When the Guilford County Board of Commissioners meets in early December to elect a new chair, the majority of the board will be saying, “Out with the old and in with the – well. In with the same chairman we’ve had for years.”
Chairman Skip Alston told the Rhino Times he intends to run for the seat again – which means he will win the seat again.
The Democrats on the board hold a firm majority, and they’ve shown no willingness to break ranks with Alston on something as important as who leads the board.
Alston said this week he has yet to make his case to his fellow commissioners, and he added that whether he ends up as chairman again will depend on their votes. He said he does want the job and hopes he can convince the others that he’s the right one to lead the board into and through 2026.
Which is a nice thing to say but there is no universe in which Alston wants to be chair and doesn’t win the seat.
Another year at the helm will add to a record-setting streak that’s already made him by far the longest-serving chairman in Guilford County history.
“I’ve always tried to set the example of how we can work together as a whole board rather than trying to behave as Democrats or Republicans,” Alston said. “It’s not about party to me. Those are still citizens of Guilford County, and they deserve the same services no matter who represents them.”
Alston has served as the board’s chair ten times already – much more than any other commissioner in county history. In fact, he has been chairman more than twice as many times as those in second place.
So, this will mark his eleventh term in the role. By comparison, former Commissioners Wally Harrelson and Bob Landreth each served four terms as chairman, making Alston’s total stand out even more. In effect, Alston has lapped them.
Asked why he likes the chairman’s seat so much, Alston laughed off the idea that it’s about the few thousand dollars in extra pay. Instead, he said he values the opportunity to lead in a way that highlights cooperation across party lines.
“When the pandemic hit, people forgot about party and started talking about how we could help each other and the people,” Alston said. “That kind of grew from there. We realized we can accomplish a lot more working together than always talking about Democrats and Republicans.”
He pointed to examples from earlier years when he worked with Republican commissioners to avoid tax increases and restructure the county’s leadership. He said that spirit of cooperation has carried over into recent boards, including the current one, which he believes has been very nonpartisan.
“I think this board has been as nonpartisan as any board I’ve served on,” Alston said. “We very seldom vote on party lines. Republicans have gotten things for their districts just like Democrats have. They told me what they needed, and they got them.”
He’s referring to the board’s only two Republicans: Commissioners Pat Tillman and Alan Perdue.
While he acknowledges that leadership can be challenging – with chairs often targeted for criticism – Alston said he enjoys the role because it gives him a chance to keep the board focused on results rather than arguments.
“Being a leader can be tough because you take the hits,” he said. “But what makes it enjoyable is working with a board that puts people ahead of politics.”
While it’s true that Alston and the late former Republican Commissioner Steve Arnold got together in 2008 during the financial crisis and managed to make some big cuts in county government – and keep property tax bills level for several years following – in recent years the county, with Alston as chair, the board has been spending a whole lot of money and now the county is facing a bill for school bonds that exceeds $3 billion when interest is figured in.
Looking ahead, Alston said his priorities remain consistent. He continues to emphasize housing needs as the county braces for rapid growth fueled by major job announcements.
President Donald Trump may not get those additional terms he’s been talking about; however, Skip Alston may indeed be, as the Rhino Times often refers to him, the “Chairman for Life.”
I guess term limits are out of the question. If he’s a shoe in again, why have a vote; just make Skippy chairman for life and be done with it.
Agree
Skip Alston, King of Guilford County, not by election via the people, rather King of Guilford County by reason of voter apathy.
More than likely by reason of blackmail of the other County commissioners. Skip away with your money Alston most likely has enough dirt on all the rest of them that they are terrified to stand up to him. Why he is even still a county commissioner is beyond me. I wish we had Billy Yow back!!! He was the only one with guts to stand up against Skippy boy and fight back against his communism and stealing money from the county. He kept Skippy in line and that’s exactly what we need now. Unfortunately our so-called County commissioners are too terrified of him to stand up against him and his racism and natzi ways! Skippy wants to be the man in charge so he can steal money from every taxpayer in Guilford County and he is succeeding at it big time!
