chicken, we've got the what's it called? The the the cornbread. No, the cornbread the cornbread is good as heck. And so is the what's it called? Macaroni and cheese. yeah mac and cheese. Mm-hmm. Make it fat kid twitch. I like it. Okay. well Our producer Jim abandoned us, so I guess I'm in control of this thing. Well there's Leonard. You were asking about him earlier. So that's our volunteer coordinator. Do me favor and snag snag Leonard. Leonard. Nothing like a Papas Run show that's all disorganized, people, but you know what? We're having a lot of fun doing it. We have the local g get over here on camera so I don't have to introduce you incorrectly, sir. So we're being joined by Mr. Leonard Bryant. He is with the Frederick Douglass Foundation of North Carolina. Go ahead, put those headphones on and pull that microphone towards you. Did you steal his headphones again, Jim? Okay. I need to get you your own headphones. We can afford another pair of headphones, man. Obviously not. We only have three. Well, maybe I can afford them. I just didn't bring them. Okay. So There you go. How about now? I can hear. Okay. So, Mr. Leonard Bryant with Frederick Douglass Foundation, North Carolina. You are the what's your title now with the organization? some guy. I don't know. You're just some dude. Yeah, I know you're more than just some dude to us. Yeah, yeah. I'm a regional engagement. So I got the middle of the state pretty much from Orange County all the way down to Robinson County to reach out to to b pretty much first the Republican Party and the count the county chair. So I've go ahead. What's the role of the Frederick Douglass Foundation in North Carolina? So the Frederick Douglass Foundation is a non profit. Its purpose is to engage the African American community with conservative values. Pretty it's pretty simple. Okay. Okay. So what kind of progress or what what What have you seen in Cumberland County specifically? This is our home, so we want to talk about it. Sure. have you do you feel like you've made some progress? Do you feel like you've turned some minds a little bit? You know, I think that that the party has. So I don't I wouldn't be, you know, foolish enough to say, Hey, you know, my work as the liaison or or the the engagement coordinator has put a big dent in turning the tide for African American conservatives or minority conservatives in the Rogue Republican. What I will say is that when I was at the county fair volunteering that there were quite a few African Americans who came up to me young single, African American woman came up to me with three or four kids and said, Hey, give me your information because some of the stuff they're doing I can't You know, I I e you got well You might know or not know the Holland O's song. I can't go for that. So that's the song that she was singing. I am old enough, sir, to know that song. Never never heard of it. I don't know what you'd have. Okay, but yeah. So yeah, that's the party's making a dent. there have been as you know, this area is is as as a white dude looking on the outside end, but where do black black Republicans fit in the Republican you know, so like I I feel like that we need to have outreach and say, look, guys, we got a good home for you and that that to me is the the the value of Frederick Douglass Foundation and plus it was founded in North Carolina, wasn't it? Well th I I'm not sure about where it was founded. I know that we have a chapter in North Carolina. I know that at one time We were part of a a larger organization and we broke away from it. We've had a clash of ideologies, so we had to be able to my God, Republicans with different opinions? Say it isn't so, sir. That never happens. Hey, at least you're allowed to have a difference of an opinion if you're a Republican, but if you step out of the box as a Democrat, you're out. You step off that Democrat plantation dog, you're you're in trouble. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Unfortunately that's we welcome all what do they call what they call Unc Uncle Tom Tom's, is that right? Uncle Tom Well they they they they go Is that the is that what they call okay? We welcome you're welcome. Well that's a little bit pass it. That's a little bit yesterday. So if you so what is the word coon and another word. So that sounds familiar. Didn't our mayor say that the people that were detracting from him were Coonin? Yeah. Remember that? yeah. Yeah. So Okay. Well yeah. All the Coons and the Uncle Tom's are welcome with the Republican Party. As long as you keep your conservative values, Christian, believe in God, no girls and boys sports. Come on over. We'll we'll take you. And leave the boys' appendages alone. And you don't have to agree a hundred percent as long as you're sixty five percent or more you're in. That's a that's a Can I get seventy? No. I want seventy percent. Sixty five. All right, all right, sixty five. Okay. So well Mr Bryant, thank you for joining us. We'll definitely come back to you later on in this evening as we have results coming out. Yeah. So With that, we're gonna go grab somebody else out of the crowd. Sounds good. Yeah, buddy. You can grab me again if you want. Okay. Thank you, Leonard. Appreciate it, sir. Okay. so I'm not very comfortable saying that. What? Coon. Coonin. Coonin. Coonin. No G. Don't hit it with the hard G. Coonin. Yeah. It's yeah, you can't say Like Conan? I don't think that that's a nice way to say Well, I'm just saying. And, you know Mayor Colvin use it on his own folks. I d I think that's rude. so can I be rude and ask you, maybe go wrangle the next guest? Who do you who do you want? tell me who you want. let's see if I don't know who wants to get out of here first. Do you think Judge Tyson would come or maybe his son Henry? That's I both of I've I told Henry or Commissioner Tyson already. I'm not sure about Judge Tyson though, but I'm in the meantime I'm gonna try to get Ms. Grimes on the phone. I'm gonna give her a text right now. Okay, it is eight fifteen, yes. It is, it is, it is. So if we could go to one camera so that I can get off the c the screen, that would be great. Okay. Our our our our our our our I'm gonna mute for just a moment while I get her on the phone. Ms. Grimes, good evening. This is Peter Pappas calling from the Carolina Cabinet. You are live live on air. I am good. I hope you are. I'm here too. Laura Musler's here. And so and we also have a guest of the County Commissioner, Tyson. yeah. Hey Ring. You're you're hi, how are you? You are on everybody. So glad glad to have you join us. So has any data come in from the Board of Elections yet? No, not yet. And even if it was, we can't release it until eight fifteen. It is eight fifteen. It's eight seventeen. Thank you, Laura. but it the results are st just starting to come in. We're still processing absentee ballots, so it's gonna be a little while. Okay. And my understanding is that Spring Lake hasn't closed yet. So Yeah, we have to have voters in line. Yeah, we had a comment from Ms. Carol Ollinger a little earlier that said that Spring Lake was very busy. and I thanked her for the input. what's the general mood down there, Board of Elections? Are we moving right along, humming right along nice and smooth or have we hit some stages? Yeah, it's election day. We're happy. It's y'all's it's y'all's Super Bowl, that's for sure. Well, we had a couple a couple of glitches though, so a couple places were open forty five minutes. Wha what was that all about? I I don't understand the question. What there was some place in North Carolina I think that they it wasn't in coming in Carolina. yes, yes. No the wasn't in Cumberland County. it was one of them was Hertford County I believe. They had some equipment issues so they opened late and that's why the state decided they may close late. Okay. And and that's why they're delaying reporting. Okay. Okay. But no problem so far in Cumberland County. Everybody was smooth sailing today. Yep. Did we have any fights at the polls? Anything? Anything anything juicy you can tell us about? I I did get a I did get a couple election integrity calls calls. Okay. Okay. Well, we'll deal with those when we hear about But for right now, everything's calm, everybody's happy, everybody's working hard. Excellent. Excellent. Well, thank you for taking a few minutes just to update us. I'll I'll communicate with you a little bit and see when we can maybe have you on after. So when should we expect the first dump of data? I at this point. Think I don't think you can expect anything in the next hour. Okay. I think it's gonna take a minute. Okay. All right. Well keep at it. Keep you know, remember one and one makes two, not three. Stop talking stop talking to us and get to work. Yeah, yeah. All Get to work, ma'am. Thank you for joining us. Bye bye. So joining us is County Commissioner. County Commissioner Henry Tyson. Hello, hello. District two. He is not the at-large guy running tonight. He is not running for anything tonight. I am large, but not at large. He's large. So Commissioner Tyson, you joined us on the show a couple weeks ago, I feel like. And Jim, are you seeing some issues? I don't know. Anyway, so Commissioner Dyson, you joined us a couple weeks ago for some get out the vote type of thing and you stressed the importance of why Fayeville and Cumberland County Republicans needed to go to the polls this time around. What were some of the things that are high on your list that we want to see continue and that would stop if we changed the state of the commission as it is now? Yeah, I mean, so you know, coming into office two years ago, the the word that I would use to describe Cumberland County is behind. Okay. And that's what I've told everybody. we were behind in our school infrastructure investment, behind in our water and sewer investments that we were making, behind in our public safety investments, our salaries among Pier Counties were lagging with our law enforcement personnel. so when you look at all that, we really had some opportunity to come in and and make some course corrections and really right the wrongs of of some of the directions we were heading. And so I'm really proud that we've made some strategic investments in our education system. You know, the board's funded six hundred and ten million dollars in deferred maintenance and new school construction. but we also work with the school board for those dollars to be held accountable. So the school board had to come up with a facility assessment program. and Okay, that's gonna be a problem. hang on just wow So for your heating and air needs, don't call Cumwing County. man, that we