* Conclusion of a 2-part report
Robbinsville – The Graham Star’s Republican Primary Candidate Forum on Feb. 7 served as a vehicle to best introduce voters to the individuals who are on the March ballot for the local commissioner and sheriff races.
Eight of the individuals vying for a commissioner seat spent 90 minutes in front of a packed audience at the Graham County Courthouse, answering questions submitted by attendees as they entered the historic facility. A pair of candidates were given two minutes to address each question in a randomized order, with the queries drawn at random by the forum’s moderator: Graham Star Publisher/Editor Kevin Hensley.
Commission candidate Dawson Williams did not attend, while fellow commission contender Josh Reap declined to participate. Reap was on-hand – and will be on the primary ballot – but again repeated his request to the public to be written in as a candidate for the Graham County Board of Education race, which will appear on November’s general election ticket.
The forum can be viewed in its entirety on The Star’s YouTube channel. A portion of the video feed from the sheriff’s forum was lost due to a technical failure, but the audio is still intact; the commissioner forum is available in its entirety.
Due to space constraints, The Star summarized each sheriff candidate’s responses in last week’s edition.
Candidate summaries below are listed alphabetically; opening and closing statements were not recapped.
Thomas Blevins
Blevins was in the dark about his political affiliation until last year. He said he registered when he signed up for service at the age of 18, but was entered as unaffiliated. He corrected the error upon its discovery.
Blevins said he would not support a tax increase,
stating his belief that "we are taxed enough as it is." Blevins wants to instead seek alternative revenue sources.
He said if faced with budget cuts, he would fight to keep public services available – but would make cuts to sanitation if needed. Blevins said he would seek alternate routes before eliminating positions in order to remain within the budget, citing that property taxes have been assessed by a third-party over the last few years. "If we could get people in the county to do it, that would save money."
When asked about his stance on the proposed agricultural center, Blevins said he fully supported the idea.
Blevins fully supported a question posed about having representation from each section of Graham County on the board.
Brian "Taco" Johnson
Johnson began his political career as an unaffiliated candidate and did not recall when he became a Republican. He served on the Town of Robbinsville's Board of Aldermen from 2017 until his resignation in January 2023.
Johnson said tax increases should only occur when necessary, pointing out that if departments want extra funding, "the money's got to come from somewhere."
He said he has reviewed county salaries and called a few "outrageous," stating that is where he would start in regards to trimming wasteful spending. Johnson said he wants to slash higher salaries and instead increase wages for those who are underpaid, stating that a study analysis needed to be done in order to retain faithful employees by offering more-competitive rates.
A hypothetical question was posed, asking what a candidate would do if presented with a $10 million grant. Johnson said he would focus on the new justice center and public-safety funding.
Chase Lancaster
Lancaster has been a registered Republican since he turned 18.
Lancaster said "the last thing he wants to do" is cut county jobs, saying that a deeper look at the budget might uncover some "missing money" that would offset losses. He later expanded on his belief that money was missing when asked about increasing salaries for detention officers and deputies, stating that the funds could be utilized – if found – to make up for the pay discrepancies.
Lancaster fielded a question about his criminal history and said he was retaliated against for standing up against corruption in the county, but added that "99.9% of them" were dismissed due to a lack of evidence. He did plead guilty to obstruction of justice due to multiple continuances, noting that he completed his community service and probation. "Now, I'm a much better man than what I used to be."
A U.S. Army veteran, Lancaster said he worked on budgets while in the service – in order to obtain better equipment for his company. The former Specialist said he worked out a trade system with a different company in the Army to obtain materials as needed. Lancaster also pointed out that he owns and operates Lancaster Rodeo Productions.
Lancaster also said he would utilize a $10 million grant to help build the proposed justice center, later estimating it would take double that amount to get the building constructed.
Jacob Nelms
Nelms first registered as a Democrat when he turned 18, but switched to Republican in 2021.
An incumbent, Nelms said the board of commissioners already receives a small salary – but it has already been discussed to cut the money each member receives. Nelms said the decision will be voted on by the board during the 2026-27 fiscal year budget process, which is due by June 30.
Nelms said he was a proponent of cutting back on sanitation expenses, but pointed out that the decision was a double-edged sword. "With county government, when you cut money, you cut service." He said he would stick to this if it came to being tasked with cuts again, stating, "With manned sites, that doubles your labor."
The question of equal representation from across Graham County on the board was raised, with Nelms propositioning the idea of electing "district" representatives (Cherokee County follows a similar protocol). Nelms said he would have to research the idea.
