Kelly Daughtry, a Republican candidate running for a North Carolina congressional seat, has announced the suspension of her campaign. This decision was made following her rival Brad Knott’s endorsement by former President Donald Trump for the upcoming runoff election. Daughtry had finished first in the primary but failed to secure enough votes to avoid a runoff, receiving 27% of the vote. With Trump’s endorsement of Knott, Daughtry acknowledged that a victory was no longer feasible, leading her to suspend her campaign.
Despite the unusual decision of ending a campaign so close to an election, Daughtry’s name will remain on the ballot as it is too late to remove it. Early in-person voting for the runoff has been ongoing, with traditional absentee balloting also in progress. Knott has accepted Daughtry’s endorsement but urged his supporters to continue to vote in the upcoming runoff on May 14. If Daughtry were to win the second primary but not accept the nomination, the Republicans’ 13th District executive committee would appoint a candidate for the November ballot.
The 13th District in North Carolina covers parts of eight counties and is currently represented by Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel. Nickel chose not to seek reelection due to the redistricting that favored Republicans. With the departure of other Democratic incumbents, the GOP runoff winner will face Democratic rival Frank Pierce in the fall elections, potentially impacting the balance of power in the U.S. House. Currently, Democrats and Republicans hold an equal number of congressional seats in North Carolina, but the redistricting is expected to favor Republicans in the upcoming elections.
The configuration of the map for this year’s elections indicates that Republicans are likely to win at least 10 of the 14 seats in North Carolina. The May 14 runoff also includes two statewide races for the GOP primary nominations for lieutenant governor and state auditor. Despite Daughtry’s decision to suspend her campaign, the focus remains on the upcoming runoff and the potential impact it could have on the balance of power in the state and the country. Supporters of both candidates are urged to continue participating in the democratic process by voting in the upcoming election.