could we couldn't plan it better than that. Okay. So do you think that's gonna happen again or maybe. I don't know. Okay. So Commissioner Tyson, you you mentioned six hundred million dollars in capital improvements that you were able to find for the schools. collectively the commission found it to fund it. Now is that all of it or was there a little more that they asked for? So we were actually they had originally asked for four sixty. Okay. For this tranche. the assessment that they did came back with over eight hundred and nine million. Okay. Okay. so, you know, quite a almost a billion dollars in deferred maintenance in our facilities. And so what we did is we said, look, if you want us to fund the request that you're gonna make for capital, which is one of the jobs of the county, you're gonna have to go back and do a serious look at your school utilization rates. You gotta look at a consolidated assessment for do we need all these facilities? They had almost a hundred buildings in their inventory. That's a lot. And when you look at the the membership rates in our public school system, they're nowhere near the ten year historic. Mm-hmm. So it was okay, what's our ADM? What's our utilization? And then how can we effectively look to Okay, let's back up, let's do some English. A DM, average daily membership. Membership. Okay. And utilization means how many kids? Okay. So there were several facilities that were at fifty percent or below on their utilization rate. Okay. Which means, hey, only fifty percent of the school's maximum population is being utilized. Okay. So the school board did what they told us they would do. They came back, they looked at that assessment and they agreed to some school closures and to re looking at some operations. So we in in return fund fully funded their capital requests. Okay. Okay. Same way with their operations, you know, we went in the the Board of Commissioners hadn't done strategic planning in over three years when we came into office. So there was no strategic goals and strategic plan for the county. Okay. So we came in, we held a session, we said, look, we want to be a regional leader in everything we do. We're the eight hundred pound gorilla in the region, so we should be the leader in ever in everything. So we looked to fully fund the operation budget of the school system, but also we're I can now say we have the highest local supplement in the 14 county region. our school system. Excellent. And that that's that's investing in the classroom, that's investing back into our teacher population. And we've seen the difference in the swing because our recruitment and retention on educators has gone way up since we were able to really fully fund that supplement. so that's that's an initiative I've been proud of that we've worked hard on. I I wouldn't want to see us go back the other way 'cause we know the results of that. Right. Water and sewer infrastructure the same way. Well wait a minute, before you leave the school thing, I heard you're a land baron now that you're buying properties for one dollar. Yeah, can I get some of them one dollar these I want a one dollar property. Well can you explain to people what that what that is about? So so the county is tasked by the state to fund capital needs for the school system and to fund its operational budget. It does get funding sources from the state directly and from federal programs, but that's the chief mandate it gives the county. So when you look at the new discussion on the new EE Smith that got approved, $160 million for a new high school, that initiative will be funded and paid for by bonds that are issued on behalf of the county taxpayer. Okay. So the county taxpayers are paying for these facilities to be built. So the logic is if if the county taxpayers already paid for it once, then when the school system gets to the point it doesn't need it anymore. It reverts back to the county for a dollar. Sure. Because the the the people of Cumroon County have paid to build that school. But the schools aren't selling it to you for a dollar. No, they're trading. It's already exhausted its use. That's right. And it's gotta go back. But the dollar is for what? Just the contract, right? That's it. You just have to have consideration for a contract to be binding. So the dollar just makes that consideration. Yeah. So now what happens to those properties now? So one of the things we've done as a board is we formed a task force and committee of community leaders and professionals that are coming together and looking at the inventory of these schools and coming up with recommendations, whether it's commu new new community rec centers, whether it's turning it over to the private sector and seeing if we can recoup some of that investment. whatever those strategies are, the board's gonna get a report back from this task force that's gonna look to make that recommendation. So you're not a land baron. Not not on the counties down. Yeah, just because he's in commercial real estate doesn't mean he gets those deals. That's you know, I I love the insinuation we see on Facebook and stuff like that. So yeah. so we all say who who that's from though. Yeah, yeah. Well, you know, look, everybody's got an opinion just like something else they have. So now but now you can go on to Solomon. I just had to get that out of the way for those people that are saying things like that. Sure, sure, sure. So and I see Commissioner Patel just walked in, so I know you're gonna be looking forward to talking to him. Absolutely. So I don't I won't steal all of his thunder, but yeah, water and sewer infrastructure, I think everybody knows kind of the history on that. 1960s, there was rural grant dollars that were given down by the feds to rural counties, which Cumberland County was at the time, to look to put in w water infrastructure countywide. Harnett County looked to do that, Sampson County looked to do that, all of our pier counties around us did that. But Cumberland County said no. Yeah. And I know you know all too well that was not the right move. It wasn't, but we didn't know. We didn't know, we didn't know back then, Commissioner. And that's I say damn it. Take it. Yeah. So so now, fast forward, our estimates to do a countywide system is two to two and a half billion dollars. Right. And that's a lot of money. And so but when we look at that, we've also got a contamination issue, which is a huge a health and human services issue that we have to address in a big portion of our county. Right. And a lot of people think that this is a rural county problem, but it's a city of Fayetteville problem too. Well we're no longer an ur we're no longer the rural community. That's right. Wasn't that what the requirement for those old grants was anyway? That they had to be a rural it a US D A. USDA says well you're no longer rural. You're urban. So you're urban, baby. So So so we just our partners at P W C just broke ground on a granular filtration plant. Right. Well what that does is that filters out PFAS. Mm-hmm. So a lot of people don't know. They're like, I'm in the city, I'm good. No, no, no. There's PFAS in your water. Yeah, the sure. And it's not filtered out yet. Yeah. So but they don't like to talk about that. But well it's gonna help with Even at the chamber when we discussed making that a priority for the government relations, it was we don't wanna say we have dirty water, we wanna say we need to get clean what was Safe regulated regulated drinking water. That was that was the the the buzzwords. But the lawsuits over now, so we don't have to have but they it doesn't seem like they paid out much, but we'll we'll get to that in a later later discussion. But commissioner, thank you for joining us. Can I ask one more question? I know that for a while you were working on with social services. for the consolidation. Right. Yeah. So the board took a look at that. We asked for some financial feedback on that. We actually had Dr. Nikodem come from the UNC School of Government that briefed the board. there was a lot of resistance from the community. I think there was a lot of unknowns about what we were trying to accomplish. What were you trying to accomplish? consolidated governance so that we could streamline some of that governance process. So the way it works right now is our social service and our health department is governed by that board. And so the county appoints to that board, but it's it's an independent board that has purview and review. so we all know there's health and human service challenges that we have in in in this community. And so I think the board having more direct input and more direct guidance, we wouldn't necessarily do away with the other boards in in that particular model, but they would become more of an advisory board as opposed to a governing board. Okay. Well in DSS I mean not for nothing. The county that is a large expense of the county. Number one. And two, they do receive a lot of federal money that is basically not under our I wanna don't want to say control, but our visibility. Yeah. So it's one so one point eight billion dollars across all funds. I mean if you want transparency in your government, why don't we just bring them all under one umbrella so we can we can do that. So that would be my goal. Yeah. Okay. Well, Commissioner, keep fighting the good fight. Thank you for joining us. We'll have you back probably in the nine to ten o'clock hour. So thank you for being here. