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The two U.S. senators from North Carolina, Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, and a school board chair who allegedly adopted progressive ideas have been censured by their local Republican party.
Stephanie Kraybill, the chair of the New Hanover County School Board, has been censured by the New Hanover County Republican Party over accusations that she ignored the concerns of the Republican party, WECT reported. Kraybill ran for the position as a Republican.
"Throughout her time in office—especially during the response to the COVID-19 virus—Ms. Kraybill constantly adopted and promoted stances that ignored the wishes of parents and promoted progressive ideologies of gender-dystopia and race theory," the organization said in a statement. "In the case of Ms. Kraybill, we accepted and promoted an elected official whose actions do not align with the values of parents throughout this county."
This latest move is not the first time in recent months that GOP leadership has found itself at odds with party officials, leading to censures. In February, the party censured U.S. Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, which led to a splintered reaction among party members. Some prominent Republicans, such as former party Chair Michael Steele, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski and Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson criticized the move.
Kraybill has fired back at the censure in North Carolina, calling it a distraction from the problems happening within her county. She said that it "means nothing to me in my position on the school board" and has no affect personally, WECT added.
"I really just think that every decision that we make has to be made with the information you have and what's in the best interest of our students," she explained to WECT, "and so, if that matches up with the party line then that's great for the party. If it doesn't match up for the party line, but it's in the best interest of our students, then it's great for the students."
According to local newspaper the Wilmington StarNews, Kraybill was not in attendance when the vote to censure her was made. She was also not contacted by the New Hanover County Republican Party to notify her of the censure.
"I just hope they feel good about that [vote]," she was quoted by the StarNews. "Really, I'm still chair. They can't remove me from the chair. So it's just business as usual. It's unfortunate and it's not what I expected. Again, it doesn't change what I'm doing."
Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis were censured by the New Hanover County Republican Party for what the group calls a "lack of fiscal responsibility," WECT added. Elaborating on this decision, the organization said that it will hold Tillis, who is seeking reelection, accountable for his fiscal stances. Burr is not seeking reelection.
"Republicans stand for fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, and limited government spending on necessary projects," said the party. "Elected officials who do not adhere to these principles will hear from us—and they must listen."
Newsweek has reached out to the New Hanover County Republican Party and Stephanie Kraybill for additional comment but has yet to receive a response.
Update at 3/17/22, 1:40 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional quotes from Stephanie Kraybill.
