North Carolina GOP elects 1st black chairman

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) – The North Carolina Republican Party elected its first black chairman Saturday in an upset victory over the candidate backed by Governor Pat McCrory and other top leaders in the GOP establishment.

Hassan Harnett of Cabarrus County won Saturday’s vote of Republican activists over Craig Collins of Gastonia. The roll call showed Harnett receiving 700 votes to 562 for Collins before Collins called on the convention to elect Harnett.

Harnett was a campaign manager for a 2014 congressional candidate and has served as minority outreach director for the state Republican Party.

Outgoing Chairman Claude Pope released the following statement after Saturday’s vote:

“Congratulations to Hasan Harnett for his election as the new chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party,” Pope said. “As a former campaign manager and outreach director, Hasan has the right experience to raise the funds necessary to grow our grassroots army and lead our party to even greater electoral victories.”