Maybe the “NOI KINGS” demonstrations across the Guilford County should have included Skip Alston along with Donald Trump. After so many years of being the Chair of the Commissioners, it is time for another Democrat or Republican to take the helm and lead Guilford County.
Skip is a large part of what is wrong with Guilford County…the left took over years ago for the City Council and County Commissioners…the right does not care enough to get out and vote as it would take a serious number of votes by them to change the city/county…such a shame as the tax payers continue to be robbed, property taxes are truly beyond reasonable and leadership is the worst it could possibly be…don’t blame the left as this is all natural for them…blame the right for not voting!!.
Yes, voter disengagement matters. But blaming the right for not voting ignores the sabotage, confusion, and decoy slates that fracture trust before ballots are even cast.
Taxpayer harm isn’t partisan—it’s structural.
Leadership failure isn’t inevitable—it’s choreographed.
And the solution isn’t outrage—it’s clarity, discipline, and timestamped correction.
It comes down to GGOP leadership. We need a change.
Democrats are very involved because they trust their leadership.
We do not have that in the GGOP with Chris Meadows.
Some Republicans don’t trust the GGOP—and they’re right not to.
Look at our municipal election. Our slate failed.
The candidates we were told to support weren’t strong enough.
That’s not just a voter problem—it’s a leadership dispute.
And it’s a failure of many to research for themselves.
Say what you will about the Democrats—they’re organized and informed, whether you agree with them or not. Mostly not.
But the GGOP? They’ve performed confusion, and it’s evident.
We need new leadership in the GGOP.
The current slate is monochromatic, disconnected, and out of step with Greensboro’s evolving terrain.
The city is moving beyond how we, as white men, have traditionally thought and led.
And yet, our party’s membership and outreach don’t reflect that shift.
Even when we reach out to minority communities, we fail to build real bridges.
We tend to support minority candidates who are erratic—so erratic that other minority voters won’t even follow them.
And when minorities with clarity does show up, we often condemn it—not because it’s wrong, but because it makes us uncomfortable.
That’s not strategy. That’s sabotage.
Our old ways aren’t working.
We need new leadership in the GGOP—leadership that reflects the city we live in, not the echo chamber we’ve built.
Greensboro deserves better.
Let’s take it back—with discipline, diversity, and truth.
And the taxpayers of guilford county lose again.
Surprise Surprise
He is a joke. The only interest he has is his power play moves he uses on the residents of Guilford County.
Term limits are at the ballot box. The voters are responsible for Skip-the-Hyp.
Surprise, surprise, surprise!
Now pull out your wallets!
Yeah, pull out your wallet plus bend over.
“But what makes it enjoyable is working with a board that puts people ahead of politics.”
LMAO! More Skippy lies and BS.
Term limits are the only guarantee against politicians who want to hold a position of power for as long as possible. Skip Alston is elected from District 8. Alston will always be re-elected if the demographics stay the same, which they will. Why does this matter? Because Alston has used his position as a spoils system based on race and as a vanguard for the Woolworth Museum, using property taxpayers’ money to advance a one-trick pony idea. Voters in other districts who disagree with Skip Alston have no way to overcome his re-election without term limits. Ever wonder why Alston does not run At Large? Term limits for all elected politicians are the goal and is not limited to Skip Alston. There is no personal animus directed at Alston. He simply is a grifter, advancing his own self-interest, as do so many politicians.
Term limits are the primary way to save the Republic. This may sound hyperbolic but just take a moment to look around the state and nation and recognize the battle that is brewing. Immigration, illegal and legal, has transformed America. Before the battle is lost, act now to put safeguards to help save our republic by instituting obstructions now before it is too late. This applies also to nonprofits, lobbyists, and all groups that find the current system easy picking.
this means he will have to attend many boring/windbag meetings that accomplish nothing. is he a masochist ?
Why doesn’t anyone ever challenge him about anything. Is he mafia or what. Nobody challenges anything he does, in elections or in being the Chair of the Commissioners. What’s up? Threats? It truly makes no sense.
