For years, the Henderson County Democratic Party was lucky to have an office space that cost just $900/month — a rare deal that gave us room to organize, host meetings, train volunteers, and support Get Out the Vote (GOTV) efforts that helped drive local success. That chapter has closed. Rental prices in Hendersonville have skyrocketed, with most commercial space going for around $17–18 per square foot. Finding the right headquarters now means planning ahead and building a re

Senator Bernie Sanders is coming to Asheville on Sunday, August 10 , for a powerful evening of music, movement, and momentum. As part of his national “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, Bernie is bringing the conversation straight to our backyard — and this is your chance to be there in person. This event is free and open to the public, but RSVP is required to reserve your spot. 📍 Location : Thomas Wolfe Auditorium at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville📅 Date : Sunday, August 10

Debuting over the summer solstice, The Foxfire Dispatch is a podcast that shows how s mall sparks can light the way to positive change. Hendersonville City Councilwoman Gina Baxter and Granville County's Liz Purvis are the hosts of the new show, which taps into North Carolina culture and invites people who may have been on the margins of politics to see that there is space for them to get involved. “We want people to see politics as accessible and relevant and interesting,”

This year, the Henderson County Democratic Party proudly showed up in full force for Hendersonville Pride . Thanks to the generous support of the LGBTQ+ Caucus of the NC Democratic Party , we were able to host two booth spaces—one of which we dedicated to a protest sign-making station for the upcoming “No Kings Day” rally . The station was a hit all day long, as people of all ages joined in to express their outrage, their hope, and their pride through powerful handmade messa

Sally Schubert Haas has deep roots in Henderson County. She first began visiting in 1959 after her grandparents retired here from Chicago. She remembers going to a play at Flat Rock Playhouse when it was housed in a tent and seating was “in the round.” In the 1970s, Sally’s grandparents were among the first to move to Carolina Village. Sally continued vacationing in Hendersonville every year, staying at Florilina Court, which is now The Cottages of Flat Rock. In 2020, she and

We’ve had several successful rallies recently in Hendersonville—focused on the Big Orange Cheeto and the boy band known as Elon and the...

NC House Bill 127, currently in committee, is yet another thinly veiled attempt at voter suppression. This bill places unnecessary restrictions on how North Carolinians can register to vote. Many trusted organizations — like the League of Women Voters and even the Henderson County Democrats — regularly host nonpartisan voter registration drives. In fact, I registered to vote at one of these events in downtown Hendersonville two years ago. These drives make registration access

Featured Speaker at the 2025 Henderson County Democratic Convention Preston Blakely is no stranger to Western North Carolina—or to making history. Born in Asheville and raised in Fletcher, Preston's roots run deep in our region. His journey from a young, engaged resident to the Mayor of Fletcher is a testament to the power of community, legacy, and leadership. Blakely earned his B.A. from UNC Greensboro, double majoring in African American & African Diaspora Studies and Polit

What a turnout! The Henderson County Democratic Party’s Annual Precinct Meeting this past Saturday brought a full auditorium to life at West Henderson High School. Around 300 people showed up—so many that the meeting had to be delayed by half an hour just to get everyone checked in and seated. And it wasn’t just Democrats in the room. We welcomed dozens of Unaffiliated voters and even some fed-up Republicans who are ready for something better. Chair Leslie Carey opened the m

We all have favorite songs and least-favorite songs. As I was waiting for an oil change at the dealership the other day, one of my least favorite songs came on — John Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to Change.” Despite its catchy tune and Mayer’s sultry voice, there’s something that has always bothered me about this song. Why should we wait for the world to change? If we want the world to change, we need to actively work to make the world change. Look what’s happening in these

I think it may be time to consider where we Democrats are after the election and at the 60-day point of the second Trump presidency. I suspect most (if not all) of us went through a period of mourning after last November 5th. At first glance, it can certainly feel like we Democrats should hunker down and wait for 2028. In his first 60 days in office, Trump has unleashed his Hounds from Hell—Elon and the Oligarchs—who act as if the checks and balances built into our Constituti

I received an invitation to Chuck Edwards’ townhall only two days before the event. With such short notice, imagine my surprise—and delight—when I found that more than 2,000 people had mobilized and showed up last Thursday. Hoping to Get In AB Tech’s Ferguson Auditorium holds fewer than 400 people. The line stretched past the building, around the parking lot, and back down the other side. We waited patiently, chatting with strangers and applauding whenever someone walked past

lon and the Oligarchs. No, it’s not the name of a new boy band. It’s my name for the billionaires intent on destroying democracy to further enrich themselves . Let’s Put Elon and the Oligarchs in Context: There are around 800 billionaires in the U.S. 13 of them are (or soon will be) in Trump’s cabinet. The net worth of the billionaires in the Trump administration is $382 billion . The net worth of Trump’s cabinet alone is $11.8 billion (separate from his wealthier advis

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act , currently in Congress, could cost you your right to vote—especially if you changed your name when you got married. This disturbing Project 2025-related effort claims to prevent non-citizens from voting. It was introduced last year but did not come to a vote. Now, it’s back on the docket for 2025. A Solution in Search of a Problem Despite claims from the president and many Republicans that non-citizens are voting in high n

Voting is the foundation of democracy, yet access to the ballot has been a contested issue throughout U.S. history. In North Carolina,...

This month, instead of our usual meeting, the Young Democrats of Henderson County are taking a road trip to join the Young Progressives...

Our Three Voices in Raleigh Are Failing Henderson County Our three voices at the North Carolina General Assembly— Senator Tim Moffitt and Representatives Jennifer Balkcom and Jake Johnson —all voted for SB 382 , twice . In fact, Mr. Johnson was one of three sponsors of the bill. Described as “disguised as disaster relief” by a Hendersonville Lightning editorial, SB 382 has significantly weakened local zoning control , making it harder for cities and counties to protect fa

Thank you to everyone who joined the NC Democratic Party’s urgent virtual briefing on the state of the NC Supreme Court race. If you missed it, you can watch the recording here . If Your Vote Was Challenged If you are one of the voters on Griffin’s list , we’re sorry he thinks your vote is something to be trifled with! You didn’t do anything wrong. Your vote has been counted, and we are fighting to make sure it stays counted. There’s no action required from you right now, th

Our Henderson County Public Schools are under attack. Leadership We have seven members on our HCPS School Board. All are registered Republicans. Three of the members, including the Board Chair, are reasonable. The other four have an agenda that includes: Introducing some form of Bible instruction during the school day. Eliminating “woke” instruction (and presumably “woke” teachers). Guarding against instruction using Critical Race Theory. Banning books deemed inappropriate (t

Thank you to everyone who joined the NC Democratic Party’s urgent virtual briefing on the state of the NC Supreme Court race. If you missed it, you can watch the recording here . If Your Vote Was Challenged If you are one of the voters on Griffin’s list , we’re sorry he thinks your vote is something to be trifled with! You didn’t do anything wrong. Your vote has been counted, and we are fighting to make sure it stays counted. There’s no action required from you right now, th