Michael Whatley
{{Short description|American politician and lawyer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Michael Whatley
| image = Michael Whatley (54351730621) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Whatley in 2025
| office = 66th Chair of the Republican National Committee
| term_start = March 8, 2024
| term_end =
| predecessor = Ronna McDaniel
| successor =
| office1 = Chair of the North Carolina Republican Party
| term_start1 = June 8, 2019
| term_end1 = March 8, 2024
| predecessor1 = Robin Hayes
| successor1 = Jason Simmons
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|50|2019|6|14}}
| birth_place = North Carolina, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Republican
| education = University of North Carolina at Charlotte (BA)
Wake Forest University (MA)
University of Notre Dame (MA, JD)
}}
Michael Whatley (born 1968 or 1969){{cite news|url = https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/local/2019/06/14/gastonias-whatley-says-gop-will-focus-on-2020/4911431007/|title = Gastonia's Whatley says GOP will focus on 2020|last = Coleman|first = Dashiell|date = June 14, 2019|access-date = February 6, 2024|newspaper = Gaston Gazette}} is an American politician and lawyer who has served as chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) since March 2024. Before this, he was chair of the North Carolina Republican Party for five years, the last year of which he also served as the RNC's general counsel.
Early life and education
Whatley is from Watauga County, North Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a bachelor's degree in history and from Wake Forest University with a master's degree in religion. In 1997, he earned a Juris Doctor degree and a master's degree in theology from the University of Notre Dame.{{cite news |url=https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/2021/06/14/gastonias-gop-state-chairman-whatley-excited-2022-elections/7634285002/ |title=Gastonia's GOP State Chairman Michael Whatley excited as party builds toward 2022 election |date=June 14, 2021 |newspaper=Gaston Gazette |last=Poteat |first=Bill |access-date=May 30, 2025}}
Whatley began working in Republican Party politics when he volunteered on the 1984 reelection campaign of U.S. senator Jesse Helms while he was a sophomore at Watauga High School.{{Cite news|url=https://www.hendersonvillelightning.com/four-seasons-politics/8084-republican-chair-declares-north-carolina-key-to-trump-re-election.html|title=Henderson County Four Seasons Politics: Republican chair declares North Carolina key to Trump re-election – Hendersonville Lightning|newspaper=Hendersonville Lightning|date=July 27, 2019|first=Bill|last=Moss|access-date=March 8, 2024}}
Career
In 2000, Whatley was a member of George W. Bush's team pursuing the Florida recount. During Bush's presidency, Whatley served in the United States Department of Energy as deputy assistant secretary.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-washington-lawyer/152977049/ Washington lawyer Dole's chief of staff]. The News and Observer. January 15, 2004. Retrieved August 9, 2024. In 2004, he became chief of staff for U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole, replacing Frank Hill.{{Cite news|url=https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/local/2019/06/07/gaston-republican-in-running-for-state-gop-role/4961603007/|title=Gaston Republican in running for state GOP role|newspaper=Gaston Gazette|date=June 7, 2019|first=Dashiell|last=Coleman|access-date=March 8, 2024}} In 2007, Whatley became a partner at lobbying firm HBW Resources, and in 2008 he became executive vice president for the Consumer Energy Alliance; he held the position until 2019.Morrill, Jim; Pogarcic, Anna (June 10, 2019). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-ncs-new-gop-chai/152977716/ NC's new GOP chair Whatley calls for a 'reset']. The Charlotte Observer. p.2. Retrieved August 9, 2024.{{cite news |url=https://www.eenews.net/articles/republicans-tap-former-oil-lobbyist-for-national-chair/ |title=Republicans tap former oil lobbyist for national chair |date=March 8, 2024 |work=E&E News |first=Timothy |last=Cama |access-date=March 8, 2024}} In 2016, Whatley helped Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump campaign and organize rallies in North Carolina.
