The Republicans control the Executive Mansion and the state House as well as the Senate. It had been more than a century since the GOP had this much power in North Carolina.

With a less than an enthusiastic presidential candidate — Hillary Clinton — expected to be nominated by the Democrats, the Republicans had to feel good about their chances of maintaining power in November. All they had to do was avoid the infighting that is currently plaguing the national party as it attempts to make peace with either Donald Trump or Sen. Ted Cruz as its presidential nominee.

So much for those best-laid plans of mice and the state’s GOP, because they have definitely gone askew.

This weekend, the state Republican Party’s Central Committee passed a formal resolution of no confidence in Chairman Hasan Harnett. In addition, the committee censured him and placed restrictions on his duties, pending a review of charges of gross inefficiency by the NCGOP Executive Committee.

The Republicans went from the party in charge to a party without a leader in the blink of an eye.

Harnett swept into office last June riding an anti-establishment wave to defeat Craig Collins, who was supported by Gov. Pat McCrory and Sen. Thom Tillis as well as other elected officials. When Harnett was picked, N.C. Senate leader Phil Berger released a statement saying he was ready to roll up his sleeves and work with the new chairman to defend the Republican majority in both houses.

In less than a year, Harnett began to ruffle the feathers of members of the “establishment.” Earlier this month, Harnett had his work email temporarily turned off by NCGOP executive director Dallas Woodhouse.

Woodhouse claimed Harnett and a few other Republican state officials had their email accounts shut off because of security issues. It may have been as simple as that, but when you see the recent actions of the NCGOP Central Committee, it seems like “security issues” were the least of anyone’s worries.

To aid its case, the GOP Central Committee stated Harnett committed eight “gross violations of the Party’s rules.” The majority centered on the upcoming state convention and Harnett’s wish to lower the cost to attend the event.

Harnett’s opponents believe his goal is to attract more non-establishment members there and get them elected as leaders — effectively changing the face of the party.

Unlike what is occurring on the national level, N.C. Republicans are actively looking to pull the plug on the “anti-establishment” movement within their ranks and do it now. The election is still more than seven months away, plenty of time for the NCGOP to put its house in order. If leaders don’t, Republicans will see their power slip right out of their hands.

The Sanford Herald

Harnett
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_Hasan-Harnett-mug-1.jpgHarnett