By Richard Sullins | richard@rantnc.com
The chairman of the Lee County Republican Party has stepped temporarily aside as his wife campaigns for a seat in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Jim Womack has been chairman of the Lee GOP since about 2016, and prior to that served as a member of the Lee County Board of Commissioners from 2010 to 2014. He told The Rant Wednesday that he’s been replaced on a temporary basis by Max Dolan, the party’s first vice chairman and a former candidate for the Sanford City Council and Lee County Board of Commissioners. Womack’s wife Sherry, the chair of the Lee County Board of Education, is in a Republican primary race for N.C. House District 51 against Sanford City Councilman Charles Taylor.
“In my capacity as a county party chairman, I am bound by party rules not to show favor to any Republican candidate over another Republican candidate in a party primary. As you know, my wife is running to replace John Sauls as our state representative, and she has a Republican primary in March,” he said.
Sherry Womack and Taylor are hoping to replace seven term Republican Rep. John Sauls, who didn’t file for re-election in December for the seat which covers Lee County and part of Moore County. Sauls has endorsed Taylor. The winner of the primary will face Democrat Tashera Nichols McDuffie. Unaffiliated candidate April Montgomery is also gathering signatures to get on the ballot. House District 51 is rated by the Civitas Partisan Index as R+11, or “safe Republican.”
The primary is March 3, and early voting begins in February. Both Mrs. Womack and Taylor have been county Republican mainstays for many years. Sherry Womack was elected to the school board in 2016 and is in her second term as chair of that body, and Taylor gained his seat on the city council in 2007.
“I am fully committed to helping her get elected, including giving her my best effort through the primary period. That means I have to step aside as Lee GOP Chair through the end of the primary period,” Jim Womack told The Rant. He said the party’s Executive Committee authorized the leave of absence through the primary, at which time he plans to resume his duties.
For his part, Taylor said he’s focused continuing his “strong, effective conservative leadership.”
“I’m focused on the task to continue to lofty legacy of Rep. John Sauls, who has placed his confidence in me to succeed his incredible run in District 51,” he said. “I’m honored to be running with his endorsement, and that is where my focus lies.”
Looks Like Taylor is getting my vote. We don’t need the Toxicity the Womack brand brings at the state level.
John Sauls represented Lee County very well…guess that is why he was re-elected 7 times. The fact that he endorses Charles Taylor should be enough to tell voters who would be best for Lee County.
I believe Charles is a standout among all candidates running for this seat.
It will be interesting to see what the kind of slanderous remarks the Womack’s throw at Charles when the races get heated up. Voters, do not give in to their rhetoric. The Womack diatribe is not what Lee County needs.
Is she going to have her another office in the toilet in the new job