A day after saying his plans were “undetermined,” former U.S. Rep. Republican Robin Hayes said today he won’t run for congressional seat he lost last November.

“I’m going to do everything I can to help recruit and finance and give what experience and assistance I can to make sure that that person – and it’s not going to be me – is properly prepared,” Hayes told News 14.

Hayes’ announcement came a day after a top GOP official suggested Hayes would not challenge Democrat Larry Kissell, who beat him in 2008.

U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican and top recruiter for the National Republican Congressional Committee, is in North Carolina checking out potential GOP candidates for several House seats held by Democrats, including the 8th District.

"I don’t believe Robin’s going to run again," McCarthy said Tuesday. "Robin’s been very helpful in helping us find somebody."

Hayes held the seat for five terms. In 2008, the wealthy textile heir spent $3.8 million on the race to Kissell’s $1.5 million.

"I believe the climate is going to be much different than the last two election cycles," McCarthy said. "You look at town hall meetings and others, there’s a frustration out there. People are looking for new faces, fresh ideas."

Outgoing Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, sometimes mentioned as a possible candidate for the seat, declined to fuel the speculation.

“Right now my total focus is on completing my term,” he said today.

Can the GOP platform be like the Linux platform?

National Republican leaders, led in part by U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, today will unveil a website encouraging national participation in shaping the GOP’s 2008 party platform.

The site will create an online community allowing anyone with access to a computer to offer ideas, to comment on others’ ideas, and even to submit videos explaining their views, Barb Barrett reports.

"I feel certain we’ll get some great ideas," Burr said in an interview Thursday. "Will that be the majority? I have no way of gauging."

The Winston-Salem Republican is co-chairman of the Republican platform committee alongside U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California.

The all-inclusive online effort comes as presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain continues his work to keep the party’s most conservative and religious members inside the GOP fold and engaged through the November election.

The site also will hand the Republican National Committee a ready-to-go database of contact names for future fund-raising. Users will be required to register in order to comment.