In June 2019, the North Carolina Republican Party selected Whatley to succeed Robin Hayes as their chair.{{Cite news|url=https://apnews.com/general-news-096b7838036548d29afaea7a84cba7d2|title=North Carolina Republicans pick Whatley as state party head|date=June 9, 2019|work=AP News|access-date=March 8, 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article231338973.html |title=Michael Whatley elected new chair of NC Republican Party, calls for a 'reset' |date=June 9, 2019 |newspaper=Charlotte Observer |first1=Jim |last1=Morrill |first2=Anna |last2=Pogarcic |access-date=March 8, 2024}} Whatley was closely involved in President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election, including participating in the December 2020 phone call on which Trump urged Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find" the votes he needed to win the state.{{Cite news |last=Roth |first=Zachary |date=February 13, 2024 |title=Trump's pick for RNC chief worked with top election denier's group |url=https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/trump-pick-for-rnc-chief/ |access-date=March 8, 2024 |work=Colorado Newsline}}
Following the United States Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, Whatley refused to blame Trump, saying that only those who participated in the riots bear responsibility.{{Cite news |last=Greenwood |first=Max |date=February 16, 2021 |title=North Carolina GOP chair: Fault lies with rioters, not Trump |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/538961-north-carolina-gop-chair-fault-lies-with-rioters-not-trump/ |access-date=March 8, 2024 |website=The Hill}}{{Cite news |last2=Steck |first1=Andrew |last1=Kaczynski |first2=Em |date=February 9, 2024 |title=Likely frontrunner for RNC chair parroted Trump's election lies after 2020 and has suggested Jan 6. rioters weren't 'Republican voters' |department=Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/09/politics/kfile-whatley-promoted-false-election-fraud-claims/index.html |access-date=March 8, 2024 |work=CNN}} In February 2021, Whatley said, "We certainly saw evidence of voting irregularities, of election counting irregularities in a number of places around the country", and that the reason Trump won North Carolina was his state party's vigilance against Democrats' attempts to cheat.{{Cite magazine |last=Joseph |first=Cameron |date=May 19, 2021 |title=Pro-Trump Conspiracy Theorists Are Taking Over State Republican Parties |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/trump-election-conspiracy-theories-taking-over-republican-party/ |access-date=March 8, 2024 |magazine=Vice}} Also in February 2021, the state party voted unanimously to censure Senator Richard Burr for voting to convict President Trump during his second impeachment.{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/north-carolina-gop-censures-sen-burr-impeachment-vote-n1257967|title=North Carolina GOP censures Sen. Burr for impeachment vote|location=Raleigh, North Carolina|work=NBC News|date=February 16, 2021|access-date=February 7, 2024}}
The Republican National Committee appointed Whatley as its general counsel in February 2023.{{Cite news|url=https://www.carolinajournal.com/whatley-tapped-for-national-rnc-leadership-role/|title=Whatley tapped for national RNC leadership role|date=February 28, 2023|website=Carolina Journal -}} In February 2024, Donald Trump endorsed Whatley to replace Ronna McDaniel as chair of the RNC.{{Cite news |last=Ibssa |first=Lalee |title=Trump endorses Michael Whatley as RNC chair, Lara Trump as co-chair |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-endorses-michael-whatley-rnc-chair-lara-trump/story?id=107170370 |date=February 12, 2024 |access-date=February 13, 2024 |work=ABC News }} In March 2024, Whatley was elected as the new chair of the RNC, along with Lara Trump as his co-chair.{{Cite news |last=Samuels |first=Brett |date=March 8, 2024 |title=RNC elects Michael Whatley, Lara Trump as new leaders |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4519117-rnc-elects-leadership-michael-whatley-lara-trump/ |access-date=March 8, 2024 |website=The Hill}}{{Cite news |date=March 8, 2024 |title=Trump's grip on RNC tightens as Michael Whatley and Lara Trump become new leaders |url=https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-rnc-lara-trump-michael-whatley-b2509475.html |access-date=March 8, 2024 |newspaper=The Independent}} Per the North Carolina party's 2022 plan of organization, its vice chair (Susan Mills) served as state chair until a successor was elected.{{cite web |url=https://assets.nationbuilder.com/ncgop/mailings/5053/attachments/original/2022_Plan_with_administrative_amendments._accepted_version.pdf#page=19 |title=2022 Plan of Organization |date=March 5, 2023 |page=19 |website=North Carolina Republican Party |access-date=March 10, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://polk.nc.gop/2023_ncgop_state_convention |title=2023 North Carolina Republican Party State Convention |date=June 14, 2023 |website=Polk County Republican Party, North Carolina |access-date=March 10, 2024 |quote=Susan Mills will continue to serve as Vice Chair.}}
In January 2025, Whatley was reelected as chair of the RNC.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/17/michael-whatley-reelected-rnc-chair-00198968|title=Michael Whatley reelected RNC chair|work=Politico|first=Natalie|last=Allison|date=January 17, 2025|accessdate=February 7, 2025}}
References
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{{s-bef|before=Aubrey Woodard
Acting}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the North Carolina Republican Party|years=2019–2024}}
{{s-aft|after=Susan Mills
Acting}}
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{{s-bef|before=Ronna McDaniel}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the Republican National Committee|years=2024–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{Republican Party (United States) |state=collapsed}}
{{Republican State Chairs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whatley, Michael}}
Category:21st-century American lawyers
Category:North Carolina Republicans
Category:Notre Dame Law School alumni
Category:People from Gastonia, North Carolina
Category:People from Watauga County, North Carolina
Category:Political chiefs of staff
Category:Republican National Committee chairs
Category:State political party chairs of North Carolina