Preserve Warren County PAC Endorses Local Candidates Committed to Community-Focused Leadership

Four local candidates received endorsements from Preserve Warren County PAC as the organization officially threw its support behind individuals it says are “community-oriented” and “ready to lead with accountability.”

The PAC, founded by a group of concerned citizens, introduced and endorsed:

• Sara Jones, candidate for School Board, Happy Creek District
• George Cline, candidate for School Board, Fork District
• Tony Carter, candidate for Board of Supervisors, Happy Creek District
• Hugh Henry, candidate for Board of Supervisors, Fork District (currently appointed)

All four candidates gathered for a recent interview to share their vision for Warren County’s future and why they’ve chosen to run. Though each brings a unique background, they presented a united message: local leadership should reflect the community’s needs, not outside interests.

Experience Matters

Hugh Henry, currently serving as the appointed supervisor for the Fork District, highlighted his 12 years on the Planning Commission as key preparation for his current role.

“It took a little work for us to get there,” Henry said of the appointment, “but [we’re] trying to build some of these working relationships. All of us won’t be new in January that way, so they give us a head start.”

Henry added that the county’s leadership landscape is changing quickly.

“We’ve got all new staff. Most of the board, except Cheryl, are just in their second year. And with the new staff and things going on, it’d be nice to have some experience back.”

Carter: “Know Where You’ve Been”

Tony Carter, a former longtime supervisor and current candidate for the Happy Creek District, agreed that history matters when making future decisions.

“I think you have to know where you’ve been so you know where you can go,” Carter said. “There’s a lot of new staff in the whole thing, and they just don’t have—that information is there. But trying to dig it up and knowing where to look, that’s one thing.”

Carter reflected on past planning efforts and how studies are often created but rarely put into action.

“Doing the studies is the easy part. Implementing those studies—that’s the difficult part.”

Cline Focuses on Career Training

George Cline, running for School Board in the Fork District, shared his ongoing efforts to support technical education, including plans for a new building for the Blue Ridge Technical Center.

“I’ve been working on pricing on a new Vo-Tech building,” Cline said. “I think it’s going to be a very surprising number, very low… We’ll have the Blue Ridge Tech involved in actually the building part of it.”

Cline added that community support for the effort is already in motion.

“I’ve got companies that have volunteered to do the electric already. Concrete work. They’re going to do it at a discount.”

He emphasized the importance of all four candidates running with a shared purpose.

“This group sitting right here is all community involved,” he said. “Everybody sitting here knows what this community needs.”

Jones: “Move Warren County Forward”

Sara Jones, who is running for the School Board in the Happy Creek District, stressed the need to shift away from division and toward collective progress.

“This community needs leaders who are going to come together and move Warren County forward,” she said. “We have to put this… divide in our community behind us, move forward and fully support our library so that we can move on and support the other services that this county needs.”

She also pointed out how shared community involvement across all four candidates strengthens their platform.

“It’s important that, yes, we are all involved in the community so we know what our community needs. We’ve talked to a lot of people who are ready to put this behind us and move forward for the betterment of all the citizens of Warren County.”

PAC Support and Mission

Cheryl Cullers, a current supervisor and representative of Preserve Warren County PAC, said the endorsements came only after careful observation and community conversations.

“We were late getting into the game as far as Tony because we were watching to see, giving everybody an opportunity,” she said. “But we feel out of that situation now that he is somebody that’s going to listen to the voice of people.”

Cullers added that the PAC’s endorsements reflect their mission:

“Our mission is to preserve the small-town charm and beauty of Warren County, Virginia, while ensuring local candidates remain accountable to the voice of the people.”

She emphasized the need for leadership that understands the whole county, not just their district.

“You have to know the whole community because that vote affects the whole community… Getting out and listening to the people is vital. And I feel comfortable saying that I think everybody at this table is up to that task.”

Voter Participation Encouraged

Though George Cline and Hugh Henry are both running unopposed in their respective races, they still encouraged voters to show up and make their voices heard.

“We’d still like you to come out and vote,” Cline said. “It sets a good precedent, even running unopposed.”

The group reminded the public that early voting is underway and registration is open through October 24, with Election Day on November 4.

Preserve Warren County PAC describes itself as a bipartisan committee dedicated to backing local candidates who prioritize transparency, public input, and long-term community wellbeing.

The group’s full mission statement and more information about the candidates it supports can be found on its Facebook page.