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. So that was sitting commissioner Henry Tyson joining us for a few minutes. So it's getting crowded in here, Laura. I told you, if you're a Republican, come on down. Seventeen seven Owen Drive, Fayeville, North Carolina, the old holiday in Bordeaux. Mm-hmm. I wonder if we're ever gonna know this place enough to where we don't have to keep referring to it as the Holiday Inn Bordeaux. No. The the the former No It'll always be the former The artist formerly known as Prince. That's exactly right. That's what it is. It's branded and it's not going nowhere, I guess. Thank you very much. Okay. So I just got a screenshot from somebody. You know, I this is pretty tough when everybody knows you and they're sending you messages and things, but let's see if I can find we need to swap me and Laura's mics. What? Yeah, w that's between that's just for us. Yeah, we need to swap these mics 'cause the guest one isn't picking up so much of the room. Okay. So See, I don't even know what tab I'm in here. That's okay, so I just got a screenshot from a friend of mine where there has been a data dump statewide. Kemberly Hardy leading David Rouser, 64 to 34 percent from the early vote dump, but that is not including Cumberland County. And Richard O'Hada leading or Richard Ojada leading Richard Hudson, eighty one to eighteen. That's not going to hold. I don't think that's going to hold at all. There's no way. That's that is wild. So that that could be the state can we pull up the state? So let's see what the state has so far. Okay, so if I just go state and refresh. Okay. So what do we have? there we go. Okay, so precincts, so US Senate, Roy Cooper leading Michael Watley, seventy one to twenty six percent. yeah, that's where that came from. But there it it says precincts reported zero of twenty eight. So it's these are preliminary numbers. There's one possible quarter of a precinct. Well, this is definitely this is statewide and this is definitely from absentee mail in ballots and early vote totals. So it's still very, very early in the evening. It's only eight thirty. board member Irene Grimes did tell us that maybe what another hour, nine fifteen, yeah, for Cumberland County. we're slowing. We got a long way to go. I mean, even like look at this, our own Senator Tom McGuinness is being is trailing Mr Paul Taylor fifty eight to forty one. And Mr. Taylor didn't really run a race that we saw. so Anyway, let's see what else we got here. The these numbers are not even look, Mike Wolf is gonna win his race. He's got a hundred percent of the vote. How about that? That's because he's the only one running. There you go. Janine Ackles leading. Ms. Diane Wheatley, fifty-eight to forty one. Don't laugh. I'm sorry. These numbers are not let me say this. This is not real life. This is this is imaginary stuff. But hey, you know, good thing to note, Mr. Charles Smith got a hundred percent of his votes, and so did Francis Jackson. They are unopposed. But they're they're there. let's see. Steve Stokes, seventy five percent to Rob Hasty's twenty five. Jim, can you can I share this and you can put this up on the monitor? You can let me try it again. Right, I'm sure. There it is. Okay. So call for gun raffle tickets. Ooh, gun raffle gun raffle tickets at the Republican Party co figure. I did have a strong objection from a Democrat friend of mine. She's like, What the hell are y'all doing raffling off guns? I'm like, What? We like guns. Yeah, it's a second amendment. Yeah, I said, What do you people do? She's like, We offer we we raffle off our children to see if they're gonna be boys or girls. Not locally, at least. I'm sorry. But no, she said I think Damn it, Laura. she said that they do pies. They sell pies. Bless her heart. I don't I don't know. I'd rather hair pies. I don't know, whatever. I don't know. Tony King, Judge Tony King got a hundred percent. She was unopposed. Frances Britt. I didn't even know this person was running. Did you even hear this name? We're not in her district. We're not? Okay, that's true. Sherry Mi Sherry Miller got a high. A lot of a lot of the judges were unopposed. Yeah, Tracy Henderson, that's one here, she won. So Siler Mack versus Strange, seventy one to twenty eight. Those are former guests. I see Representative Wheatley just entered the room. let's see, Rosalind Hood. maybe we can get Gail Morfestis to come sing the national anthem. You hush your mouth. You hush your mouth now. You just don't go there with me, ma'am. let's see. I'm not can I not instigate? You you know what? Just yeah, you you're getting ready to do Laura on the loose. You instigate there when your partner of crime shows up. I'm I'm gonna see if she'll sing for me. I still have to live in this community at some point. So do you. So I don't care. Yeah, I know, I know. So Troy McDuffie leading LaRue Winham, seventy one twenty eight, and school board. our own Not a good night for Republicans with early voting. Tom Hatch, Boxy Pone, and Jacqueline Brown leading in the top three spots. Mr. Brian Moore's at number five with our other Republican leading candidates taking very small pieces of the votes. I I didn't even see. Keep going. Where where is what are you looking for? that's school board. Yeah, school board. Yeah, yeah, school board. Okay. What do we do with soil and water? Soil and water. Let's see. Ellison Ellison, the perennial candidate, Yolanda Volt. I don't even know who these people are. Jeremy Stanley coming in fourth, Dwayne Waterford fifth, and Mr. Halichek all the way there at the bottom. Well Diane Chambers, she is a Republican too. Is she? Never seen her. I don't know who that is. She didn't show up to anything. Okay. Ballot measures. wow. require photo photo ID. So look. For the fifty. These numbers are not going to hold. They're not, but look at the preliminary. Usually the early voting lane's super Democrat. That's true. And so th fifty five percent for forty four against. That's a pretty wide margin. You would think that the Democrats, according to their people that represent them, they were like anti that. But yeah. Well, and despite Democrat efforts of the constitutional amendment with the maximum income tax rate of three and a half, look right there, sixty one thirty eight. Mm-hmm. So this is contrary to what I expected to see. Now I was opposed to the amendments about the tax levy limit and the income tax because I didn't feel like we needed to codify that stuff in our constitution. But look at those numbers. Fifty nine to forty for constitutional amendment. So that's that's pretty substantial. Okay. All right. Well, I just made you all eat your vegetables. It is coming up at eight thirty seven PM right now. Let us know in the chat what you want to talk about. I I see we have lots of people that have joined in or watching, so let's hear from y'all. What is the name of your guest? That was Greg West. Yes, that was Greg West. Yeah, Shimika grab that one. I'm not sure who Catherine is, but no, I I I kind of agree with you. We don't need to run behaving badly videos because we have seen way too many of them. So I'm I'm with you on that one. so hopefully y'all chime in, let us know what you'd like to discuss next. So Jimmy, you you you gotta gotta look. What do you what are doing? I told you to change the mics, don't break What are you doing? Okay. All right. well Lord, you wanna you wanna grab a candidate? Sure. See if I can find it's like shooting fish in a barrel in here. It's like, all right, well come on. There's Jeremy Stanley running for soul and water. Let's go grab him. Bring Mr. Stanley over. Let's talk let's talk to Jeremy, yeah. So joining us right now is Representative Diane Wheatley. she was running for re election and please tell me your district, 'cause I always get these numbers wrong. Forty three. And this will be your third term back in Raleigh. Fourth. Okay. I really need to do some homework. What do you think? I can't hear you. All right, hang on. Try that now. Can you hear me now? I sure can. Okay. Just like the sprint guy. Okay, buddy. So let's see. Kayla messaged us and said, see Cumberland County BoE results again. We will get back to that here in a few minutes, after we complete with that with Ms. Wheatley here. So how have you been? I have been busy. Okay. And and working hard and talking to a lot of our voters and you know. dealing with the elements as your face turns that wind blown drift. But yeah. You look like you've been out of the polls so I've been there, yeah. Absolutely. So what did you see out of the polls? What was part of today? Well there, you know, it was not as active as I had hoped for, to be honest. I noticed that too. Yeah. And we we people were you know Going in, voting, and leaving. They didn't want to talk a lot. it was a little different than in years past. So we'll see. Is it is that because of of the contentious races, or is it that you just wanted to get it over with? I think more they just want to get it over with. Okay, good. I don't think anybody really cared about any contentious races. Didn't hear anybody say anything about it at all. Right. Okay. Right. Well, So this time around, I know you've been doing good work in the legislature, but tell us about some things that you want to see continue when you're re-elected, if you're reelected. I'm re-elected. I I want to see us do a lot of work in the healthcare industry. We talked about that on your show when I interviewed before. I'm very concerned. I'm a registered nurse and I have been very concerned about again the cost of insurance. The treatments, how medicine is changing at n hospitals, because when you're sick you want to be seen and treated now. That isn't happening. So there's a lot going on in that part of his own. Well now the state doesn't have it so I just I I buy insurance on the exchange and I don't think the state has anything to do with that, but my insurance has now increased another three or four hundred bucks a month. Yeah, there's the insurance commission I think pretty much sets rates, giving a cushion to those that are elected. So I'm not quite sure as much of of of the rates as policy that we can affect that might, you know, do the reductions that, you know, just through savings and good treatment. Well we look forward to that, that's for sure. The kitchen table has been a big issue this election season. The legislature did pass what was it, one fifty two to one to repeal the gas tax? We did. Democrats didn't vote for that. Republicans did. How do they get away with that? How do how I don't How do they say, hey, this will be good for people? Don't do it. the same thing with all the amendments. They were against all of them and constitutional amendments. So we have a wide differences again and it's not good. So we just looked over some data from the state that dumped and it was early voting stuff like that. And contrary to what I thought, those amendments look like they may pass just with preliminary. And I would have thought with the onslaught of Democrat liberal voting in early voting that that would have been the opposite. So maybe their messaging didn't hold. It may not have and I think people started reading and I did have people ask me some questions about that and people go, There's your state legislator. Get her to tell you what we did that go get her. quite a few times. So it was good. So anything jump out at you today at the polls besides just being kinda quiet and you know? no. I just you know just glad it's over. i it's never as much fun you know having to stand outside all day even though you want to engage folks, but a lot of times they just wanna vote. I really don't like to approach people if they don't, you know, want to talk to me and you know, want it to be up to them and and offer