Laurel to the Rowan County Republican Party for picking western Rowan County’s Elaine Hewitt as its new chair.

Hewitt has a long history of volunteering for the local Republican Party and is a well of knowledge about local politics and elections. She’ll be able to listen to different opinions and help guide the party toward solutions.

With Rev. Brad Jenkins choosing to run for office in state House District 83, he stepped down from his chairman position. Hewitt is the best person to take the reins. She’ll complete a term that ends in 2023 and carry the party through the 2022 midterms.

Erica Vedeikis, who was nominated for chair by Hewitt and turned it down, said it well when telling Republicans, “I don’t think anybody in this room doubts that Elaine is the right person to move us forward.”

Laurel to Corey Seager’s big payday with the Texas Rangers.

The Associated Press reported Monday that Seager, a Kannapolis native, 2020 World Series MVP and two-time all-star, has agreed to a 10-year, $325 million deal with the Arlington, Texas-based team. It’s one of the largest deals in Major League Baseball.

Seager certainly is well-deserving of the big payday. His is a story of a local product’s hard work paying off. Hopefully, he’ll find more success with the Rangers as well as ways to give back to his hometown.

Dart to Reps. Harry Warren and Wayne Sasser.

Both signed onto a letter with 180 legislators across the country calling for a forensic audit and for states to decertify elections as needed. Warren said he does not expect the audit to change the outcome of an election, but it might turn up issues that need fixing. There won’t be a decertification in North Carolina, but maybe in another state, Sasser said.

Individual states set laws for their elections, not the federal government. What’s the point of trying to federalize elections? Legislators in the Tar Heel state should stick to legislating in North Carolina and stop worrying about other states. North Carolina, one of the most competitive states in the country, has already audited its election and found no need to change results.