Whalen heads to N.C. Dems

The party chairman wants to keep it under wraps. The man in question isn't talking.

But it's a not very well-kept secret that Andrew Whalen is about to become the new executive director of the N.C. Democratic Party, Jim Morrill reports.

Whalen has been a spokesman for Democratic U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler. He helped run Shuler's successful 2006 and 2008 campaigns.

"I like him, he's a great guy, and we’re going to have an official announcement shortly," said party chairman David Young of Asheville.

A letter from one party official last week was addressed to Whalen as executive director at state party headquarters in Raleigh.

Whalen didn't return callls. But his old boss acknowledged his new job.

"It was very difficult to see Andrew walk out of the office, but obviously it's an opportunity for a young person to make a huge impact on the state," Shuler told the Asheville Citizen-Times. "This really fits his personality and who he is — to help run the state party. I'm very, very proud of him."