By Mark Lane
President Ronald Reagan popularized a saying, “Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican”, which became known as Reagan’s 11th commandment. When I entered the race for Johnston County Board of Education, it was not to become embroiled in the political divisiveness so prevalent in today’s discourse.
While I stepped into this election as a Republican candidate, I am running to serve every single student, teacher, parent and citizen of Johnston County. When I win in November, it will be my duty to apply my conservative principles in a way that serves all constituents regardless of party affiliation. That is responsible governance. It is a defining part of Reagan conservatism and is the reason why Republicans have been successful as Johnston County’s governing party.
Unfortunately, a small group in control of our local party leadership has decided to deviate from Reagan’s tenets in favor of partisan infighting and loyalty to personal agendas. A decision was made recently by the executive committee of the Johnston County Republican Party to endorse only three of the five Republican candidates for Board of Education. I am completely opposed to this course of action by our local party board to work against fellow Republicans.
This decision, based solely on personal favoritism, will only serve to divide Republicans across our county and distract from the important issues facing our school system. The justification for this choice to target fellow Republicans: Fear of the Democrats.
The leadership of the Johnston County Republican party claims that their decision was based on the need to consolidate votes around three candidates for the three available Board of Education seats, or else the one Democrat in the race might win a seat.
Besides the inherent issue that decisions are being made to target fellow Republicans based on fear of the Democrats, the historic precedent shows that this decision carries little strategic value. In two out of the last three Johnston County Board of Education elections, there have only been enough Republican candidates to equal the available seats.
Despite this, Democrats have still won a seat each time. This is plain and simply a bias driven decision to wield the power vested in the local Republican executive board against fellow Republicans, to the benefit of select candidates deemed more favorable to a small political group’s personal agenda.
Regardless of this internal attempt to hinder myself and another Republican Board of Education candidate, my campaign remains undeterred. I am confident the voters of Johnston County see through these political games and will make their choices based on the merits of each candidate. After all, this is a non-partisan election and I look forward to serving all the citizens of our great county on the Board of Education.
Mark Lane is a candidate for the Johnston County School Board. He is a lifelong resident of Johnston County and a graduate of the Johnston County School System. He is married to Cindy Withrow Lane and they have four children and six grandchildren.
Thank you Mark for your stance.
I totally agree.
Ms. Anna I do so wished I knew the Lanes as you seem too. I am not here to call ether Mr. Lane or his wife conservative or democrats, I made my mind up that they were a pair of members of the Smithfield”Johnston County” Proper crowd the likes of Lyn Andrews, Kay Carroll, Todd Sutton, Terri Sessions and most importantly Mike Wooten when they announced Mr. Lanes intentions of running for the school board in the JOCO Report. Take my words that I am about to say and imagine it was Andy Griffin voice saying these words. Have you folk’s ever seen such a fine and I mean fine couple come out wearing more conservative red atire than these two on thier school board political announcement on the JOCO Report? We want know for sure but word in the county was that thier underdraws was conservative red too? Why we couldn’t even see the top of Mark Lane head for all of the red!!! Exactly, did we see the GOP supported candidate’s wear more of their clothing conservative red to let you know they are in the fight for conservativism? Miss Anna you seem toknow the lanes and maybe this is just the norm for them and can let us know? NO, HERE IS WHAT I THINK. I think the Lanes have the mentality of us true conservative’s that they felt all we have to do honey is wear conservative red and alot of it and these Trump loving, knuckle dragging, teachers union hateing voters will vote us right in as they have done the other’s Smithfield”Johnston County” Proper in the pass!!! I think if the Lanes are truly Republican they are the LIz Cheney Republicans that are willing to fight and get Democrats elected because of the unhealthy hate they have for Donald Trump? Just my opinion folks but I left a link to the JOCO Report when Mr. Lane announcement of his run for the school board. Take a look and see what you think? I will say he has found his passion and it not for cleaning up the HIDE YOUR MONEY CROUP, his passion seems to be self preservation?
Mr. Lane should you split up the conservative vote and win I hope I am wrong about this?
https://jocoreport.com/mark-lane-files-for-johnston-county-school-board/
Remember – ‘I just want 11780 votes.’ Oh – and can we forget: ‘We love you; you’re very special’ – thanks for attacking the USA on the 6th. Folks died. Can’t make it up Dad.