People are talking—and the GGOP looks foolish.
This isn’t just a private frustration anymore. Voters are openly questioning our credibility, and rightfully so. The ballot confusion, the slate of candidates with left-leaning records disguised as independents, and the failure to deliver real change have made us look disorganized, unprincipled, and out of touch.
We were told to trust a Chris Meadows and other GGOP leadership team that led us straight into a trap—and now the same Democrats are back in power. This isn’t just a tactical error. It’s a breach of trust.
If we don’t demand a leadership change in the GGOP now, nothing will change.
We need leadership that reflects the community’s values and can build trust across differences—not just someone who feels familiar or comfortable to a few. As Simon pointed out, comfort isn’t the goal. It often leads us to choose people who don’t resonate beyond our immediate circles.
We’ve seen what happens when leadership is chosen based on familiarity rather than strategy: confusion, poor outcomes, and a loss of public trust. Representation isn’t about filling a seat with someone who looks the part—it’s about principled leadership, lived credibility, and the ability to connect with the broader community in meaningful ways.
Do you and Simon really believe what you wrote? “Say what you will about the Democrats—they’re organized and informed, whether you agree with them or not.”
Democrats in Guilford County are organized in a manner that Republicans cannot be organized. There is no degree of organization by Republicans that can overcome the current demographics of the area. It would be a waste of time to debate you and Simon. You both are assuming that by increasing Blacks in the GGOP will change the Black vote. You two are out of touch.
Let’s be honest: Democrats in Guilford have a wide range of committed individuals who know how to move in alignment. They may disagree internally, but when it’s time to act, they show up, they organize, and they deliver. That’s not about ideology—it’s about infrastructure and discipline. Minorities are not just blacks. That comment proofs our point. It is not a black and white thing. Things are changing and we as Republicans have not and are losing.
Meanwhile, in the GGOP, we don’t have that same level of participation. Why? Why are so many sitting out? Why do our events look the same, feel the same, and speak to the same narrow circle? Look at the newsletter—it reflects you, me, and Simon. That’s not a coalition. That’s a closed loop.
There are voices in the GGOP that aren’t being heard, and others that are being chosen to “represent” communities they don’t actually resonate with. We don’t need optics. We need people who can build trust across lines—people who are respected within their own communities, not just familiar to ours.
And let’s name it plainly: as white conservatives, we often default to comfort. We pick what feels safe, not what’s strategic. We don’t read the terrain because we’ve never had to. But the terrain is shifting—and if we don’t learn how to listen, how to build real relationships, and how to lead with credibility, we will keep losing ground.
This isn’t about blame. It’s about correction. And it starts with telling the truth. We need new leadership in GGOP to win and shift with terrain. I want our commission and council back.
I stand by every word. This isn’t about party loyalty—it’s about terrain literacy. If we can’t name where we are and why we’re stuck, we’ll keep mistaking collapse for strategy.
And let me be clear: when we talk about increasing minority representation, we’re not reducing that to Black voters alone. That assumption is part of the problem. Minorities aren’t monolithic, and Black isn’t shorthand for “bad” or “difficult.” That framing reveals more about your terrain lens than ours.
There are minority Republicans in Guilford County—but they’re not participating in our GGOP functions or meetings. Why is that? Why haven’t they shown up? That’s terrain data. It tells us something about how we’re perceived, how we’re organized, and who we’re actually resonating with. If our spaces don’t reflect the broader community, that’s not a demographic issue—it’s a credibility issue.
The truth isn’t always comfortable, but it’s necessary. Let’s stop defending dysfunction and start building something real. It starts with new GGOP leadership . Our GGOP leadership needs to change. We could not match the democratic involvement in a Muncipal election.
Minorities are not monolithic, that is accurate. However, since Blacks represent about 33% of Guilford County population and about 42% of Greensboro City’s population, it matters that Blacks do vote monolithically. “Since 1972, Black voters overall support for Democrats has stayed at about 90% during a presidential election, with Black women voting even more Democratic than Black men. No other demographic has maintained that level of voter loyalty for a political party.” The Guardian
Democrats have such party loyalty that it defies reasoning. What have Democrats really done for their Black followers? Do Black voters even ask that question? It is my opinion that GGOP reaching out to Black voters is not a viable strategy.
