Eight is enough for head of Forsyth Republicans

Younger person should take over post, Miller says

By: Wesley Young | JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: February 26, 2009

Bill Miller plans to step down as chairman of the Forsyth County Republican Party after serving in the postion for the past eight years.

Miller, 79, said yesterday that it is time to bring in new leadership, but he added that he is pleased with most of the party's efforts during his term.

"I think we were a very successful party for eight years," Miller said. "We had a little blip here in this last election, but that will be overcome in the future. We have been able to elect and re-elect our representatives to Raleigh. Also, we have been able to retain our Republican judges even though they are nonpartisan."

Democrats beat Republicans in registration efforts in Forsyth County in 2008, increasing their total registration by almost 20,000 voters, while Republicans added a little more than 2,000.

Although Republicans did hold most of the local seats they occupied before the November election, there was a change at the Register of Deeds Office, where Democratic challenger Norman Holleman beat Karen Gordon, the incumbent Republican.

No one pressured him to step down, Miller said, but he feels that it is time for someone younger to take over the job, so he is not campaigning for the position again.

Miller said he became politically active about 1993. He has been a precinct chairman, vice chairman and a delegate to county, district and state conventions.

He was a delegate to the 2004 and 2008 Republican national conventions.

Republicans have been holding precinct meetings this week, and will pick a new chairman at the county convention on March 28. Miller said he thinks that there may be several people interested in the post but that they have not announced their intentions.

Debra Conrad, a Republican who sits on the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, said that Miller did a good job for the party during his service, but the success of Barack Obama's campaign showed the need to involve and motivate younger voters.

"It would be wonderful if we could bring in a younger generation," Conrad said. "Obama reached out to young people and young professionals. The GOP needs to use Obama's tricks against him and get a lot of people involved at the local level.

"We really need some new blood, some new energy and some ideas to unify the party."

■ Wesley Young can be reached at 727-7369 or at wyoung@wsjournal.com.