Micael Whatley was elected the new chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party its convention Saturday in Concord.

Delegates choses Whatley, an energy consultant in Gaston County, to succeed Robin Hayes, who announced he would not seek re-election as chair the day before being indicted on charges related to attempting to bribe the North Carolina insurance commissioner for a wealthy donor.

“This is victory for all our North Carolina Republican activists this weekend,” Whatley said. “As we enter the most important election cycle in our lifetime, we’ll hit the ground running building the Party infrastructure, fundraising and training volunteers in order to re-elect President Trump and deliver for all of our candidates up and down the ballot.” 

Jim Womack and John Lewis also ran for chairman.

Miriam Chu, a retired technical services manager and contractor, was elected vice chair of the NC Republican Party.

“I’ve been reaching out to Republicans across the state for years to help build the relationships that make victory possible,” Chu said. “I look forward to working with Chairman-Elect Whatley in what will be the most important election cycle of our lives. We win when we work together.”

Acting Chair Aubrey Woodard congratulated Whatley and Chu and said the party will look to unify behind them as they go into 2019 municipal election and the 2020 presidential election cycle.

NC Republicans will also concentrate on the legislature after losing its veto-proof majority in November and on the new 9th Congressional District election.

Sen. Ford comments on the the ‘born-alive’ bill

After the N.C. House failed to override Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of the Born-Alive Survivors Protection Act, Sen. Carl Ford called it a “sad day.”

Ford, R-33, voted to override the veto in April, and the N.C. Senate managed a three-fifths majority to give Senate Bill 359 a second chance. After being placed on the House calendar and removed multiple times, the full House attempted to complete the override, but came short with a 67-53 vote.

“It is a sad day in North Carolina when a large portion of our elected officials, including our governor, neglects to protect the lives of our newborns,” Ford stated in his weekly email newsletter. “Yes, we are talking about children that have entered this world with a beating heart.”

He continued, saying, “While it would be easy to hold resentment toward our Democrat officials, let us instead pray for them so that they may turn from their beliefs that are contrary to God’s Word.”

Reps. Harry Warren, R-76, Larry Pittman, R-83, and Julia Howard, R-77 voted for the veto override.

Corey Hill talks the labor movement at county democrats breakfast

Corey Hill, a board member of the NC State ALF-CIO, spoke at the Rowan County Democratic breakfast Saturday.

The North Carolina State American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations is an association of unions of working people in North Carolina.

Hill said the organization is working to push a Workers Bill of Rights to legislators that would ensure North Carolina workers have fair wages, access to quality health insurance, safe jobs, paid time off, flexible time off given to certain things, freedom from discrimination, retirement with dignity and education.

“If you want to change somebody’s life, give them a good job,” Hill said. “Make it where they can sit in their living room and know they can pay their bills, they can go on vacation, they got time off and they can afford to take their kids or wife or loved ones to the doctor. If you want to change their lives, that’s what most people can do today.”

Hill encouraged local Democrats to understand what the city and state are doing and advocate for workers to their legislators. He said they need momentum to begin passing laws that can make an impact on workers.

Hill said labor unions have fought for labor laws of which many people are already aware, including 40-hour work weeks, paid time off and eight-hour work days.

“Jobs are about everybody,” Hill said. “They encompass everybody.”