information. So it it was Yeah, we're not the people in the panel vans with the candy. We want them to come to us. We don't want to, you know, we don't want to go and talk to anybody. That's right. Okay. Well Representative We have a panel then. I want a panel then. Do you have any more questions for Representative Wheatley at this time, ma'am? No, I do not. I'm just being a thorn. You really, yeah, sometimes, but God love her. And if it wasn't for Laura, I wouldn't be here tonight. So Well, we're glad you're here. Well, thank you for joining us for a few minutes this evening. I'm sure if you have the unfortunate luck of hanging out, we'll have you back a few minutes later. So thanks for being here, Representative. Thank you. So there you have it, Representative Diane Wheatley. quiet at the polls. Quiet at the polls. That seems to be the common theme. Certainly does. It certainly does. You are sounding better though. Am I? Yeah, you are. so let's see. We've got it's coming up on eight forty five right now. I'm gonna check for any releases of let me go to the how many county. Yeah, let's try this. We have numbers. No, but see, precincts reported okay, so this must be all the early voting for Cumberland County. All right, Jim, I'm gonna go ahead and share and that looks like the same numbers that we had for the state though. Well, I just changed it. Cumberland, all kinds of I'm just saying display did you do r display results? Yeah, I think. Okay. As long as you say Okay, we're in. Okay. Yay. Okay. Small miracles, small, small wins tonight. So Kayla and Kayla, we're gonna show you some results again. we are still waiting on Ms. Irene Grimes. Probably in about thirty minutes we'll call her back. So here we go. So Jim, is there any way you can make that larger on the screen or is that about it? Y yes, no? Hello? He's not paying attention to me. That's he doesn't have his headphones on. He can't hear us. Nobody pays attention to me. So whatever. top down we're Roy Cooper versus Watley, seventy-one twenty-six. let's see. I just want to bring it local right now. Apple White versus Dela Cruz. Venus held her own twenty-two percent. That's not bad. let's see, McGuinness Taylor is still off kilter. Mr. Colvid Course unopposed, Janine Ackles versus Wheatley, fifty eight forty one. That is not expected to hold. Francis Jackson, let's see. Yeah, these are similar numbers to what we had before. Right. but it did say that we had more people. So let's go to school board. That seems to be the other contentious one tonight. we have a commissioner race. Let's see. So Charles Evans and Veronica Jones leading currently with about seventy what is that? Sixty yeah, seventy percent of the vote. with all early votes in at this point. That's disheartening. looks like Mr. McDuffie will be our next sheriff, but we're not it's too early to call that. I was gonna say we we have zero of seventy seven precincts. You can't say he would be our sheriff, but I I think he's gonna be our sheriff again too, but that's beside the point. No change in the top three for Cumberland County School Board. Right. They are still the same three people, Mr. Hatchpone and Ms. Brown. So And let's see how our soil and water. We're going to be joined by Mr. Jeremy Stanley running for soil and water. He's now at number four. He's moving on up. He moved on up. One whole space. let's see if he he and Ms. Chambers can catch up to Volsey and Ellison. Let's see if they can knock them off. So let's go ahead and Jim, if you would go ahead and bring in Mr. Stanley. Go ahead. do I need to stop sharing? All right, there you go. Hey, hey. Hello. Mr. Jeremy Stanley. How are you tonight? Fine, how are you doing? Go ahead and pull that microphone way closer. It's way too loud. These Republicans, they're making a lot of noise. How's that? That's a lot better, sir. That's that that Luther Vandros going. Very nice. Okay. So what's going on? How was your how was your day today? What did you see? What did you accomplish? Did you just work today or no, I worked but I did ride around a little bit in between stuff and it was rather interesting. But the morning started out good with a number of Republicans texting me that they went and voted. Now there was throughout early voting nobody really text me saying that they voted, but so that was good. It started at seven and went on throughout the day, and even phone calls. So that's a good sign that we may see, you know Different results as the night goes on. Okay. Well, and as I said, we already elevated you from I think fifth to fourth. So, you're getting it some ground. Moving on up. So we'd like to see you continue doing that. so soil and water, why do I care? Well, they can actually work on the drainage and everything else around the county that would be good and get their own budget to help the the county commissioners. So what are a couple of programs that you'd like to see continue or started here in Cumberland County? Well the biggest one would be start working on cleanup of the rivers and the and the ditch lines throughout the county. What's it what's a ditch line? that's a drainage ditch. Sounds exciting. Tell me. Where do they run? Everywhere. Okay, how do I know a drainage ditch? Did I I'm I'm driving down the road. I I see water standing everywhere. What what what drainage ditches are you talking about? along the interstates, along the roads, everywhere you drive. You just you just stated it, it's a swell beside the road. And believe it or not, I would say sixty percent of the wetlands we have were created by just beaver dams throughout the county. And farmers have a right to, you know, take care of those beaver dams, but you have to find Mm-hmm. What does that mean take care of them? Break You send a guy out, from the mafia guy and they take care of him or what? Is that like Caddyshack where you go put some dynamite in there and pretty much. When when you own a far when you own a farm, you can buy dynamite. Okay. All right. What yet one more benefit of being in agriculture. That's not exactly so so it's it's okay for us to go and because the beavers don't get a permit, they just build wherever they want to build. They build and they block everything. So in your opinion, they have created wetland problem. Yeah, from the studies over Kermalin County and even by flying on a helicopter, you would be amazed how many, swells, ditches, drainage areas that are blocked just by piles of wood and everything like that. So by eliminating those, it's gonna naturally create more drainage. Okay. Okay. Okay, so tell me why does a a beaver build how much wood could a wood? Okay. Why does a beaver build a dam? Because That's how they catch their food. Okay. I never knew that. That's not So we're starving the poor beavers. Yeah. No. You need to you need to make sure you create a non profit to to save the beavers. Save the beaver. Protect the beaver. Okay. Well we're we're gonna have Peter Pappas go buy some land and all the beavers can go there. That way you can petpas is You will be the Cumberland County beaver petter. I am I am out of the beaver attraction business. One beaver from now on. And she's gonna kick my ass when she sees that part. So well, Jeremy, tell us anything else. anything interesting business wise or happen in the community that you've seen that you want to share with us? I mean, we we're from here generally, so it's like it's Well, there was a lot of signs put out last night that end up blocking a lot of people's signs. Imagine that miraculously. Yeah. there especially on the east side of the river. Mm-hmm. you know, it's a little bit worse than last delay. It is like it's short bus Olympics with some of this stuff. I'm sorry, but I look, it's a sign. They don't vote. Okay? Just let it be. There was a lot of lot of energy put into bringing attention to a possible racial issue over on Robison and Rayford Road Exxon. there was nothing racial. It was an idiot with a marker. That's all. So and don't tell me that that young man didn't spend more time in jail just because one of the people whose signs got defaced was a judge. Okay. Yeah, exactly. Sorry, you don't have to agree with that, but I'm just I'm calling it like it is, the way I see it. It was punitive. and the the young man had other charges. He was a homeless guy essentially. Yeah. From what I understood. I'm I'm curious about speaking about court cases. Anything you want to talk about? Was that for me? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, toss them to you, sir. you are our guests. Well well, I mean there's alleged, you know, things made allegedly. Yes. And there's witnesses that we can't disclose right now because of reasons. That assault charges was filed upon me, and assault charges was filed upon that candidate as well. was a complete lie for attentions, and matter of fact, it's the same candidate that had to sign trouble before. Yeah. you know, and it was free publicity for her, which it took me over an hour just to file the assault charges on her. And imagine the magistrate, Al Ellis. That put the wrong name down. Excellent. So I had to go back the next day because I was nice enough to write in blue ink. He wrote in black and got told after being there for a hour that he must have just mistyped it in by only putting the candidate's middle name first in middle and left off the last name. I hate it when that happens. Well, this candidate certainly is no stranger to legal trouble. We've seen things circulated from some packs in North Carolina detailing her extensive criminal record. And we'll just let you guys have your day in court and see see how this plays out. So Jeremy Well at least after she you know it came out, she did go on a twelve minute video online and openly admit it did happen. So she was nice enough to admit that. Thank you for your admission. Yeah too bad she didn't swear on the Bible on that one. But but she did say that it was a hard time in her life and I love Okay. So if I'm having a hard time in life, is it still a is it okay to go steal bread? No. If my family's starving. You see? That's that old moral dilemma. It's like, wait a minute, I don't care if you've had a hard time in life. Mo a lot of people have hard times in life and they don't resort to criminality. But I was a single mother of three children and couldn't sometimes didn't eat for days. So yes, I understand. I didn't write any bad checks. I didn't play Crimea River. But it's okay for her to try to run somebody over with a vehicle. Right. because she was well, she had a hard time. Yeah. The hard time gives you anger issues, I guess. Yeah, yeah. So Mr. Stanley, we