Watauga Watch: “We just posted yesterday a profile of Rod Honeycutt, the third Republican to announce a primary bid against 11th Dist. Congressman Madison Cawthorn. Now there’s a fourth, and he looks like even more a potential winner — if the vote against Cawthorn doesn’t get split four ways.
Eric Batchelor has a deep service record — in the Army (retired as a Lt. Colonel) and in law enforcement (deputy in the Haywood County sheriff’s office) — and a compelling story of personal heroism and sacrifice in the line of duty, both combat in Afghanistan and facing down a shooter as a deputy. He seems like a complete package of electability, including a thoroughly adult perspective on the world, a rational moderation that seems well earned from his life experience. It helps that his wife is a part of the clergy and has served as a chaplain.
After retiring from the Army in 2015, Batchelor trained as an EMT and paramedic, moved back to the western NC mountains in 2018, worked as an EMT and did additional training to become a law enforcement officer. He was then hired as a deputy by the Haywood County sheriff and became a patrol officer.”