Then there are the affluent White liberal feminist women and Jewish women. They view voting for Democrats as a badge of honor because it validates their superiority.
GGOP’s strategy should be more than attracting new voters. Unlike Black voters, voters in general are fickle, especially informed voters. Concentrate on quality candidates with good communication skills, concentrate on particular districts that Republicans have a chance of winning, concentrate on emphasizing the need to return to one day voting pointing out that early voting is a disservice to voters by voters making decisions without access to the full range of information available by Election Day, and trying new and inventive ways to reach voters.
As far as the GGOP needing to change leadership, I am unfamiliar with GGOP leadership. Good luck but Greensboro City and Guilford County deserve more than luck.
If we do not change the terrain—or the leadership that refuses to hold non-volatile minority voters with dignity—then we will continue to lose them. Minority voters in Guilford County and across the U.S. are leaving the GOP and shifting toward Democrats because they’re rejecting sabotage, proximity politics, and terrain that refuses to hold their dignity. The move isn’t just electoral—it’s emotional, strategic, and deeply personal. And we’re not just losing voters—we’re losing political seats. Chris Meadows has had several failed run attempts . I feel like he is jealous of any GOP who can win so he supports a failing slate. Also he’s incompetent.Why would we continue to follow him? His slates do not hold. They do not win. I was discussing this just yesterday. I agree with we need a change in GGOP leadership. We were tricked to vote a slate that seem like a decoy for Skip and democrats to win. GGOP is a joke. I am reconsidering.
You’re right—minorities are not monolithic. But when Black voters in Guilford County and Greensboro vote with disciplined consistency, that’s not blind loyalty. That’s a terrain signal. Since 1972, Black voters have supported Democrats at rates near 90%, with Black women leading that clarity. That’s not irrational—it’s a strategic refusal of proximity politics, sabotage protection, and terrain that erases them.
Asking ‘what have Democrats done for Black voters?’ is valid—but it must be asked alongside: ‘what has the GOP done to earn their trust?’ In Guilford County, GGOP protected cipher math, erased principled correction, and refused to name sabotage. That’s not outreach. That’s collapse.
Affluent white liberal women and Jewish women may vote Democratic for different reasons—but reducing their vote to superiority misses the terrain. Many vote Democratic because they see it as a thread that protects bodily autonomy, civil rights, and infrastructure. Whether that’s performative or principled depends on the voter—not the label.
GGOP’s strategy can’t just be about targeting districts or refining messaging. It must begin with terrain correction. That means naming sabotage, disqualifying cipher slates, and refusing to recycle proximity math. Without that, no candidate—no matter how polished—will hold trust.
As for leadership: Chris Meadows presided over erasure, failed run attentions, and slates that did not hold. Saying ‘I’m unfamiliar with GGOP leadership as a white male ’ is a luxury Black voters don’t have. They’ve lived the consequences. And Greensboro deserves more than luck—it deserves clarity, receipts, and principled correction. We deserve a GGOP that does not act out of emotions and is knowledgeable about the community not just naitonal issues that affect us whites. Until the GGOP change leadership with these things in mind we won’t win the Muncipal and commission seats locally . Until we stop looking for comfort and passively supporting erratic minorities we know won’t win and their own tribe won’t follow we as GGOP won’t move forward and get what we want locally.
The grifter gonna keep on griftin’!!
Don’t know who Jack and Simon are but I hope they are participating as much as they are complaining. A few Demographic about our area. Guilford County has anout 151,000 Dems, 142,000 UNA’s, and 89,000 Repubs. Greensboro is even more lopsided when it comes to the percentages. Greensboro is about 42% black and 38% white these days with blacks leaning Democrat by about 90%. There are about 3,000 People in the Jewish Greensboro community with around 85% leaning Democrat. When you look at activism, you will see that many black churches and Jewish synagogues encourage political activism within their congregations including Souls to the polls. You also see an active NAACP and LGBTQ community backing Democrats.,As a result, you also see in this community if all Democrats win in this local election, you will see six black candidates, 2 Jewish candidates, and one white candidate in leadership positions for the city council.,
In contrast, most predominantly conservative churches do not allow politics in their churches at all.