appreciate you joining us this evening. We are gonna pivot. We've got it's coming up on wow, it's eight fifty six already. Wow. Wow, we've been doing this for an hour and a half already. Look at us. Gee, it doesn't feel like that. No. Not to me, maybe you being sarcastic and anyway. So Mr. Stanley, thank you for joining us this evening. We're gonna pivot. I think we're gonna take a five minute break. And we'll come back right after nine PM. So we'll see you back soon. you. Welcome back to the Carolina Cabinet. For those of you that are joining us just now. we just came back from our second break of the evening. And the mood here at GOP headquarters is very vibrant. People are excited. everybody's chomping at the bit though about results, results, results. I was just informed that Mr. Watley has already conceded his race. He's got thirty-six point nine two percent for the state. He's got one million and ninety-five thousand. Two hundred and thirty four votes and Roy Cooper has one million eight hundred and fifteen thousand nine hundred and ninety votes with tw eight hundred and twenty two precincts reporting out of twenty six hundred. According to the Duke Chronicle, I just was able to pull up that that for the first time in twenty years, North Carolinians have elected a Democrat to represent them in the US Senate. Former Governor Roy Cooper defeated his Republican opponent, Michael Watley. The Associated Press has called the race at eight twenty three PM. With fifty percent of the estimated vote in. So only with half the vote they're calling this race. At the time, Cooper led the state with sixty-seven percent of the vote compared with Watley's thirty-two. So sad night for the Watley campaign, but try harder next time, boys. What can we say? Get a better candidate. Yeah. you know, I I I I think we held back with Mr. Watley opinions and stuff like that, but I didn't. He was definitely not worthy of the nomination. we had Mr. Don Brown that would have been a more successful candidate. A hundred percent. And you know what? I don't even know if they were which one was better, but I did know that Mr. Brown put in the work and I never hesitated to speak. Mr. Watley seemed to have a a shield around him. Mm-hmm. You know, and carrying Donald Trump's water. And he was anti Donald Trump, so he just switched just to B. Yeah. But I I think my personal opinion, Michael Watley is an empty vessel. Mm-hmm. Unfortunately so, and that is gonna cost us now in the next two years of President Trump's agenda. strap in, guys, 'cause now that we did not send Mr. Watley to the Senate, and you're sending Governor Cooper who locked us down, kept us, invaded our invaded our our privacy, restricted us. You just put him in the Senate. The United States. And now the next two years of Donald Trump's agenda is gonna be marred with probably impeachment attempts and things, ridiculous attempts, but impeachment nonetheless, distracting from the important things that we need to get done in this country. let's see. So Jimmy, we don't have any results yet on the sheriff's race. We are going to in about ten minutes, we're gonna call Board of Elections and reach Mrs. Irene Grimes and discuss what results she's seeing. Pamela, this same boat, no local results yet. Thank goodness you were wow. She was only two hundred and twenty four at Cross Creek One at six PM. Well, that's that's telling. Yeah. See so much free food being given away to be stealing anything. Yeah, true. Okay. So Jim, can you get Mr. Windham? He's running for sheriff and he should be moseing around where is LaRue? He's he's directly he's talking to Pav and Patel right now. Can you Mr Windham? He's got the burgundy burgundy jacket. Burgundy jacket and the glasses. Yeah, we're gonna hear from Cumberland County Sheriff candidate, LaRue Windham. He's I'm gonna take a pea break while that happens. Okay. That's fine, do what you can do. Nature calls, baby. so still no update in Cumberland County. No. No, this is killing me. Smalls like Let's see. Got a lot of viewers, a lot of people signing in. I I I appreciate every one of y'all making this happen tonight. Okay, so Mr. Wendham, just go ahead and grab a seat, put those headphones on and pull that microphone. Jim, you might want to angle the microphone down a little bit so it's not right in their face. Yeah, there you go. There you go. I wanna see Mr. Wendham. Not yet, not yet. All right, try that again, Mr. Wendom. Chance one two nice one two. Listen to that, listen to that voice. First of all, I would like to say thank you so very much for letting Representative Wheatley take your spot. Well we had you sitting down a minute a moment ago. If you give me two more seconds, I at least could have warmed the seat up for Well yeah. Well, you definitely been traveling hot, I'm sure, today. So tell us, Jim, can you there you go. So Mr. Wyndham, this is what number that you've run for sheriff? Is this the second time you've run for sheriff? Second time I've been on. And what's different from the first time to now? With yourself, campaign, with the county? the campaigns are s are similar. Okay. voters were a little bit different. A lot of more voters were actually more receptive. especially the other party voters. Okay. Appear to be sitting there and talk to them, and you know, they like what you say, you give them your card. they can have conversation with you. You know, once again, you've got it both sides. You know, somebody will walk up and they'll Put the hand out and say, I'm good and blah, blah, blah. You let go on. Yeah. Yeah. But no, I had some great conversation with folks this time. some really good conversation. Okay. Well, what's changed in the county since the first time you ran? What's changed in the county? retention. They they're down so bad. You know, the detention center is runs at about thirty five, maybe forty percent. The SO runs forty five, maybe fifty percent. So, the detention center when when you down that amount of personnel is very dangerous for the workers. And I'm talking about civilian and detention officers. Well, I don't want to disclose the all that I know, but I was told I've got a source now telling me that there's certain equipment not working inside the jail, and that led to an officer being assaulted because they couldn't get doors open. That's does not surprise me at all. At all. And if that officer was inside there by themselves, right. That's a policy violation. I think it was a female officer and there was one inmate that was going to town. So somebody was trying to sexually No, but it's still, you know, it's assault is and look, I know the jailers are equally competent, male, female, I know they can hold their own, but it's still I I'm still of the school. That's not true. Females or female, you don't do that. So I I agree. One hundred and ten percent. I don't think women belong in men's prisons. Well women well, how else are we gonna smuggle stuff in if we don't have the women going in? Good point. Come on. We gotta they gotta have all packages of consciousness. Actually you've got males that can s smuggle issues. That's true too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Males should not be in women's prisons. Where there's a will, there is a way. That's all there is to it. Yeah, and and Laura's right, especially Laura with Priya, you're familiar with that, Prison Rape Elimination Act. Right. George Bush put that enacted at in two thousand and five. Okay. And when you catch a correctional officer or detention officer, no matter what the sex is, that's in that compromise position, there's charges there, they're felony charges. But even when I was with the Department of Corrections. Gosh, I don't ever remember seeing somebody that actually got charged with it. They were normally brought in and says, Look, if you resign and go on, we'll we'll drop. Well, because a felony charge in an officer, wouldn't that take away pension and other things? That would take away anything. You'd never get another job. Quite ruinous, yeah. Well, certainly hope that we see some progress on your election tonight. I do too. According to we got it, we got results in. We got results? We got results in. All right, let me share that. I I didn't make the video this just in. I should This just in. You always say it. Yeah, I should, yeah. Thirty six per point six thirty six point three six percent precincts twenty eight out of seventy seven for criminal. Or in is that what you're saying? Twenty eight of seventy seven. There we go. All right. So not looking good for the Republicans. We don't have to deal with Cooper Watley anymore. That's done. Unfortunately. So Kimberly Hardy still leading David Rouser in Cumberland County though. So let me let me say Cumberland County, Kimberly Hardy is leading Mr. Rouser, but their districts go well to the coast down to Wilmington. Same sad state for Richard Ojeda versus Hudson, seventy-eight-21. Anita Earl's in Cumberland County, leading 69 to 30. Mr. Byrne. earlier guest from this evening is sixty eight to thirty one percent Michael Byrne right now. I'll just go down to the the Mike Tom McGinnis. Yeah, who cares about all that? Yeah. We're gonna i i if Cumberland County is blue. Blue, blue, blue, blue, blue. Yes, yes. So work well let's for the McGuinness race and for Diane Wheatley. Well Diane we can stick on Cumberland County, but for McGuinness we need to switch to statewide so we can see. Right. but let's get down to some things we've had some requests on. a DJ request and dedication. Coming on now. Okay. So with about what did you say? About a third of the vote? A little more than a third. Well, it depends on which pre like look yeah, we've got twenty. According to these precincts right now, our new county commissioners at large would be Charles Evans and Veronica Jones, Greg West and Ron Ross trailing for right now. And that is twenty-eight out of seventy seven precincts. That's a lot of boats still outlaw. That is a crowd of votes. It is. We're not even halfway there, but Just saying what it is. No, I was just saying that. I've not not nothing against what you said. I just Mr. Windham, right now you're at sixty nine to thirty against Mr. McDuffie. Yep. Let's look at school. hatch Brown and so Brown has advanced to second place from third in the early voting. Broxy Pone has been knocked to third place. and now we have Brian Moore in fifth place right now. So Franklin we're not doing well. Tonight. It does not look good. Jeremy Stanley has jumped to number four, or was he at number four? He was at five and then he went to four and he's still at four. He's holding steady