If you really think that “the voters of Johnston County see through these political games and will make their choices based on the merits of each candidate” then you haven’t been paying attention for the past 25 years.
AMEN MARK I AM SO TIRED OF JOHNSTON COUNTY BEING LIKE WASHINGTON DC. I DO NO FEEL LIKE IT WAS UP TO THEM TO MAKE A DECISION OF SUPPORTING JUST 3 WELL NOW JOHNSTON COUNTY HAS JOINED THE RANKS OF BIDEN AND HARRIS IN WASHINGTON YOU WILL NOT GET A CHANGE IN THIS UNTIL PEOPLE FINALLY DECIDE THEY WANT A CHANGE PEOPLE HAVE TO UNITE TO DO THIS AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY I AM JUST WAITING TO SEE WHO GOES IN THERE EVERYONE BETTER PRAY FOR ALL THE STUFF THAT IS GOING ON AND IF NOT WE WILL STILL HAVE THE SAME ONES IN THERE
Says the person that said from the beginning they never wanted to be endorsed by any group or be on the Republican golden ticket. The amount of hypocrisy is laughable. This candidate wants to state they don’t want to have divisiveness but plays along with the democrats in dividing the county along with other republicans.
As many issues as this county has had with money. I also don’t need a candidate that cant manage their finances to a point of foreclosing on their property and having to short sale it. I’ll pass on this one.
It’s time for a Unified party. A party that believes it is their job to serve the citizens of any community, not just the ones who serve the democrat or republican party. There are only 2 questions that every board member should ask when voting on any expenditure, budget, mandate or any item or subject: How will it improve teaching and how will it improve learning?
Send all candidates and the entire BOE packing! We need new people all around who are running because they care about the schools, the kids, the staff and the teachers. Ones who are willing to make the hard decisions to shrink the central office, allow teachers to teach not just get kids ready for a test, keep CRT/SEL/whatever name they want to use out of the schools. We need people who will stand up and say our schools are failing the kids and have a real plan to implement change. I haven’t heard real plans from any candidate; just bickering, in fighting and pointing out problems.
Ask any teacher and they will tell you CRT has never been taught in our school system. I have personally asked over 75 and have had other friends ask their teacher friends. The answer was always NO.
So does the problem have to happen before we do something to prevent it, or do we look out into other school systems where CRT is prevalent and put preventative measures in place. After all, you don’t board up your windows DURING a hurricane, you do it before. CRT is a dreadfully racist and biased thing and doesn’t belong in any school system. So let us make sure we keep it out before it gets here; assuming what you’re even saying is true.
Amen! As well I know it was being implemented under the name SEL while the kids were doing virtual. It was not in your face obvious and was being implemented by the social worker/counselor at the school. The teachers may not have a clue if they are not in the room during the social worker time.
You have had my vote since you signed up to run!
Lane sounds like another whinning want to be politician. No vote here.
The mistake that the Republicans make is that they want to “play nice” and “reach across the aisle” and all of that nonsense. I have to give the Dems credit- they see politics as an all or nothing game and don’t operate under such illusions. That attitude drives their focus on reaching their goals-something the Republicans better become good at or they’re going to marginalized.
“to be marginalized.” Sorry about that.
Readers digest version of the article. “ I’m mad they didn’t pick me”. The end
Absolutely 100% …..why is a small faction with personal agendas involved calling the shots for the local GOP? Very disappointed in our local party and their games. I sure hope Mark Lane will gather votes from ALL voters, and I feel he will represent ALL citizens for the betterment of the public schools. You have my vote Mr Lane!
Dump the gop
Ah yes, things are just SO great now that the Dems are in power. /s
Well Mark, you’ve got true conservatives in the party, and then you have capitulating RINOs that deserve to be censured. Then you have true democrats parading around as Rs lying to everyone. I’d expect nothing less from an ex-Dem though.
In the very first sentence Lane loses all creditability. This is a man who actively campaigned for a Democrat and opposed a Republican in the Commissioner’s race. I guess the JoCo GOP has a decent memory after all. Mark Lane has no chance of winning by continuing to pout over the consequences of his own indiscretions.