CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia's Republican Party will need a new executive director starting in July.

Gary Abernathy said Wednesday he would step down from the post at the end of this month because he wants to spend more time with his family in Ohio.

When state GOP Chairman Doug McKinney hired Abernathy in December, they had an agreement that Abernathy would work on a month-to-month consulting basis until June.

"I talked to Doug yesterday and said I thought, frankly for my own personal and family reasons, I didn't feel comfortable going forward," Abernathy said. "I've been trying to work in West Virginia while my family life is in Ohio."

The 53-year-old has a "few opportunities" in Ohio and will likely accept a government job there, he said.

An interim director will likely succeed Abernathy, McKinney said. But McKinney wants to find a permanent replacement as soon as possible.

"With all the changes in the [Republican National Committee], there are probably some young people running around that probably would be interested in this job," McKinney said. A lot of people left after Chairman [Michael] Steele was elected .... We'll be looking in that area for a replacement."

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia's Republican Party will need a new executive director starting in July.

Gary Abernathy said Wednesday he would step down from the post at the end of this month because he wants to spend more time with his family in Ohio.

When state GOP Chairman Doug McKinney hired Abernathy in December, they had an agreement that Abernathy would work on a month-to-month consulting basis until June.

"I talked to Doug yesterday and said I thought, frankly for my own personal and family reasons, I didn't feel comfortable going forward," Abernathy said. "I've been trying to work in West Virginia while my family life is in Ohio."

The 53-year-old has a "few opportunities" in Ohio and will likely accept a government job there, he said.

An interim director will likely succeed Abernathy, McKinney said. But McKinney wants to find a permanent replacement as soon as possible.

"With all the changes in the [Republican National Committee], there are probably some young people running around that probably would be interested in this job," McKinney said. A lot of people left after Chairman [Michael] Steele was elected .... We'll be looking in that area for a replacement."

Some state Republicans believe the party doesn't need a full-time director, but McKinney disagrees.

"I think it's a necessity," he said.

Abernathy also held the executive director position from 2001 to 2004, when then-chairman Kris Warner fired him. After he leaves this time, he said he plans to stay out of Mountain State politics completely.

"I don't plan to do anything more political here," he said. "I just feel it's best to make a clean break, for me and for the party," he said.

Within a few days, Abernathy will stop publishing his political blog, the Republican Gazette, he said.    

McKinney credited Abernathy with stepping up fundraising for the party, which long struggled financially.  He also helped bring Steele to Charleston for a fundraiser last month, served as a liaison to Republican elected officials, and got the party's Cecil Underwood internship program up and running, he said.

"I hate to see him go," McKinney said.

Reach Alison Knezevich at alis...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1240.