at four right now. And my cohort has finally shown up, even though she has ignored me all day long and I feel neglected and deprived of her attention. Some girls are like that, you know? They just, you know, down the nose, you know. now she's making faces. I don't know. And she's talking to me when I have headphones on. Who does that? Yes, ma'am. Well you better check again. We can't hear, but we see the mom face of disdain. So we're l we're reading lips. Yes, yes, we are. And I and eyes. Okay. Well, Quit blinking. Well, there we have it right now. I would say that Republicans are not faring too well tonight. We're not we're not doing a great job of bringing in the the big W's for tonight. So Mr Winnem, do you got anything you'd like to add? talk to your supporters or anything like that. Well, I'd I would like to appreciate everybody. my committee. They did a great job. mean worked really, really, really hard. Mm-hmm. all my supporters out there, the ones that voted for me, even the ones that didn't, you know. bet on the wrong horse, but several times a day. I wish you would have bet on the right horse. But anyway, the ones my supporters the ones that voted for me, thank you. Thank you, thank you, and thank you is all you know is what I can say. Well, and thank you to you, sir, for submitting yourself for the criticism and the attention of running a race in the county. It's not an easy proposition. Nope. And I do appreciate those that step up and actually run campaigns. Thank you. As you have. So with that I appreciate you being here. we're gonna go next to Miss Irene Grimes. We're gonna give her a call, get some updated just feeling for what's at the Board of Elections, we'll catch you a little bit later. Peter, thank you and Laura both. I appreciate it. Thank you, LaRue. Thank you, sir. All right. Well, as promised, I'm gonna go ahead and let me see if Miss Grimes is ready, ready for updates. Yeah, I I can't text and talk at the same time, so but so is your cohort here and ready to roll? She's walking. wait, sorry. So, anybody watching? Any questions, any comments? let us know in the chat. how are we coming through? Can you hear us at least? I don't know. There's a lot going on, so much going on here tonight at the GOP headquarters, seventeen seven Owen Drive here in the old holiday in Bordeaux. looks like the Wheatley crew is about to call it a night. Everybody, y'all have a good night. Thanks for being here. So Yeah, we're lose there people are dropping like flies. It's getting late. Yeah, yeah. Well hell I'm dropping like fly. I'm I'm tired. Yeah, some of us gotta be up early in the morning, some of us jobs. You what do you get up at ten? I try, yeah. Yeah, nice. Hey Jennifer, well thank you. I I definitely have a face for radio, so hopefully my voice makes up for that. You have a nice voice. I thought so. You know, there's some nice things about me. I say nice things about you all the time. When I'm around? No. I don't think I don't want you to think that I like you or something. Yeah, don't worry, I won't get a big head. So what are we? that is a good question. Tie it to this one. Flip the flip the So who haven't we had here? we need to hear from Mr. Brian Moore. We have Ron Ross actually. Ron, come on over. Come on over. Hop the hot seat. Yeah, you. You is there more on Russell's hands? And and then we had another candidate here that was also that I didn't know but Mr. Crockett. I don't remember. No. Yeah, there's a gentleman running for school board. Go ahead, put your headphones on, Ron. Was there another school board candidate here? Yes, there was. Mr. Crockett, but I don't know where he disappeared in the crowd right now. I'm still waiting on Miss Grimes to message me back. she said give me a few. Okay, so text me. Okay, so Jim, can you even read that? It's really small. Ron, go ahead give me a test. Test in one, two, three. Coming through alive. Alive, alive. Okay. Well, Jim, go ahead and switch us so we can welcome Mr. Ron Ross, Cumberland County Commission at large candidate. Ron, good to have you here, my friend. I'm glad to be here. So how was how was your experience today working the polls? Exciting. Okay. People brought their f kids with them, first time voters. People were excited. Okay, okay. So that's not what everyone else was saying, that it was dead out there. What you saw was something different? I did see something different. I was at three polls. I was at the Mass Hill Pole at nine o'clock this morning, had about forty or fifty voters turn out. Then I went to over to Grace Creek Middle School. It was kinda it was slower but steady. And then I went over to Pond Pond Recreational Center. Okay it was very steep. You said on the east side, it sounds like yeah. So so but you did see activity today. I saw I saw enthusiastic people. Okay, okay. We're getting reports that it just wasn't and I personally I saw some on the west side of Fayetteville that just was it was just sad. Yeah. People just I don't know if they're apathetic or if they really voted that many early voting that they just they weren't there today. And I certainly didn't see any a lot of poll workers on the west side. It was just kind of a sad turnout over there. Well poll workers I might agree with you, but the voters that turned out most of said they wanted things to be better and b and that's voting Republican. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Well, definitely something different, that's for sure. And so during your run, this is not the first time you run for county commission. You you constantly submit yourself for the punishment. And we appreciate that. I like it. So as your campaign has evolved, what has changed for you this time? I've gotten to appreciate poor probably the people that work the polls more. Okay. And also, again, the most important thing is that people vote. I mean, you may say we're not talking about Republican, Democrat, or independents, we're talking about people vote. If you really want to your vote is important and there's no unimportant votes. And and also I've got to I worked for the Boys and Girls Club in February twenty eight years and I got to meet a lot of people that I hadn't seen in forty or fifty years. Okay. And and and it was good to see again. And it was good to see bringing their children to the polls and voting. They could children couldn't vote but definitely good lessons to k pass on. I think it was fantastic. Absolutely. I and I wasn't and I was I was very in I guess people turned out to vote. Mm-hmm. And that's to me was fantastic. Well, and that's the most important thing. And what people I think so in the chat here, Miss Catherine, she says, The sounds good, but I'm sorry about the results. Well, you know, Miss Catherine nobody here likes to lose. we didn't get into this to lose, but I think one thing that's for sure is that we have forty eight thousand or so Republicans in Cumberland County and we only have ourselves to blame if we don't turn out the vote. We're allowing our elections essentially to be decided by what what do you think turnout's gonna be, Laura, for the whole county? You think we'll hit thirty, forty percent of the electorate tonight? No. You don't think so? Because municipals I know are ten, eleven, twelve. So for a midterm. Okay. Okay. So you're allowing twenty two percent to control everybody if you don't go vote. And it's a simple act. Ron, how long do you think it took somebody to get into JD Pwn and vote today, even on election day? maybe five minutes, six minutes, I mean get in and out, in and out. Right. Yeah, but you had like two weeks, you know. Yeah. You had ten days of early voting, absolutely. I seen people go we'll say the five probably five minutes or less go in and out. Mm-hmm. So all American citizens listen up. There's a there's an election every year, whether it's municipal or midterm or straight up federal four years. So every every year we're voting for local, city councils, town government, or then we have the federal level, the US Senate and Congress have midterms. That's what we have this year. Or next year we are going to have or I'm sorry, in twenty eight, we're gonna have another presidential election. So, you know, it's sad to see the the outcome of a presidential. So many people come out for that, but then they forget the bottom of the ballot. County commission, soil and water. These are things that affect your everyday life. And yet people tune out. And that's unfortunate. So it's more fun to just vote for the president who has like almost no say in your daily life. don't get me wrong, the federal, the president, is important. We want a good we want good leadership and we don't want the world to look at us like a bunch of wet sponges. we want them to understand that we speak softly and we carry a big stick. But yeah, we can't let that little minority control us. So Mr. Ross, anything you'd like to say or add to your to your supporters or anything? I wanna thank everybody who voted for me. And for the ones who didn't go out and vote at all. You have two years to not complain at all. Well, you got one year at least to change city council, and we do have a we've got a mission for that. So Mr. Ross, thank you so much for joining us this evening. and Mr. Ross, thank you for running. Well, thank you all very much. Thanks for being here. My friend Ron, have a good evening. