U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, state Rep. Jonathan Jordan and other political candidates stumped for themselves and other conservative candidates at the grand opening of the Watauga County Republican Party headquarters Saturday.

The office, located in the Shops at Shadowline shopping center in Boone, opened Aug. 13, but Saturday’s grand opening represented an official kickoff to the 2012 general election season.

Foxx expressed emphatic enthusiasm for the Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan ticket — especially for the vice presidential candidate, whose Congressional office is two doors down from her own.

“I absolutely adore the man,” said Foxx. “His philosophy flows through his veins. He’s smart as a whip. He’s humble as can be. He doesn’t hunger for power — he hungers to serve.”

The four-term Congresswoman warned that President Barack Obama could be re-elected for a second term if Republicans become complacent, adding that she believes God holds his people responsible for sins of “omission and commission.”

“If you wake up, and Romney and Ryan are not president and vice president … then you’ll have to examine your conscience,” she said.

Foxx, as well as Jordan, urged county Republicans to work hard for the campaign of Justice Paul Newby, who is seeking re-election to the N.C. Supreme Court. The race could swing the current 4-3 conservative majority on the court to the left, she said, if Newby is not re-elected.

“This is the most important election in North Carolina this fall,” she said.

Jordan called North Carolina’s 93rd district “a swing district,” asking for help in being re-elected to a second term. His race is a rematch of 2010’s race, as he is again facing former Democratic state Rep. Cullie Tarleton.

“Two years ago you helped me and the Republican Party make a historic change,” said Jordan. “We need some more time,” he said, to continue making reforms.

Tommy Adams, the vice chair of the county party and candidate for county commissioner, aimed to energize party members, comparing the election season to the Olympics.

“This is the gun going off, and we’ve got to sprint to the finish line,” he said.

The Watauga Republican headquarters is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, call Adams at (828) 719-0738 or Chair Matt Snyder at (646) 325-0653, or visit http://www.wataugarepublicans.com.