Current:Home > NewsNorth Carolina attorney general’s race features 2 members of Congress -AssetVision
North Carolina attorney general’s race features 2 members of Congress
View
Date:2025-04-24 16:08:10
Follow live: Updates from AP’s coverage of the presidential election.
Two outgoing members of Congress who also served in the state legislature were vying Tuesday for the post of North Carolina attorney general, a closely watched race for a job that has gained increasing prominence in states across the country.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson is an Afghan war veteran and National Guard attorney who was elected to Congress in 2022. Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop is a longtime commercial litigation attorney and former county commissioner who joined Congress in 2019.
The winner succeeds two-term Attorney General Josh Stein, the Democratic nominee for governor. A Republican hasn’t been elected attorney general since 1896 — even as the GOP has performed well for decades in other statewide races. The campaign is one of the most closely watched of the 10 attorney general elections nationwide.
The state’s top lawyer is charged with representing North Carolina in court and defending the work of locally elected district attorneys in appeals of criminal cases. But the role has taken on more significance in the nation’s ninth-largest state — and across the country — as attorneys general have joined forces, often along partisan lines, to fight what they call federal overreach.
Each of the candidates has declared the other too radical for the job, while saying his own work experience best qualifies him for the position.
Jackson cites his previous time as a Gaston County assistant prosecutor and his commitment to performing his duties in a nonpartisan matter. Bishop, a strong supporter of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump, emphasizes what he calculates as over 400 appearances in state and federal courts.
The attorney general and governor’s offices are two of 10 statewide executive branch positions composing North Carolina’s Council of State. In six of the 10, incumbents did not or could not run again this fall. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper was term-limited from seeking reelection.
With current Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson running for governor against Stein, Tuesday’s race to succeed Robinson was between Democratic state Sen. Rachel Hunt and Republican Hal Weatherman, a top aide to then-Lt. Gov. Dan Forest. Hunt is the daughter of former Gov. Jim Hunt, who also was lieutenant governor in the 1970s.
Also up for election were state superintendent of public instruction, state treasurer and labor commissioner.
Current Superintendent Catherine Truitt lost her Republican primary to Michele Morrow, while GOP Treasurer Dale Folwell ran unsuccessfully for his party’s nominee for governor. Republican Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson decided not to seek reelection.
For superintendent, former Guilford County Schools Superintendent Mo Green, a Democrat, was running against Morrow. Democrat Wesley Harris, a state legislator and economic consultant, was running for treasurer against Republican Brad Briner, a former investment manager. Republican Luke Farley, an attorney, and Democrat Braxton Winston, a former Charlotte city council member, were competing to succeed Dobson.
Among Council of State members seeking reelection, seven-term Secretary of State Elaine Marshall was competing against Republican Chad Brown, chairman of the Gaston County commissioners.
The 2024 election is here. This is what to know:
- Complete coverage: The latest Election Day updates from our reporters.
- Election results: Know the latest race calls from AP as votes are counted across the U.S.
- Voto a voto: Sigue la cobertura de AP en español de las elecciones en EEUU.
News outlets around the world count on the AP for accurate U.S. election results. Since 1848, the AP has been calling races up and down the ballot. Support us. Donate to the AP.
State Auditor Jessica Holmes, a Democrat, was appointed to the position last year by Cooper after Auditor Beth Wood announced her resignation. Holmes was seeking a four-year term against Republican Dave Boliek, the former chairman of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s trustee board.
Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, a Republican, was seeking a third term against Democrat Natasha Marcus, a state senator. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, a Republican on the job since 2005, faced a challenge from Democrat Sarah Taber, a farmer and farm consultant.
Voters statewide also were choosing four appellate court judges, led by a seat on the state Supreme Court. Associate Justice Allison Riggs, a Democrat appointed to the court by Cooper, was running for an eight-year term against Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin, a Republican.
The statewide ballot also includes a proposed state constitutional amendment that supporters contend clarifies that only U.S. citizens at least 18 years of age and meeting other qualifications shall be entitled to vote in elections.
veryGood! (954)
Related
- 2 killed, 3 injured in shooting at makeshift club in Houston
- The prosecutor drops charges against 'Rick and Morty' co-creator Justin Roiland
- Stranger Things' David Harbour Shares Heartfelt Reaction to Noah Schnapp's Coming Out
- Pink Responds After Being Accused of Shading Christina Aguilera With Lady Marmalade Criticism
- Backstage at New York's Jingle Ball with Jimmy Fallon, 'Queer Eye' and Meghan Trainor
- Gwyneth Paltrow wins her ski crash case — and $1 in damages
- Jonathan Majors has been arraigned on charges of harassment and assault
- Spring 2023's Favorite Fashion Trend is the Denim Maxi Skirt— Shop the Looks We're Loving
- Federal Spending Freeze Could Have Widespread Impact on Environment, Emergency Management
- 2023 Whiting Awards recognize 10 emerging writers
Ranking
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Spring Swimwear Must-Haves: Shop 20 Essential Bikinis, Bandeaus, One-Pieces & More
- Shop These 28 Top-Selling Lululemon Styles at Great Prices on Presidents' Day 2023
- 'Renfield' lacks bite
- Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
- Get thee to this nunnery: Fun, fast, freewheeling 'Mrs. Davis' is habit-forming
- Pink Responds After Being Accused of Shading Christina Aguilera With Lady Marmalade Criticism
- Austin Butler Responds to Zoey 101 Sequel Movie Casting Rumors
Recommendation
Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds
Here's a few of our favorite photos from the 2023 Dreamville Music Festival
Constance Wu Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby No. 2
Wayfair Presidents' Day Sale: Shop Cuisinart, Home Decor, Furniture & More Deals Starting at $22
Rylee Arnold Shares a Long
Two migrant kids fight to stay together — and stay alive — in this harrowing film
Tom Sizemore Hospitalized After Suffering Brain Aneurysm
'Wait Wait' for March 25, 2023: Live from Tucson!