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Bye. Okay. And that was Cumberland County at large candidate for county commission, Mr. Ron Ross. so I'm looking at the statewide reports. Okay. And the the the gap is closing drastically. There's only eleven thousand difference between Rousier and Hardy. Rouser is still losing. Hudson there is a seven thousand actually six thousand five hundred. The gap is closing. Okay. The gap is closing. What do we have for Cumman County? Let's check it out. Anything anything new? Probably not. Probably not. I'm still waiting on Ms. Grimes. All right, here you go, Jim. So do what? Yeah, that's what I was just looking at. Well not that necessarily the map, but all Eastern Riverboard has been. Commissioner, can you grab Mr. Moore, please? Can you grab Brian Moore to come on over, please? Still no upload since nine one. Nothing has changed. So let's see. Mr. Young, less than twenty-five percent. It's disheartening that people would rather complain than vote. Well Chris, it's easier to it's cheaper to complain. And a lot of people these days complain if you don't vote. That's true, but a lot of people these days stand behind Facebook and Twitter and forget what one of these feels like across the face. So No, you did not. I did. Some people want to be keyboard cowboys, run their damn mouths, but it's okay. We we're open for everybody. So about to join us is school board candidate, Mr. Brian Moore. Can you put us on mute for just ten seconds because I got something to say? Go ahead. So he's one of my favorite candidates. And look at them all in his red, white, and blue. Go ahead, take a seat over there, Brian, and we're gonna get you on camera. Just leave that plugged in so it stays charging until we hand it off to Calista. Just so I one shotted the school board. Yes. And I one shotted soil and water. Yeah, yeah, there's a go ahead, Brian. I'm gonna go ahead pull that microphone to you uncomfortably close. And this time I won't lose your audio. All right. Give me a t yeah, so poor Brian I had to bring him to the studio twice 'cause I lost some And anybody that called me and asked for advice, I told them to one shot the school the board and one shot the soil and water. And I never understood the merit of one shotting until I lost my election. And I'm like, you know what? I'm not you don't pick three, just pick me. That's that's exactly right. That's what I told people. So Brian, welcome, sir. It's good to have you here. Well, thank you for having me. very very lively jacket you're wearing tonight. You look great in your red, white, and blue. Yes, yes, you do. So so how has the this is the second time you run for school board, this time at large, before it was a district seat. what have you learned one campaign to the next? And go ahead. Let us know. Have learned anything? I don't know. A lot more around the cover. Do you have the capability of learning? I think a little bit. Thank goodness. A little bit. I'm not in a school age today. But no, it's it's been a great experience. district wise, it was to me it was harder because of how the district laid out. It was a very small portion of where I lived at. Right. And went out further into the county. Run the whole county. I know so many more people around the county. So to me it was easier to connect. Mm-hmm. a lot more expensive. A lot more signs to put out. Right, right. So other than that, I I've enjoyed the ride. Met a lot of good people. Brian, if you'll excuse me, Miss Grimes is ready to give us a Board of Election update, so I'm gonna bring her in. So just stick with us and we're gonna have that update. So here we go. And for those of you watching, this is a really complicated Bluetooth setup. So we're just Hello, Miss Grimes. How are you? I'm good, I'm good. So we are live on air with Mr. Brian Moore and Laura Mussler. Hello, hello. Everybody's together and you know, despite what the other side might think, we're having a nice time tonight at the Republican GOP headquarters. So anyway, They're having a better time than us, I'm sure. But but we'll it is what it is at this point. So tell us what the mood is like down at the Board of Elections. What's going on? Okay. What's what's changed? Just everybody in? Okay. Oof. Any any end in sight for that? how much longer tonight you think you'll be doing that? Okay, okay. Right, right. So I'm looking at the the state board of elections. I'm seeing just verified twenty eight of seventy seven precincts. Is that about is that accurate for Cumberland County right now? Okay. Right, right. Right. Okay, so you're not holding for another twenty minutes, then you send five more. So as you complete it, you're putting it up. Okay, gotcha. Okay, gotcha. Okay, all right. Well, it's been an hour. I'm gonna let you go, but I do wanna ask before you go, any any kerfuffles develop down there? Is everything smooth? Yeah? All right, not not find some wood and knock on it hard, please, to keep that going. And if you don't mind, I'll check back with you right around ten, okay? All right, thank you, ma'am. Bye bye. All right. And that was Ms. Irene Grimes, member of the Board of Elections for Cumberland County. So Mr. Moore, back to you. so what you learned that it's more expensive. Yeah for sure. At the very minimum. For sure. Hey Jim, give us put Mr. Moore back on. Chris says they couldn't hear our guests. That sucks. Why is that? I don't know. I don't know. Well, Chris, we haven't recorded. I'm sorry, but I don't know. I'm lucky to be here tonight with all this stuff at a studio. So besides it being more expensive, what else did you learn, Brian? I learned a lot about what's going on in the whole county as far as the school system goes, more than you know, we were focused last time on certain schools that fell into the district. So I got to meet, you know, a lot of people out in different poll sites during early voting and got to express their feelings about what was going on in the public school system that they were in. So it was eye opening for a lot of stuff that was what were the major issues you ran into? I know I I mean we you and I have discussed at length like what you were running and what your platform was, but when you were out there, what were the parents how are they responding and what were their concerns? Well people started to really understand everybody kept saying, you're about about athletics, I Alex, I No, I'm not about just athletics. I'm taking the one source that money brings in and if I can get it to pay for itself, it frees up millions of dollars that can go toward EC classes, building repairs. I mean we're eight hundred and seventeen million dollars in building repairs from a current board that has been on there for a very long time. Right, right. And nobody has a plan. So anybody on the current board that has children in public school right now? Negative. Okay. Nobody in the last two years. And you've got one gonna graduate in a few years. Yeah, I one through started ninth grade. Okay. So you got some longevity. I got some longevity. Okay, okay, okay. Two years behind me. So what would you like to talk to say to your supporters or people that helped you on your campaign? Listen, I wanna say thank you, man. It's been a great, great ride. I have my mom and dad especially. Goodness gracious, that for two and a half weeks, they have been all day at the polls. I've had people that you know, friends and family that have just stuck it out and that's two and a half weeks people don't realize. That's a long time. it's it's fourteen hour days. Mm-hmm. And I mean just I'm blessed. Very, very blessed. Well it's hard work on making it look easy. and you definitely were present much more this time than your initial campaign and congratulations. The numbers turnaround 'cause I think you would be a fantastic asset to the school board. Absolutely. We still got a lot of numbers out there to come in. I think today's today is very important. Twenty eight out of seventy seven precincts, as said by Ms. Grimes. So we have a long, long night ahead of us. So Mr. Moore, thank you for being here. We're gonna switch now to we wanna do a lower on the loose. I don't

guest: Thanks.

Peter and Laura: know. There's hardly anybody there's somebody you can go attack. we're we're looking at numbers here. Okay. Yeah, we don't care about the numbers. Yeah, the all yeah, it only just matters. So Mr Young, I say you said you couldn't hear my guest. Was that the one on the phone? If you're still watching, let me know in the chat, please. And Rebecca, hello to you. She's losing two right now. But she won't. So there was a concession with the US Senate. I can't believe they already conceded with half the people reporting in. That's crazy. He's the running county and she's running in just her precinct. Okay, we'll find another Republican who Again, she's running in a district and he's running in the So let's talk about the Associated Press. When you hear the Associated Press has called it, this is what it means. The Associated Press has been counting votes in this country since eighteen forty eight, before the Civil War. tonight they're gonna call about five thousand races. they don't call a race because somebody's ahead. They call it when the person in second place has no way left to win. That's an interesting way to do it. when there aren't enough ballots outstanding to close the gap. And the people who make that call have to sign off on it. if it's within half a point, they won't call it at all. So I did not know how the Associated Press does that. But a concession doesn't decide anything, the count does. The AP's been right better than ninety-nine point nine percent of the time and r recounts almost never flip a statewide race, thirty seven of them since two thousand and three changed in the outcome. So, Let's see, we're already at nine thirty five here. Rebecca, you don't have to move. It's okay, things will turn around. Mama said there'll be days like this, and this is just one of them. So let's see, let's see. It's getting a little long in the tooth here. My goodness. I'm gonna go back to the county results. I'm gonna share that again and run down those. I can sorta hear you. Do you want me to put your mic back on? No, we were just going we were going through we were going through the polls. What were you looking at specifically? Soil and water and the school board. let's stick with soil and water first. So with twenty eight of seventy seven, those numbers haven't changed yet. No, not since nine one. We were just looking at Diana Chambers. Did you see a single solitary sign? I she's got nineteen thousand nine hundred and twenty one she is a Republican. I don't care if she's a Mars alien. Who the hell is she? I don't know. But how what order were these in on the ballot? Does anybody know? It's alphabetical, but there's always one letter that like wins the lottery. Okay, yeah, and then it goes absolutely. And then goes after that alphabetical. So that is a good you know what? I bet you I know who would know. Find Commissioner Tyson. Or Jeremy will know where he was. Yeah, he might. He might. If you wanna ask. Yeah, let's find out where how this went this year. ballot placement is important. especially for these reports, 'cause who's Diana Chambers? She never showed up for anything. She wasn't in any of the the ballot any of the what do they call it where you talk. The forums. That's right. And that's what I mean by like who the hell are these people? It's like they don't participate in forums and then they want your vote. And I think that's just that's limp. yeah. To say to put it nicely, I don't I I say it another way, but we're on air. it's hasn't stopped you before. Yeah, I'm trying to clean up. Okay. Trying to. Still nothing since eight fifty nine. I'm just amazed at these numbers. Jennifer, truer words have not been said. we