The Republican National Committee has green-lit early party aid for Michael Whatley as he campaigns for an open, battleground Senate seat in North Carolina — giving the former national party chair access to help that’s rarely granted to nonincumbents who have yet to win their primaries. National party rules require the RNC to stay neutral in any primary , unless the filing deadline for the office has passed and the candidate is unopposed. But the rules do contain an exception: The RNC can “contribute money or in-kind aid to any candidate” with the blessing of all three of a state’s RNC members.

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