Republican Party News and Reporting Coverage | WRAL

'Grassroots slugfest': A sheriff in a cowboy hat is trying to topple one of NC's most powerful Republicans

North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger faces Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page in the GOP primary to represent Senate District 26. It's Berger's first Republican challenger in years.

Paul Specht, WRAL state government reporter

NC Republicans pass new congressional districts into law to boost GOP edge in U.S. House races

The North Carolina House gave final approval to new congressional districts designed to help protect Republicans' slim majority in Congress by eliminating the state's only competitive district. The new districts favor GOP candidates in 11 of 14 districts.

Will Doran, WRAL state government reporter

RNC Chairman Michael Whatley enters 2026 US Senate race

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, the longtime ally of President Donald Trump and former leader of the state GOP, launched a campaign Thursday to seek his party's nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis.

RNC Chair Michael Whatley announces run for US Senate

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, the longtime ally of President Donald Trump and former leader of the state GOP, launched a campaign Thursday to seek his party's nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis.

Trump-backed GOP leader Michael Whatley launches U.S. Senate campaign in North Carolina

The decision sets the stage for what is likely to be a heavyweight battle between a behind-the-scenes political insider and a former governor with a knack for winning unaffiliated voters.

Paul Specht and Jack Hagel, WRAL News

DRAUGHON DRAWS: The GOP's one, big beautiful transfusion

Sunday, May 18, 2025-- Capitol Broadcasting Company's editorial cartoonist

As Trump threatened a primary, a GOP holdout on Hegseth from NC flipped

WASHINGTON -- Four days after President Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term, his nominee for defense secretary was teetering on the brink of defeat on the Senate floor, and the president was on Air Force One talking about political retribution.

Annie Karni, Sharon LaFraniere, Carl Hulse, Kate Kelly, Jonathan Swan and Karoun Demirjian, New York Times

National Democratic Party boss: GOP's challenge to 60,000 NC voters 'egregious assault' on democracy

DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison says the lawsuits in North Carolina's still-uncalled Supreme Court race are a test for Republicans to potentially overturn more elections across the country. NCGOP says he's the one actually harming election trust.

Will Doran, WRAL state government reporter

JENNIFER MEDINA: For minority working-class voters, dismay with Democrats led to distrust

Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024 -- In scores of interviews throughout 2024, Latino, Black and Asian American voters, many of whom voted for Donald Trump, said they no longer trusted Democrats to improve the economy.

Republicans will retain House majority; GOP sweeps control of president, House, Senate

Republican control of both chambers of Congress means that President-elect Donald Trump will have a path to enact his agenda of tax cuts, immigration enforcement and foreign policy.

By Stephen Collinson, CNN

Election 2024: How did we get here?

Many of the small details from the past may resurface in the coming months. So, on Monday night, before the final results are announced and the last ballots are cast, Dan Haggerty answers the question: "How did we get here?"

GOP officials can't purge 225,000 voters in NC, Trump-appointed judge rules

Allowing political party leaders or other private citizens to have people removed from the list of registered voters would move North Carolina "away from a democratic form of government," a judge ruled in shooting down the Republican Party's request.

Will Doran, WRAL state government reporter

DRAUGHON DRAWS: GOP's election fraud claims? Just another fish story

Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024 -- Capitol Broadcasting Company's editorial cartoonist.

Former Republican NC governor Pat McCrory talks future of Mark Robinson campaign

Former North Carolina governor Pat McCrory discusses his thoughts on the Mark Robinson saga.

JD Vance to speak in Charlotte Monday

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance will be in back in North Carolina Monday.

WRAL staff

Harris and Trump prepare for their first presidential debate

We're less than 29 hours away from the first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Donald Trump.

FARAH STOCKMAN: Decoding JD Vance's brand of nationalism

Sunday, July 28, 2024 -- What do conservatives mean when they say that America is not "an idea"? The answer is key to understanding the 2024 election.

NC's top Democratic, Republican party leaders disagree on the impact of swapping Biden for Harris

North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Jason Simmons said that nothing will change if Democrats nominate Vice President Kamala Harris. North Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Anderson Clayton says a Harris nomination would change everything.

Will Doran and Ashley Rowe, WRAL News

Robinson touts Trump's economic policies in brief speech at Republican National Convention

In a familiar stump speech on the national stage, North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson said Trump would improve the economy, the top issue for Republican voters.

Mark Bergin, WRAL senior multiplatform producer

Lawmakers from NC reacting to Trump assassination attempt

Several North Carolina Republican delegates have arrived in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention. which begins Monday. Several are hoping political rhetoric from both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden will change in the wake of the former's assassination attempt.

What happens if Joe Biden or Donald Trump drop out?

What happens at party conventions if the presumptive nominees leave the ticket?

Louis Jacobson, PolitiFact reporter

DRAUGHON DRAWS: Obeying the rules or bending them?

Tuesday, June 4, 2024 -- Capitol Broadcasting Company's editorial cartoonist.

Trump Announces Nearly $53 Million Fundraising Haul After Guilty Verdict

Donald Trump’s campaign announced Friday evening that he had raised nearly $53 million in the 24 hours after his felony conviction, shattering online records for Republicans and raking in enough cash to help him close what has been a substantial financial gap with President Joe Biden.

Shane Goldmacher, New York Times

RNC headquarters lockdown: Package contained blood, Bible

The Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, DC, was briefly placed on lockdown Wednesday morning after a suspicious package was discovered.

By Holmes Lybrand and Kristen Holmes, CNN

Boliek defeats Clark in GOP runoff for state auditor

UNC Board of Trustees member Dave Boliek defeated Jack Clark, an accountant who works at the state legislature, for the GOP nomination for state auditor. Boliek will face Democrat Jessica Holmes in the November election.

Paul Specht, WRAL state government reporter