definitely need all the prayers and support we can get, especially if our US Senate and Congress switches completely. God is in control of your daily life, but we do operate under free will and that does not necessarily work out for us. So Right, right. You know, Jesus take the wheel, but you know, gotta help him steer a little bit. Yeah, yeah, you gotta do the work, guys. That's right. Ange is one of our volunteers. Hi Ange, how are you? Put the mic in front of her. So did you work the polls today? I did. I volunteered. Who'd you volunteer for? Venus Della Cruz. And what position is she running for and why Venus de la Cruz? NC Senate and I am voting for her do I voted for her due to she's a wife of veteran. She has strong core values for parental rights. She don't want the government to be showing us how to parent the kids, along with she supports law enforcement. She also looking out for our water resources. And excellent for education too. Okay, so how what do you think of working at the poll? Is you ready to do it again next year? I'm waiting for her to ask me to help out again. Very good, very good. Well that's if she runs again for something else. So she's gonna get Yes, a hundred percent. That's fun. You drive around in the middle of the night and pick up signs. So we are getting an audio only Laura muscler, Laura on the loose, but she is interviewing some people around. Yeah. Yeah. Heard her well. I need it louder or no? No, you're good. Perfect. Came in. Hello, here we are with Pat and Patel. We don't have any video, but we do have a radio. So tell me how what how did you feel when you were out today? Did you see anybody at the polls that interested you or anything like that? Really recorded this? Yes. Yeah, it's coming in the Yeah, I was excited to see there's a lot more activity today than I truly expected for a non presidential election here, but still a lot that haven't been reported yet. So I'm I'm watching those numbers. Okay, so are is there anybody in particular, any race in particular that you really have your eye on? Like, I don't know, county commissioner? I may have Iowa County Commissioner for Maybe personal reasons, but I think all our local races I'm watching pretty closely. I think it's gonna be important for us to make sure we got the note right. And you voted today or did you early vote? I early voted. Me too, because I didn't want to get a flat tire and be out and like that like five minutes. So that was good. Alrighty. Well, thank you for so much, Pavin. And if you get a chance you can go over and be on the radio and and and be on live with us. How you guys doing today? We are live on Facebook. There's no no video, but we are on the radio. So I wanted to know if you could fix one thing in Fayetteville today, right now, what would you do? Well, first of all, introduce yourself. What's your name? Sybil West. Okay. And where do you live? What just neighborhood? You don't have to give us your address. Hi, Mel. Okay. So if you could fix one thing in Fayetteville today, what would you fix? Probably more protection from the police force and clean up our city. So is there an area that's dirtier than another or is are you just talking about generally crime? It's countywide, county and city wide, just a lot of things that need to be taken care of. Did you work the polls today? No, I did not. Okay. So do you think there was more activity today than usual or less? When I voted today it was I voted at three thirty and only a hundred and fifteen people had voted today. So pretty sad. Very slim. Alrighty. Well thank you so very much. I appreciate you. How you doing, Doc? We are live on Facebook. And so did you work the polls today? I sure did. You sure did where'd you work? At Church of Christ on Country Club. Very good. Now, so what issue did you hear about most from the neighbors and the people that came out to vote today? Actually, mostly I had people that didn't want to vote Republican, or I had people that said they didn't meet enough candidates, didn't know enough about our candidates. Okay. Yeah. So they didn't see enough of the Republicans or they wanted some of them wanted to actually meet the candidates at the poll. They wanted actually face to face, talk to them, and there were some that were frustrated they didn't think there was enough information that was given out before the elections. I've heard that too. That was a lot of people said that they did not get a lot of interaction. Right, right. So I'm glad to see that you have joined in because you're a new volunteer and we want to welcome you aboard and we're so happy to have you got I'm glad to do it. Love to help. We'll see you next year. Yes, you will. All Okay, so I'm here walking the area with my cohort, Khaleistic Weather. Hello. And we are going to talk to somebody else. Where is your friend Steve? Is he still here? I don't see him. Okay, let's go talk to Joel. Hi Joel, we're here on live live on Facebook. And so did you work the polls today? I did work the polls. Okay, what was the number one issue that you heard out at the polls today? Number one issue I heard was about the economy and the school board. Okay, now if you could snap your fingers and change any one thing in Cumberland County today, what would you change? What would I change? Really? it would be the The people on the school board. Okay. Because I feel like they're not I feel like they're they're not doing nothing for the teachers, they're not doing nothing for the schools, and I think they could do more. And then I think they can also juggle the superintendent's salary to where teachers could get more and things more things could happen. Our schools are don't have air conditioner, our schools don't have certain things is black mold. No, that we need to get a hold of our school system so our kids can have a better environment to learn in. Okay, and you do know that the Cumberland County county commissioners funded a hundred percent of the counties ask to upgrade the schools. Did you know that? No, I did. Yes, there are Cumberland County commissioners are working hard for the schools, just so you know. So hopefully things will get better. Well, I hope the commissioners do what they supposed to do. I hope they Now it's up to the school board. It's the okay, school board. Let's go. We gotta get it. We gotta get it. Thank you very much. Thank you. I lost their audio momentarily here, but I think maybe they're just not talking. I don't know. What do you think, Jim? I'm gonna give you a microphone. Yep. you need to let know. lights off. shoot. Let know that they're on Linda DeVore. That is Linda DeVore. She got three eight. That is third place. Third place. Wait, wait, there's two more. We got two more coming. looks like we're doing the gun raffle for CCGOP right now. Let's see those results come in. Something positive at least. Not that one. Not that one. Just joking. Gail Corley. Corley. Gail Corley. Gail Corley. She is the winner of the Mosbro shotgun. Now that is somebody who volunteers and always shows up. Congratulations, Gail. One more. Technical difficulties. Tandon Martis. Tandon Martis. Tandon Martis. There we go. We don't know him, but congratulations. Congratulations. We will let him know. Thank you for thank you for your donations. Thank you for donating to the Cumberland County GOP. Thank you for it all. Okay, so here we are with the wife of the hardest working man in the Cumberland County GOP. How does it feel to be like you get to take a deep breath now and say it's over? It feels amazing. Okay. But guess what? We're looking at that. We're we're not doing so hot tonight. But it's life. That's okay. Because neck this time when he runs for chair again, which he's gonna do, right? And you're gonna be right there with him supporting. he's gonna get elected and he's gonna have the entire time to get out the vote and do all the things because he has done an amazing job, has he not? He really has. He has put all his heart into it. He yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's talk about Bob first and then we'll talk about her. Yeah, you know, Bob has done amazing. He is he absolutely loves the GOP. He loves everybody here. he's been gosh, working day and night. Working day and night. And we all appreciate him. Now let's hear about your songs. Yeah, so I found this app, it's called Sono S U N O, I believe. And yeah, I made some songs for our candidates. And I think next time around we just need to go full force. Okay, we need to make some songs for Bob when he runs for chair again. Yeah, yeah. Any thoughts? Who's the hardest working man in town? I okay, I can't take care of tune in a bucket, but I love it. I love it. I think we should go for it. Thank you so very much. And with that, we have Laura on the loose coming to a conclusion. What a it's a fun segment. We really gotta bring that back, Jim. And you owe me some videos too, because we need to have the weekly Jim segment where you show me horrible videos and I react to them. Yeah, I do know what I'm gonna do. Yeah, I kinda miss that. So any updates? No updates. we're still hovering at me if I don't go back. So let's see here. My mom should Twenty eight of seventy seven. Yeah, we're still hovering. Not a lot of people. Okay, so well yeah, well we might as well, but I think we need to wrap it up. I wanna thank everybody that is watching and everybody that joined us tonight. Catherine, I did message you back in the chat. you said you had a hard time finding out anything about the people who were on the ballot. I my question is, what info did you want? did you want candidate stuff, which we did have a lot at the C C G OP, or did you want third party information like I I don't know, like City View interviews or I mean, we interviewed I probably had 30 or more candidates on the show between primary and election night. So we definitely here at the cabinet, we tried very hard to bring people on and Let them be shown as humans, why they should earn their vote instead of a fancy pamphlet at the early voting site. You know, I unfortunately people are deciding who to vote for based on who's got the fanciest pamphlet or flyer or what have you, and that's just not the way we should be doing it. So everybody watching, I appreciate you joining them joining us tonight for our live election coverage. for you Republicans watching, I'm sorry we didn't have better news for you, but we gotta pick up, sharpen our pencils and get to work tomorrow and the work begins. So from all of us here at the cabinet, enjoy your evening and we will see you Monday at six PM for a live show. Thank you for joining. Good night.