By Renee Scheidt

A quick look at the Republican party will show, as Jerry Lee Lewis said, there’s “a whole lot of shaking going on” and North Carolina is leading the way. Major changes were voted upon at the yearly meeting of the Republican National Committee. Former National Chair Ronna McDaniel stepped aside to make way for the election of a new chair and co-chair. I’m proud to say two of our very own Tar Heels were selected to lead the RNC.

By a unanimous vote, Michael Whatley from the N.C. mountains was chosen as the new chair. He previously served as chairman of the N.C. GOP and as special counsel for the RNC. Praised for his work as an accomplished attorney and for leading the N.C. Republican Party to victories in 2019, Whatley stands ready to tackle this new job.

Whatley graduated from two N.C. universities. He received his BA in history from UNC Charlotte, then attended Wake Forest for his master’s degree in religion. Following this, he earned a juris doctor degree as well as a master’s degree in theology from the University of Notre Dame.

Whatley has been active in Republican politics since his sophomore year at Watauga High School when he volunteered to work on Jesse Helms’ reelection campaign. Some of his former positions include being a federal law clerk, and senior official in President George W. Bush’s administration. He was also chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, another North Carolinian.

The RNC elected Lara Trump as co-chair. Although she is best known as the wife of Eric Trump and daughter-in-law of former President Trump, she is a skilled professional in her own right. Lara is a native of Wilmington with a degree in communications from N.C. State. She worked as a TV producer for the TV show Inside Edition for four years, and most recently as a Fox News contributor. Her primary focus will be on fundraising and media appearances.

This new team has one purpose: to win in November. That will require getting out the vote, and protecting the ballot. Voters must have confidence in the election process and be assured their vote was given to the candidate they selected. Otherwise, why vote? Without election integrity, elections are just a charade, deluding the people into thinking their vote counts. Biden himself knows how important this is. He said, “The struggle is no longer just who gets to vote. It’s about who gets to count the vote.” Without election integrity, the U.S. is just another banana republic, going through the motions when the outcome has already been predetermined. If the fix is in before the voting begins, we no longer have a democracy.

Both Whatley and Lara Trump were Trump’s picks for the positions and the RNC agreed. This has caused critics to wail as they allege Donald Trump is nothing but a dictator, that our democracy is endangered and MAGA extremists have taken over the GOP. However, with his sweeping victories in the state primaries, Trump will clearly be the Republican nominee. The RNC is on board with this choice. The days of the old Republican Establishment are gone. A new Republican party has emerged. Even Mitch McConnell realizes this. Last week he announced he will resign as senate minority leader following the November elections. He has also given Trump his endorsement.

Whatley recently stated that he and Lara “are one team. It’s not just a team with Lara and I. It’s a team between the RNC and the president and his campaign. There is a lot that needs to be done over the course of the next 241 days to make sure we have what we need to win.”

With the election of these two North Carolinians, the Republican party is primed for victory in November. There is no question that the policies of the Republican platform are best for America, a party that puts Americans first instead of trying to save the world, leaving Americans at the end of the line to pick up the bill. God speed to our two Tar Heel leaders as they direct the way.

Renee Scheidt lives in Salisbury.