McNeill surfaces in hunt for Brubaker replacement

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The Randolph County GOP’s vice chairman’s name has popped up as a leading contender to replace former House Speaker Harold Brubaker — who resigned from the legislature earlier this week after nearly 36 years of service.

Allen McNeill, a retired sheriff’s department employee as well as current county party #2,  is the first name to leak out.   McNeill gets pretty good marks from Tea Party and other conservative sources I talk to over in Randolph.

The Tea Party is quite strong in Randolph County.  Congresswoman Renee Ellmers lost the county in May’s GOP primary to a Tea Party-supported challenger.

If McNeill gets the nod  — and turns out to be a good Tea Party conservative – he will be a welcome departure from Brubaker’s style.

Brubaker and Moore County’s Richard Morgan cut a power sharing deal in 2002 with  House Democrats.

Another name being floated — by establishment sources — is that of current Moore County commissioner Larry Caddell — who apparently lives in Brubaker’s district.

Since Brubaker resigned after the May primary, the decision on filling the seat is left in the hands of the county party executive committee.  They will pick someone to fill the remainder of the term, as well as run for the seat in November.  (THAT may or may not be the same person.)