UPDATE: State GOP Chairman Jim Greer tells Buzz he had a series of conversations with Carter last night and this morning, and she wound up giving her resignation to him. He put out a statement: Carol Carter has been a hard-working, loyal Republican for many years. I appreciate her many notable contributions to our party, but this action I have no tolerance for, regardless of the circumstances or intent. It is unfortunate that these types of emails, spread by just a few, distract others and dilute the message of the vast majority of Republicans throughout Florida and across the nation who are working hard to build and grow our party.

As I join Party leaders and our new RNC Chairman Michael Steele in Washington today to move forward with the transition of the Republican National Committee, I am encouraged by the strength of our new leader and look forward to working with him as we spread our Republican message to ALL Americans.

Carol Carter, a Republican state committeewoman representing Hillsborough County, will resign her post after the St. Petersburg Times reported she sent an e-mail attacked as racist. (Backstory here)

"I've known Carol for many, many years and I know she doesn't have a racist bone in her body," said Janice Torgersen, corresponding secretary for the Hillsborough County Republican Executive Committee.

However, Torgersen said Carter made an error in forwarding the e-mail, which questioned how "2,000,000 blacks get into Washington, D.C. in 1 day in sub zero temps when 200,000 couldn't get out of New Orleans in 85 degree temps with four days notice."

"We can't condone it. There's no place for it in our party," Torgersen said of Carter's behavior. "At the same time, I'm tragically sad to be losing someone like her. Why do intelligent people do dumb things? That's the question."

Hillsborough Republicans also took heat in the days before the presidential election when the group's former chairman David Storck forwarded an e-mail warning of the threat of carloads of black people going to the polls to vote for Barack Obama, and former state party finance chairman Al Austin apologized for forwarding an e-mail joke referring to the assassination of Obama.

"Our party is is the party of Abraham Lincoln, is the party that has fought traditionally for African-Americans," Torgersen said. "And now for the third time this year to be accused of racism is a stake in our heart."

Backstory: Hillsborough GOP official rebuked for racial e-mail joke, Feb. 5

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer

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