Getting a glimpse behind the scenes of the man at the helm of the Republican National Committee isn’t easy these days.
Michael Whatley, 55, was selected for the role by former President Donald Trump and assumed leadership in March. His work ethic and dedication to the conservative cause have earned him praise from allies.
Philip Thomas, who worked closely with Whatley in the North Carolina Republican Party, recalled late nights at the office as they prepared for the 2020 elections.
Whatley’s main focus now is helping the GOP regain control of the U.S. Senate and expand their majority in the House. He is determined to secure victories for conservatives across the country.
Former President Trump’s endorsement of Whatley and Lara Trump as co-chair underscores their commitment to the party’s mission. They took over RNC leadership in March.
Election integrity is a top priority for Whatley and Trump, drawing on their experience in previous campaigns to ensure fair and transparent elections.
Whatley’s leadership has already delivered victories for Republicans in North Carolina, and he is now gearing up for the upcoming elections with a focus on promoting conservative leaders and policies.
Whatley’s tenure as the head of the North Carolina GOP, the party saw significant success in both election integrity and electoral victories. His leadership during the contentious recount in 2000 highlighted the importance of election integrity, leading to the creation of the Protect the Vote Tour initiative. This program focuses on legal action to ensure honesty and transparency in elections.
Described as a hard worker with ingenuity, Mr. Whatley is praised for his likable, disciplined, and goal-oriented leadership style. He is known for his ability to work cooperatively with others, regardless of political affiliation, in order to achieve results. His hands-on approach, including personally visiting county Republican events in his pickup truck, has energized party activists and motivated the GOP faithful to monitor elections closely.
Under his leadership, the North Carolina GOP saw a significant increase in resources dedicated to overseeing elections, with hundreds of lawyers and thousands of poll watchers deployed across the state. This proactive approach, compared to the previous reactive strategy, made a significant impact in pushing back against suspected irregularities in the electoral process.
Overall, Mr. Whatley’s track record includes not only ensuring fair elections and promoting election integrity but also delivering electoral victories for the Republican Party in North Carolina. His hands-on, goal-oriented leadership style has been instrumental in these achievements, earning him praise from colleagues and party members alike. After Whatley’s tenure in North Carolina, the GOP regained a supermajority in both chambers of the state legislature. The state’s Supreme Court shifted to a more conservative stance under his leadership, contributing to his 14-0 record in judicial races. GOP lawyers closely monitored election recounts where Republicans won by slim margins to ensure the integrity and transparency of the process.
Despite the loss in the 2020 gubernatorial race, where Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper retained his position, Whatley’s associate, Mr. Simmons, defended him, attributing the loss to Cooper’s incumbency and financial advantage. The Democratic National Committee accused Whatley of being an “election denier,” linking him and Lara Trump to perpetuating lies about the 2020 election.
Moving forward, Whatley emphasized the importance of implementing processes to ensure fair and transparent elections. He advocated for rules that restrict voting to U.S. citizens, eliminate ballot drop boxes, maintain clean voter rolls, and require notarized signatures on mail-in ballots. Additionally, he proposed having Republicans present at all polling locations during voting and counting, with plans to recruit over 100,000 poll workers and volunteers nationwide.
In an interview with The Epoch Times, Whatley outlined his goals for the RNC, focusing on encouraging conservative voter turnout and safeguarding election integrity. He emphasized the significance of engaging with diverse voters to attract more Hispanic, black, and Asian-American individuals to the Republican Party. Whatley also revealed plans to appeal to voters in urban areas historically under Democratic control and stressed the importance of addressing issues like jobs, education, and security.
While details of his daily schedule remain undisclosed, Whatley has been traveling extensively, including appearances with former President Trump. The RNC’s candidate for president will be nominated at the convention in Milwaukee in July, promising a top-notch event. The RNC will continue supporting down-ballot Republicans and collaborate with other committees to fund election integrity initiatives.
Whatley’s political journey began at a young age when he embraced the Republican ideology during Ronald Reagan’s inauguration in 1981. Inspired by Reagan’s “Peace through Strength” mantra, Whatley worked on Sen. Jesse Helms’ reelection campaign in high school. His educational background includes degrees in history, theology, and law, but his passion for politics has remained constant throughout his career. Michael Whatley served as principal deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Energy during the Bush administration. Following his time in the government, he transitioned to Capitol Hill, where he held various roles including staff director and chief counsel for the Clean Air, Climate Change and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee in the Senate, as well as chief of staff for former Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.).
For over a decade, Whatley worked as executive vice president of the Consumer Energy Alliance, advocating for affordable fossil fuel-based energy. He also became a partner at HBW Resources, a firm focused on energy, environment, and technology issues.
In June 2019, he was elected chairman of the North Carolina GOP and also served as counsel to the RNC. Whatley is a husband and father, preferring not to disclose much about his personal life except for his allegiance to Wake Forest over Duke in the Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill rivalry.
He emphasizes the importance of the upcoming election and America’s future, stating that “elections have consequences.” Whatley believes in the need to return to the strength of Donald Trump’s administration, as he believes it will have a significant impact on every American family. He underscores the significance of politics over college sports, emphasizing that politics truly matter in shaping the future of the nation. Please rewrite this sentence.
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