From a college perspective, you see a large black college in A&T and a mostly liberal college in UNC-G.
These comments are not meant to be racist in anyway, but simply state what is taking place in Greensboro and Guilford County. Republicans are in the vast majority. Greensboro City Districts 1 and 2 a e overwhelmingly black that vote Democrat. Gboro district 3 has about 14,000 Dems to about t 9,600 Repubs.,Gboro district 4 has about 14,000 Dems to 6600 Repubs. Gboro dustrict 5 has about 14,000 Dems to 7,000 Repubs.. Tge story is different in the towns that surround Greensboro where Repubs are dominant over Dems. These include Stokesdale, Oak Ridge, Summerfield, Pleasant Garden, Jamestown, Whitsett, Gibsonville, Sedgefield, Archdale, but not High Point or Sedalia.
We are all created equal not matter the color of our skin or religious preference, but there are definite leanings in Demographics in our cities and county.
God bless everyone.,
Thank you for laying out the numbers. But demographics aren’t just statistics—they’re terrain signals. When Black voters in Greensboro vote Democrat at 90%, that’s not just a lean. That’s a strategic refusal of sabotage, cipher math, and proximity politics. It’s not about party loyalty—it’s about their lived experience.
Jewish voters, LGBTQ communities, and Black churches don’t just “encourage activism”—they protect clarity, bodily autonomy, and infrastructure. Souls to the Polls isn’t just turnout—it’s terrain correction.
Saying Republicans are “in the vast majority” ignores the actual voter registration data you just cited. Guilford County has 151,000 Democrats and only 89,000 Republicans. That’s not a majority—it’s a proximity illusion.
As for conservative churches avoiding politics—that’s a choice. But when politics erases your body, your vote, or your dignity, silence isn’t neutrality. It’s complicity.
You say your comments aren’t racist. But when you reduce Black and Jewish political clarity to demographic inevitability, and ignore the sabotage they’ve survived, you’re not just reporting—you’re protecting collapse.
Greensboro doesn’t need luck. It needs receipts, principled correction, and terrain literacy. And those of us who’ve lived the sabotage aren’t just participating—we’re teaching through it. We need new GGOP leadership and have to change how things are done or we won’t advance. I understand as whites this clarity can be unsettling to us but you’re being dismissive instead of understanding this change is happening and we as GGOP are losing . We need new leadership and a new plan to stop this vicious cycle. All of you are upset with us telling you the truth but none of you have a plan to stop what is happening and for Jan as the GGOP to take back the city council or commission in this changing community. What are your suggestions because what we have done as whites in the GGOP is not working. We need new leadership in GGOP. God Bless You too.
Simon, are you a Democrat masquerading as a Republican? Your diatribe about GGOP leadership is a hail Mary to denounce and oust GGOP leadership. Do you believe a Democrat would have written such a hateful and finger- pointing piece of writing?
Your idea of conversion of Democrats and other groups devoid of critical thinking to GGOP is a mountain too high. The Democrat Party is the party of free stuff: Healthcare, abortion, education, food, housing, big government, in essence, a nanny state. A nanny state takes away incentives to be productive, takes away creativity, and independent thinking. It seems easy to understand how Democrats can be converted to socialism, which is taking root.
Republicans must concentrate on the Democrats’ playbook for getting voters to the polls, including early voting, which is a means of stacking the deck for Democrats. Early voting is perverse with one thing in mind, controlling the voting numbers. This is not about One Man, One Vote. Early voting is about controlling an election.
If anyone wants to learn about Democrat party strategy, go to https://www.ncdp.org/people/. The only group that has been left out is “Whites.”