The proposed agricultural center off P & J Road is something Nelms said he ran on during his previous campaign. He sees the center as a "great" idea and noted that the center has already received several grants to help fund the effort.
Nelms said he has never considered term limits, but sees "value in experience." He stated that he sees benefits on both sides, before concluding that capping commissioners at a limit of two terms could be beneficial.
David Shuler
Shuler was an unaffiliated voter until 2024, when he registered as a Republican. Prior to being unaffiliated, he was a Democrat.
Noting how tight funding is in Graham County, Shuler said there were "no blank checks" to go around. If elected, he wants to ensure that money is spent in what believes is a more-responsible manner.
Shuler said two essential services are EMS and the sheriff's office. "If you don't have them, you don't have nothing." Shuler later said that increasing salaries for deputies and detention employees was crucial, noting that property-tax increases should create additional revenue that could aid the cause.
He agreed with the general consensus of trimming the sanitation budget – but added that converting Graham County to the use of compactor dumpsters would be more productive in the long run.
The top priority for Shuler is the construction of the planned justice center. He cited the two court orders issued to the county and noted that material costs have only grown since the first order was issued – later estimating the increase to be 25-30%.
Shuler said he has volunteered with Celebrate Recovery, a local organization that meets Mondays and assists recovering and former addicts.
Carolyn Stewart
Stewart registered as a Republican when she turned 18.
Stewart retired from the Register of Deeds office after a 30-year career in 2021, after serving six terms in the role.
Stewart said she would waive her commissioner salary "if necessary," but hopes to catch wasteful spending in advance during each budget planning cycle to avoid having to make any type of cut.
A closer look would be required before Stewart would want to eliminate any positions, as she said she "would not be advocate for people losing their jobs." Stewart said she would prefer to explore options such as collecting on past-due property taxes before having to dismiss someone in order to save money.
Stewart said she would have to do more research on the proposed agricultural center, but thinks it's a good idea. She also harkened back to the 1940s and said that Graham County's agricultural efforts were "helpful" to local residents.
Dale Wiggins
Wiggins has been a Republican since he turned 18.
As a former commissioner, Wiggins previously worked across a five-county area to obtain Community Block Development Grant housing opportunities. Wiggins said he would assist with home repairs for elderly and disabled individuals. He attributed his experiences working in the program to his decision to run for public office, as Wiggins feels a seat on the board would allow him to make a difference in the lives of local residents.
Wiggins said he also tirelessly advocated for Medicaid expansion and – upon its passing in 2023 – was proud when he learned that Graham County had the highest registration rate per capita in North Carolina.
He has "reluctantly" agreed to tax increases – stating they should be enacted "only when absolutely necessary" – but said he is conservative about property taxes and property values. Wiggins added that "if we want new things in this county, we're going to have to pay for it ourselves."
If elected, Wiggins said he would review the budget and determine if any cuts could be made across any departments. He also wants to revive the tradition of holding meetings in communities around the county, to better gauge what residents are thinking about the budget that may not be able to travel to the community building for monthly gatherings.
Wiggins formerly operated a residential construction business, but said that running county government like a business is something he only partial agreed to. "Businesses don't have to follow general statutes." He did agree, however, that the two are relatable in terms of balancing the books.
Natasha Williams
Williams registered as a Republican at the age of 18.
Another incumbent, Williams also said she did not support a tax increase, opting to slash costs "in every way possible. I cannot and will not vote for a tax increase."
When asked about a criminal background, Williams succinctly said she had never been charged with any type of crime – "not even a traffic ticket."
An accountant by trade, Williams answered a question about her experience with finances by joking that she had a "little bit of financial experience." She has worked in the field for 20 years and also helps manage a construction business that employees around 30 individuals.
Williams believes term limits are necessary, but do not need to be universal. She did not have a term limit in mind for commissioner, but believed one should be in place.
Williams is also a strong supporter of the planned agricultural center, seeing the facility as a way to keep youth involved in an activity that does not involve athletics.
One-stop voting
For those eager to cast their ballot early, one-stop voting is underway. There are both Republican and Democrat races being contested; only local races will appear on the Republican ballot.
Voters can stop by the Graham County Board of Elections Office (196 Knight St., Suite A, Robbinsville) weekdays, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., to cast their ballots ahead of the March 3 primary. The polls will also be open for Saturday, from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Voting will not be open Monday.
Anyone wishing to run as an Unaffiliated candidate must have the minimum amount of required signatures from registered county voters by the primary.