NCGOP Chairman Thanks Todd Poole for His Leadership | Eastern North Carolina Now

News Release:

    Raleigh, N.C.     In an email to the North Carolina Republican Party's Central Committee earlier today, Todd Poole announced his resignation as the Party's executive director, effective August 31. Following this announcement, Chairman Hasan Harnett thanked Poole for his leadership of the Party over the past two years, which saw historic gains for Republicans in the state:

    "After two of the most successful years in State Party history, it is hard to know how to thank Todd appropriately for his incredible leadership.

    "Todd not only helped the North Carolina Republican Party gain a U.S. Senate seat, add a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and retain Republican supermajorities in the General Assembly, he has also helped expand the Party across the state at the local level.

    "Todd is also leaving our party in a financially strong position as we enter in to the crucial 2016 election cycle. He completely eliminated the Party's debt he inherited and helped to out-raise our Democrat counterparts during the first half of 2015.

    "I have enjoyed working with Todd since becoming chairman, and while I am sad to see him move on, I look forward to following his success in his next venture. On behalf of all Republicans in the state, I thank Todd for his talent, passion and willingness to spend so much time away from his family over the past two years in service to the Party.

    "I'm confident that because of Todd's leadership, we are poised to bring the Republican Party to new and even greater heights."

    Todd Poole sent the following email to the NCGOP's central committee announcing his resignation:

    To The Members of the NCGOP Central Committee:

    I want to thank you for your strong and unwavering support of me as the executive director of the North Carolina Republican Party. During the past two years, we have made tremendous progress and have secured important victories for the Party and for the state.

    In the press release announcing my hire, Chairman Claude Pope stated that I had a "keen eye on defeating Senator Kay Hagan." I am proud to say that along with the Tillis campaign and our allies at the RNC and NRSC, we got the job done.

    In addition to securing both seats to the U.S. Senate, we added another Republican seat to the U.S. House of Representatives and we maintained our supermajorities in the North Carolina State House and Senate. But while many of the headlines revolve around the Republican Party's federal and statewide success, we also have made extraordinary progress down ballot as well. We have now secured majorities on the North Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. For the first time, North Carolina Republicans hold the majority of Sheriffs in NC - a pet project of mine that I am especially proud of during my time as executive director.

    The State Party's fiscal house is in order. When I began as executive director, the North Carolina Republican Party had over $84,000 in debt. I am proud to say that as of today, we are debt free and currently have more than seven times more cash on hand in our federal account than our counterparts at the NCDP, according to the FEC.gov. Fundraising reports to federal and state officials show that we out-raised the NCDP in the first half of 2015 as well.

    I am also proud our track record of efficient and results-driven Party operations thanks to the tremendous efforts and talent of the headquarters staff. The 2013 Hall of Fame dinner was one of the best organized and most profitable in the history of the dinner. The 2014 and 2015 State Conventions have been lauded as being successful using nearly every metric. And one of my proudest moments was overseeing a fair, transparent and accurate election for party leadership. Those who are closest to me know how important of a priority this was for me and the team.

    After two-years at the helm of the North Carolina Republican Party, I reluctantly offer my resignation effective August 31, 2015 to pursue other opportunities. While I am proud of what we have accomplished together over these past two years, I feel that now is the right time to turn over the reins to someone new with plenty of lead time before the next election.

    The Party's next executive director will face a new set of challenges, as well as a new set of opportunities. North Carolina will be the #1 battleground state in 2016, and we must deliver our great state to the Republican nominee for president. We must re-elect Senator Richard Burr, Governor Pat McCrory, Lt. Governor Dan Forest and maintain our supermajorities in the State House and Senate. In addition, we must invest additional time and resources into our Council of State races and continue to grow our Party at the local level.

    Since the convention, I have had the privilege of working with Chairman Hasan Harnett. He has my full support and I wish him well as he leads the North Carolina Republican Party into the crucial 2016 election cycle.

    Again, thank you for your friendship, support and even your constructive criticism over these years. I look forward to continuing to work with you in a new role to help elect Republicans up and down the ballot.

    God bless each of you for all that you do to keep the Party, our state and this country strong.

    Best wishes,

    Todd Poole

    Contact: Kara Carter
            NCGOP Press Secretary
        kara.carter@ncgop.org