Charlotte Republicans Kick Off General Election Campaign With Commitment To Make Charlotte Safe Again
Today, the North Carolina Republican Party and Charlotte Republicans held a press conference to kick off the general election for Charlotte’s municipal elections. The Republicans held their press conference at a light rail station to highlight the need for policies that protect the public in light of Charlotte’s skyrocketing murder rate, and the murder of Iryna Zarutska.
Yesterday, the primary election for Charlotte’s municipal races concluded. Vi Lyles secured her party’s nomination and will face Republican Terrie Donovan this November. In the only Republican primary, Krista Bokhari secured the Republican nomination with a large margin of victory. In City Council District Three, Joi Moyo defeated incumbent Tiawanna Brown. Brown is currently facing new fraud charges based on her use of COVID-19 relief funds for personal use.
Here is what the different Republican leaders have to say about the need for increased public safety ahead of the General Election for Charlotte’s municipal races:
NCGOP Chairman Jason Simmons said, “Three weeks ago, when we thought about coming to Charlotte after the primaries yesterday. We weren’t convinced that anybody would come and cover our press conference. But the horrific events of August 22nd, with the senseless death of Iryna Zarutska, we are saddened to have come here today and talk about the failure of Charlotte leadership and the Democrat policies that led to that senseless death.”
Terrie Donovan, the Republican nominee for Charlotte Mayor, said, “What happened to Iryna Zarutska is a tragedy that is shaking our city to the core. Is this the city we want to live in? Let’s call it what it is. This was a hate crime… Tragically, she sat in front of the wrong career criminal on the light rail on her way home from her job at a pizzeria. This was a preventable crime.”
James Bower, Republican Candidate For Charlotte City Council District 3, said, “This tragedy happened in my district, which is why I am over here today. Charlotte is a great city… Even when there seems to be no victory, God turns things on its head and shows who’s in charge. Charlotte has been my home for over 40 years. But today, I feel as though Charlotte is a hidden war zone.”
Krista Bokhari, Republican Candidate For Charlotte City Council District 6, said, “Some of our council members have been on Council for ten years. They are failing our city and our citizens. The voters of Charlotte are now awake. I am asking what has prevented the for taking action for ten years, and I need to voters of Charlotte to ask why should they trust them that they are going to take action now? They had the opportunity, and they have not done so. It is a time for change in Charlotte, and I hope the voters have woken up.”
Council Member Ed Driggs, Republican Candidate For Charlotte City Council District 7, said, “Today we mourn Iryan Zarutska. We are shocked and horrified at the graphic images of the crime committed against her. This crime is particularly heinous because she was an innocent, defenseless young woman… We are shocked and horrified. We are also angry. We are angry. We are all angry. Not just Republicans, all of us. To have something like this happen in our city is an insult to everyone who lives here.”
Council Member Ed Peacock, Republican Charlotte City Council At-Large Candidate, said, “Moments like this shake us at our very core. When a mentally unstable, repeat offender who should have been institutionalized murdered an innocent woman on a public transit system that we all charged to protect. We must stop and ask ourselves what our priorities are. It is in moments like this that, as a city and community, we have failed.”
The General Election for the 2025 municipal elections is on November 4th, 2025. The Republicans who spoke at this press conference are the key leaders who need to win in order to change the direction of Charlotte’s City Government. Unlike Republicans, who held a press conference, Vi Lyles declined to speak to the media about the General Election.
