UPDATE 1 & 2:Confusion clouds over Lee County GOP Chairman’s authority during campaign leave

Questions have emerged about leadership authority within the Lee County Republican Party after former Chairman Jim Womack took a leave of absence to assist his wife’s House campaign but continued to act in an official capacity during a recent school board appointment process.

The Lee County GOP former chairman, Jim Womack, began a leave of absence in early January 2026, to assist with his wife’s campaign for the Senate, which has its primary March 3.

Jim Womack’s wife, Sherry Womack, is the Lee County School Board Chairperson.

Lee County School Board Member Megan Garner resigned, and the Republican Party’s Executive Committee voted Marcus Mason as the replacement.

The email shows Jim Womack acting as the chair, notifying the Lee County Board of Commissioners’ Chairman, Kirk Smith, of the authorization document, instead of the acting Lee GOP Chairman, Max Dolan, acting as the chairman.

The document below shows Max Dolan acting as Lee GOP Chairman on Dec. 31, 2025.

Sandhills News reached out to Jim Womack for a statement and will update this article accordingly.

UPDATE #1: Jim Womack clarified the purpose of the email. He wrote to Sandhills News that he sent the email to the commissioner to ensure he had the document to swear in Mason into the school board.

Womack said he began his leave of absence on Dec. 22, 2026. “I am the party’s chief fundraiser, organizer, and grassroots coordinator,” and his resignation as chairman did not change that role.

Sandhills News requested a copy of Lee GOP’s plans of organization, also known as bylaws, and if they are received, will update this article with how the county GOP governs a chairman acting when on a leave of absence.

UPDATE #2: Under Article IV in Duties of Officers, the Lee County GOP Plans of Organization state that the 1st Vice-Chairman (for Finance & Administration) “shall function as Lee GOP Chairman in the absence of the Chairman.”

There is no provision for a chairman to leave the office and retain operational control.

The Plan does not allow a chairman on leave to continue acting as chairman if officially absent without stating the vice-chair’s role and does not create shared authority.

The Plan follows ranked succession, not a dual-authority model.

Chairman vacancies are filled by a vote of the county executive committee.

Typically, when a chairman is on a leave of absence, actions conducted by the former chairman may be ruled out of order or invalid and may be reviewed by the State GOP.

It’s unclear what issues Mason’s voting actions might have caused for the Lee County School Board.

Sandhills News submitted a public information request to Lee County Government for these two documents. Due to a delay, Sandhills News referenced copies of the documents that Lee County Government had previously provided to Charles Taylor.

Taylor is running against Sherry Womack for House District 51 to replace Republican Rep. John Sauls, who is not running for another term.

Taylor said he is running on a conservative Republican leadership campaign.

Feb. 12, 2026

Stephanie M. Sellers

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