SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The Chairwoman of the San Diego County Republican Party is out, and critics inside the Party are calling Paula Whitsell's actions "unethical."
Just a month ago, Paula Whitsell stood before cameras and candidates on Primary Night, touting the party. Whitsell has chaired the San Diego County Republican Party since 2021.
Now, her bio page is gone from the party website, and her X profile reads, "Proud Past Chairwoman of the Republican Party of San Diego County."
ABC 10News asked new Chair Corey Gustafson if Whitsell resigned or was pushed out.
"Paula resigned after her job was done," Gustafson said.
Gustafson is now the one repping the party in front of the cameras.
"I was asked to step in to make sure that this unity that's been created continues," he said.
That unity, though, has certainly been tested.
According to a member of the Republican Central Committee, Whitsell's ouster centers around an endorsement issue for the 75th Assembly District race. The central committee voted to endorse Republican Andrew Hayes in June 2023. But before the filing deadline in December, Carl DeMaio jumped in.
Both of them advanced to the general election.
According to the central committee member, Whitsell worked with DeMaio, hoping to weaken Hayes' campaign and attempted to take back the endorsement. The move backfired.
The source said committee members expressed concern Whitsell's actions were unethical and against party bylaws.
His campaign said in an email blast Tuesday morning that the party still endorses Hayes, which Gustafson confirmed in Tuesday's interview.
“The outgoing board of directors at the Republican Party of San Diego consists of 45 insiders who have a credibility problem with the voters when it comes to their endorsements of establishment politicians," DeMaio said in a statement. "That’s why, in the March 2024 Primary, they were voted out of office. In that same March Primary, I’m proud that I won a landslide 43% of the vote – 25 points higher than my nearest competitor – and won 67% of Republican voters in this Primary too! I’ll take the support of the VOTERS over the INSIDERS any day of the week!”
Neither Whitsell nor Hayes responded to ABC 10News' request for comment.
"We live in a divided country right now, and the Republican Party sometimes has disagreements," Gustafson said.
Gustafson believes the party is moving past the endorsement debacle, but fellow Republican, Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey thinks Whitsell's exit is necessary.
“It’s clear Carl DeMaio was trying to use the Chairwoman to orchestrate a steal of a valid endorsement to benefit himself politically and it’s unfortunate it came at the price of the party’s integrity," Bailey said. "The decision to replace the Chair will allow the Party to refocus on supporting local candidates that support public safety, sound infrastructure, and fiscal responsibility."
As for Gustafson, he's got Whitsell's job now, and he's pushing one thing.
"My message is unity," Gustafson said.
