Former Rep. Hayes Back As NC GOP Chairman After Harnett Ouster

The state Republican Party has a new chairman.

Former Congressman Robin Hayes will take over for embattled former chairman Hasan Harnett. On Saturday, about 600 Republican leaders from across the state voted to remove Harnett.

Hayes spent ten years in Washington, D.C., after previously serving in the state legislature. He now returns as chairman of the state Republican Party, a position he held from 2011 to 2013. His earlier tenure came during a time when Pat McCrory became North Carolina's first GOP governor in 20 years.

Harnett was elected to the post in June with the support of Tea Party conservatives, becoming the first black person to hold the position.

But in recent months he came under fire from his own party's leaders. A party committee had censured him in March. And this weekend a majority of GOP leaders determined he had violated party rules and was grossly inefficient in his job.

Harnett has said that the actions against him point to a divide in the party between establishment Republicans and more activist conservatives.

Hayes, however, has vowed to unite the party in time for the November election.