Brad Knott, Supported by Trump, Emerges Victorious in North Carolina GOP Runoff for Congressional Seat

Brad Knott, a candidate supported by former President Donald Trump, emerged victorious in the Republican primary runoff for North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District on Tuesday. His opponent had suspended her campaign two weeks prior following Trump’s endorsement.

Knott, a former assistant U.S. attorney, defeated Kelly Daughtry, a local lawyer and daughter of a former Republican legislative leader. Daughtry had secured the top spot among 14 candidates in the initial primary but did not exceed the necessary 30% threshold to avoid a runoff, which Knott as the second-place finisher sought.

In another GOP primary runoff on Tuesday, Hal Weatherman, former chief of staff to then-Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, bested Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’Neill. The winner will face Democratic state Sen. Rachel Hunt. Additionally, voters were selecting a Republican nominee for state auditor.

Trump endorsed Knott in early April, prompting Daughtry, who was also the leading fundraiser, to suspend her campaign on May 2 and back her opponent. However, with early voting already underway, her name remained on the ballot.

Daughtry acknowledged that Trump’s support for Knott indicated a challenging path to victory for her.

Knott’s win underscores Trump’s history of influencing North Carolina’s GOP politics successfully.

Knott will proceed to the November general election, where he will face Democrat Frank Pierce. The restructured 13th District, encompassing eight counties near Raleigh, leans more towards the right. The GOP anticipates gaining three U.S. House seats from North Carolina this fall due to redistricting.

The current 13th District Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel opted not to seek reelection due to the boundary changes. North Carolina, a key battleground state, is where Trump won in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

Trump’s social media endorsement of Knott highlighted his qualities as a “Strong Patriot” supportive of law enforcement, border security, and gun rights.

Regarding Daughtry, Trump labeled her a “RINO” (Republican in name only) and someone unsupportive of MAGA, Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.

This is the second time Trump has endorsed an opponent against Daughtry, having previously supported her challenger Bo Hines in a 2022 primary for the 13th District.

The GOP auditor’s runoff featured candidates Jack Clark and Dave Boliek, with the winner set to compete against Democratic State Auditor Jessica Holmes.

Registered Republicans and unaffiliated voters who participated in the March Republican primaries or abstained from voting were eligible to vote in the GOP runoffs.