RALEIGH — North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley received an endorsement on Jan. 22 from 45th President Donald Trump to become the co-chair of the Republican National Committee.
At the winter meeting of the 168-member committee this week in Dana Point, Calif., the race that has galvanized the most attention has been for chairman. Three-term chair Ronna McDaniel is seeking a fourth term in the role. She is being challenged by Harmeet Dhillon, a California attorney who grew up in Smithfield.
The RNC is the formal governing body of the Republican Party in the United States and responsible for supporting party nominees, organizing the Republican National Convention and supporting state parties.
“In addition to leading North Carolina to tremendous success in the recent election, including the victory by Sen. Ted Budd, he has helped turn North Carolina, with my help, of course, red. Mike is MAGA all the way! He has been with me and real Republicans all the way, has helped America First candidates get elected, and will be a great Co-Chair of the RNC,” Trump said in a statement announcing the endorsement.
Whatley’s tenure with the NCGOP has produced prodigious success in most state elections. Since taking over in 2019 Whatley oversaw Trump’s win in 2020 in the state, two U.S. Senate victories in 2020 and 2022, recapturing a supermajority in the state Senate and perhaps most crucially, flipping control of the N.C. Supreme Court from 6-1 Democrats to 5-2 Republicans.
