North Carolina's Republicans are gathering this weekend to elect a leader and get inspired by speakers as the 2012 elections draw closer.
The North Carolina Republican Party expected 1,300 delegates at its convention starting Friday afternoon in Wilmington.
The party will select a chairman. Former U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes has been the only announced candidate. The state GOP's executive committee selected him in January to serve out the last five months of departing Chairman Tom Fetzer.
The convention comes as North Carolina Republicans are still taking pride in winning majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly for the first time since 1870.
Scheduled speakers include first-term U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers, likely gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory and conservative activist Andrew Breitbart.
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