Moss ‘humbled and appreciative’ of opportunity to lead local Republican Party

Although he’s no political rookie, it’s been 10 years since Bart Moss was actively involved in politics. And that’s about to change.

In May, Moss was elected to fill a seat on the Franklin County Republican Executive Committee. Less than four months later, Moss is the new chairman of the Franklin County Republican Executive Committee, and he’s taking office at a time when the local Republican Party is enjoying unprecedented success.

Just as there are no Democrats currently serving in elected office statewide, Franklin County’s local offices are also 100% filled by the Republican Party.

It was 2012 when three Republican candidates for county offices won the general election for the first time in more than two decades. Breaking through in those first local races created an avalanche of Republican candidates to the point where most local races are nowdecided at the primary level, as the number of Democrats willing to run for local offices has dwindled.

Franklin County followed the statewide trend of not just leaning Republican, but completely falling over to the right.

Bolstered by a strategic plan to show how the national and state Democratic Party no longer represented the values of Alabamians, Republican control is now the norm in Alabama’s legislative halls, courtrooms, appeals courts, and statewide governmental offices.

With that success at the local level, expectations of how the local Republican Executive Committee should serve the people of Franklin County have grown.

“This is the preeminent party in the state of Alabama and in Franklin County and if you want to run for elected office, to have the best chance to win you need to run as a Republican,” Moss said. “But we need Republican candidates who share those conservative values that people have in Franklin County and across the state.

“The local party just needs organization and confidence going forward. There are no competitive races in the county on the November 3rd ballot so our primary goal is organization and getting out the vote for state and federal races,” Moss said. “And we will support our local and state candidates who share those conservative values.”

Moss, the principal at Phil Campbell High School, was elected without opposition at the FCREC September meeting. The other officers elected for the local committee are Eric Reason, Vice-Chairman, Kacey Johnston, Secretary and long-time Republican Lowell Moore, Treasurer.

For Denel Wardell, whose Republican Women of Franklin County, Alabama, organized candidate forums that brought Republicans running at the local, state and federal level, together in Frog Pond and Phil Campbell, a first for Franklin County, she’s optimistic about the future of the local Republican Executive Committee with the leadership now in place.

“I’m super excited to see these men and women serving as new leadership in the Franklin County Executive Committee,” Wardell said.

Phil Campbell High School student Ben Davis will serve as Chairman of the newly-formed Franklin County Young Republicans Club.

New bylaws for the Republican Executive Committee were approved that call for at least four meeting each year. Moss expects to call a meeting sometime in October as Election Day approaches.

He reflected on Franklin County politics and how it used to be with communities across the county holding bean suppers, fish fries, cake auctions, etc., during campaign season, which always started with the biggest event of all, the Democratic Kickoff Banquet, held the Friday night of the day candidate qualifying ended.

With the only contested races in local elections, at least for the foreseeable future, being in the Republican Primary, Moss wants the local party to host something similar to kickoff campaign season.

“I remember growing up we had some really big events. I’d like to see at least one big annual event for the Republican Party as a fund raiser and as promotion for the party,” Moss said.

“Denel and the Republican Women of Franklin County did a great job getting candidates from across the state together in Franklin County and there’s no reason we can’t do the same,” he added.

Another goal for Moss is to build interest in the Republican Party among Franklin County’s younger voters. And he said the committee will work with the Young Republicans to help build that base.

To stay abreast of news and events for the local Republican Party, visit the committee’s Facebook page.