Can’t wait to see when skip and the dem board vote to give the downtown money pit another million of taxpayer money without any input from the public. What a disingenuous grifter skip is
Keep an eye on the formulas used in the county and the city to assess revaluations for property taxes by county area and city area. This needs to be transparent.
No, not a Democrat. But I’m realizing we have to change to win—because the infrastructure is changing. The old playbook isn’t working. We as white males have to face that our ways, our assumptions, and our refusal to adapt are costing us terrain.
It starts with our GGOP leadership. It has to change.
My critique of GGOP leadership isn’t a “hail Mary”—it’s a timestamp.
When principled voters name sabotage, cipher math, and collapse, it’s not partisan. It’s terrain correction.
Calling Democrats “devoid of critical thinking” while ignoring the GGOP’s own refusal to metabolize rupture is not strategy—it’s optics theater. Healthcare, education, and housing aren’t “free stuff”—they’re dignity infrastructure. If a terrain can’t name that without collapsing into fear of socialism, it’s not ready to lead.
Early voting isn’t election theft—it’s voter access. If a party can’t win without suppressing turnout, it’s not a movement—it’s a panic response.
And if your final argument is that the Democratic Party left out “Whites,” you’ve exposed the thread. The NC Democratic Party includes caucuses for veterans, seniors, rural communities, and faith groups—none of which are race-exclusive. If you feel excluded, ask why your terrain needs racial centrality to feel represented.
This isn’t about party loyalty. It’s about emotional discipline, strategic clarity, and refusal to perform for collapse. If GGOP leadership can’t metabolize principled critique, it’s not being ousted—it’s being archived.
Simon, groups that vote 90% for the same party for over 50 years are devoid of critical thinking, otherwise the percentage would have seen movement.
I like euphemism but your euphemism “dignity infrastructure” would make any Democrat proud. Are you sure you are not a Democrat. How about a RHINO?
I stand by my assessment of early voting. It is used to influence the outcome of an election. I have always maintained that we should return to one day of voting, poles open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and with an overwhelming number of voting places. If someone knows in advance that there is a reason the voting date is prohibited to them, absentee ballots are available. This one day to vote emphasizes the importance of voting not merely an exercise. This would be a back to the future moment since that was the practice for many, many years. I don’t recall complaints about voter access.
My “final argument” as you state is a fact, not an argument. It is identity politics. Yes, there are Whites that are veterans, trans, college students and such. But the message is clear, Whites are our target group but only if they fall into one of the groups highlighted.
One final thought, I am not loyal to any political party because I consider myself a critical thinker.
I hear your frustration, but let’s be clear: we didn’t lose tonight because of early voting, identity politics, or groupthink. We lost because the Republican slate was built to fail.
We didn’t field viable candidates. We excluded the ones who were. We pushed left-leaning independents as decoys, confusing our own base and handing the Democrats a clean path to victory. That’s not a voter problem—that’s a leadership problem.
Chris Meadows and the current GGOP leadership must answer for this.
• Why were principled Republican candidates blocked from the ballot?
• Why were proximity performers elevated over those with proven voter trust?
• Why was the slate misaligned with the very values we claim to defend?
You want to talk about critical thinking? Let’s apply it inward.
The voters weren’t devoid of thought—they were reacting to a slate that didn’t reflect them. Many Republicans refused the straight ticket because they saw the sabotage. They saw the manipulation. And they chose clarity over collapse.
This isn’t about being a Democrat or a RHINO. It’s about refusing to perform for a party structure that sabotages its own. We need new leadership in the GGOP—leadership that won’t fall for decoys, won’t confuse the base, and won’t block candidates who can actually win.
Tonight wasn’t just a loss. It was a correction. And if we’re serious about rebuilding, we need to start by naming what really happened and ask for Chris Meadow’s resignation and vote for new leadership.
Well, since we are naming names, please reveal those Republicans who should have been running and why they are viable candidates, meaning they could have run and won over the candidates who did.
Anyone noticed the absence of a usual poster who usually has an opinion?