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Harris Won’t Resign, Won’t Seek New Term As W.Va. Gop Chair

CHARLESTON — Mark Harris, chairman of the West Virginia Republican Executive Committee, said Tuesday he will not resign because of a whisper campaign against him, but he also will not seek a full four-year term as leader of the state GOP.

In a statement released Tuesday, Harris said he will decline to be nominated for a second term as chairman, citing anonymous attacks against him.

“After much prayer and discussion with my family and friends about what is best for my family and the party, I have decided to withdraw my name for consideration for another term as chairman of the Republican Party in West Virginia,” Harris said.

While not seeking another term, Harris also said he would not be bullied into resigning early as chairman before the party’s Summer Meeting in Charleston on July 30.

“I will not allow these anonymous accusations from a handful of craven malcontents to detract from the success of the Republican Party in West Virginia,” Harris said. “When I was elected in March 2021, I promised to serve until the summer meeting in 2022. I will keep that promise.”

On Saturday, WV MetroNews published a story saying John Findlay, executive director of the state Republican Party, along with unnamed members of state party leadership, had called on Harris to resign, accusing him of multiple incidents of alleged inappropriate behavior.

“Given the nature and credibility of the allegations and the critical need for utmost integrity and continuity in the Republican Party, we see no other option than to request Mark Harris immediately consider resignation at this time,” a statement submitted to WV MetroNews over the weekend indicated.

Sources close to the state party said allegations have not been disclosed due to their sensitive nature and to avoid identifying the alleged victims involved.

“I will not respond to accusations from anonymous sources about unspecified conduct,” Harris said. “I have done nothing to justify this smear campaign. My accusers should be aware … those who lay a trap for others soon find themselves ensnared in their own designs. Time is not kind to the duplicitous.”

Harris was elected as chairman last year, succeeding Melody Potter who stepped down in January 2021 for personal reasons. Harris bested former state party chairman Conrad Lucas during a March 2021 party meeting at the Greenbrier Resort after two close votes were held due to confusion over the first vote.

A review of audio of the meeting found that Harris and Lucas both had 56 votes with one member abstaining, though the count by the secretary had Harris beating Lucas 57-55. After the secretary admitted she had not recorded how each member voted and after it was discovered that four appointed party vice chairs had voted in violation of bylaws, a second vote took place. After the second roll call vote, Harris defeated Lucas 56-53.

Harris was chief of staff at the Beckley VA Medical Center from 2017 to 2019. He was dismissed from that role after an investigation resulted in sexual assault charges against a former doctor at the facility. Jonathan Yates was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison after admitting performing sexual acts on patients.

“As a combat veteran, I am trained and prepared to fight for what I believe in,” Harris said. “The whisper campaign of innuendo that has been directed at me and my family is mean-spirited, destructive and compounds the shame of those who spread it.”

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