Politics

Sen. Tillis to open Historic Courthouse office

By Bill Moss, Published: July 21, 2015

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis is expected to open his western regional office in the Historic Courthouse in Hendersonville.

Colton Overcash, newly hired as Tillis's Western North Carolina regional representative, said Tuesday afternoon that the senator was close to deciding on an office either on the ground floor or basement of the 1905 courthouse on Main Street.

"I should know something today or tomorrow" about Tillis's decision, said County Manager Steve Wyatt. "We have continued to work with them if this is what they want. His wife Susan was here last week and she was just absolutely disarming and charming. She's the kind of person you'd want as your neighbor. ... Obviously they've got issues they have to deal with with security."

The Hendersonville Lightning first reported in 2014 after his election to the Senate that Tillis was considering Hendersonville over Asheville for his western office. The decision is not unprecedented. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole also chose Republican-dominated Henderson County over Asheville, the Democratic stronghold of the mountains, for her WNC office.

Overcash, who grew up in Salisbury, graduated from Western Carolina University with degrees in political science and sociology.