Waldrop mounts petition drive to succeed husband on Buncombe Commission

Nancy Waldrop. Photo by Alicia Funderburk

Nancy Waldrop announced May 29 that she’s mounting a last-minute petition drive to get on the November ballot as an unaffiliated candidate for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners in District 3. In the May 6 Republican primary, political newcomer Miranda DeBruhl decisively defeated Waldrop’s husband, incumbent David King, winning 59 percent of the vote.

In order to get her name on the fall ballot, Waldrop will need to collect 2,300 signatures from registered voters living in District 3 by June 12. That’s more than the 2,054 votes DeBruhl received in the primary. If Waldrop is not successful, DeBruhl will win the general election by default, as there are no Democrats in the race. District 3 encompasses much of western Buncombe County, including Enka-Candler, Sandy Mush and Biltmore Forest.

“This was not an easy decision to make, but I felt it was important for Buncombe County voters in District 3 to have the option to be represented by a commissioner who cares more about the community than about a political party — that there be a continued effort to work together to solve problems and make life better for families and businesses, rather than playing politics with our future,” Waldrop said in her May 29 announcement. She also called DeBruhl an “ultraconservative.”

A retired Buncombe County schoolteacher, Waldrop holds a master’s degree in education from Western Carolina University. She previously co-owned  a small coffee and gift shop as well as a real estate office. She’s volunteered with several local organizations, including the Children’s Welfare League and the Asheville Art Museum, and she recently served on the planning team for the Buncombe Discovery Academy, a new STEM-themed high school.

Here’s the full announcement from Waldrop:

 

RETIRED TEACHER AND INVOLVED COMMUNITY LEADER
NANCY WALDROP LAUNCHES PETITION DRIVE FOR
DISTRICT 3 BUNCOMBE COUNTY COMMISSIONER SEAT

Nancy Waldrop, a retired Buncombe County schoolteacher and small business owner with years of dedicated volunteer service to the community, has announced that she will seek to represent the people of District 3 as a Buncombe County Commissioner.

Waldrop is entering the race as an unaffiliated candidate, providing voters with a more moderate option to the currently unopposed and ultra-conservative Republican candidate Miranda Debruhl. With her extensive background in teaching and small business, and her dedication to improving lives of families in Buncombe County, Waldrop is running on a platform of what she refers to as the “4 E’s: Economy, Education, Environment, and Excellence in Buncombe County.” About her decision to run for District 3 County Commissioner, Waldrop says,

“This was not an easy decision to make, but I felt it was important for Buncombe County voters in District 3 to have the option to be represented by a Commissioner who cares more about the community than about a political party; that there be a continued effort to work together to solve problems and make life better for families and businesses, rather than playing politics with our future.”

In order to be placed on the November ballot, Waldrop must secure at least 2,300 signatures from registered voters living in District 3 on a petition no later than June 12, 2014. Persons willing to help Nancy Waldrop get on the ballot in November can download the petition from Waldrop’s website at http://bit.ly/petitionfornancy. A hard copy of the signed petition should be mailed by June 9th to Nancy Waldrop for County Commission, PO Box 983, Candler, NC 28715.

Nancy Waldrop is a western North Carolina native with a Master’s Degree in Education from Western Carolina University and thirty years of teaching experience. She has also been co-owner of a small coffee and gift shop, and as a Realtor, co-operated her own real estate office.

As a volunteer, Waldrop has protected the interests of children in difficult situations as a Guardian Ad Litem and member of the Children’s Welfare League, and served as a docent for the Asheville Art Museum. She has participated in efforts to bring a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) focus to Buncombe County middle schools, and was a member of the new STEM high school planning team. She also volunteered with the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce.

Waldrop lives with her husband David in Candler.

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5 thoughts on “Waldrop mounts petition drive to succeed husband on Buncombe Commission

  1. “She also called DeBruhl an ‘ultraconservative.’”

    I dare say Mrs. David King just lost. If it’s true that she holds the same political views as the losing candidate to the more conservative DeBruhl, I don’t see her even getting half the signatures she needs to run. But it’s a nice idea. I understand spouses ride for free on junkets to France.

    • ScottJ

      Ms DeBruhl has a vision for the county. Yes, I know, I have seen or heard it somewhere, I think…. Um… wait… Ah, lower taxes, don’t take trips to France, pay increases are bad and don’t work with others, especially Democrats. Those are really bad, evil people. Put some pictures of guns and Reagan on the Facebook account. Yeah, that’s the ticket.

      Sigh… Shaking my head…

      Ms Waldrop, for what it is worth from someone who abandoned the nutcase wing of the Republican Party a long time ago to become Independent, my signature is on the way. I hope you get the signatures you need.

    • luther blissett

      Having thrown David King under the bus, the Mouthpiece of Tim Moffitt is still trying to reverse over him and his wife? Let that be a reminder to any other local Republicans who don’t bow down to the self-proclaimed master of WNC politics.

      Based on her campaign statements, Miranda DeBruhl seems more vacuous than anything. There’s not much there there.

  2. brenda howard

    I think it is a shame that Nancy and her husband can’t except defeat. David King lost in the primary and now his wife, Nancy Waldrop wants to run for county commissioner. It is a waste of time and dollars and David and Nancy should be supporting the winning candidate, Miranda DeBruhl. It is my understanding that Nancy told some of her friends during the primary that if they did not support her husband David King that she would not be their friend anymore. This is childish behavior and so is the things she is saying about Miranda. Nancy said Miranda is conservative like it is a bad thing! I don’t know about all of you, but I do feel like I am taxed to death. Could we please be serious about our county, get Miranda in office and get started rebuilding our county government. We have already made a statement by not re electing Davis King so why would we elect his wife, Nancy Waldrop? To the King/Waldrop family, We as Buncombe County residents are not dummies. Please let your wounds heal like adults and lets get on with business.

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