Kelly Daughtry leads GOP field in NC’s 13th district, faces Knott in runoff

Unofficial results in the crowded 13th Congressional District Republican primary show attorney Kelly Daughtry in front with most of the votes counted, and facing a runoff with former federal prosecutor Brad Knott.

Daughtry had 27.4% of the vote with all precincts reporting Tuesday — enough to qualify for a runoff, according to The Associated Press. Three others were bunched in the mid-teens Knott of Raleigh, who left the U.S. Attorney’s Office to run for the seat, garnering 18.7%, Wake Forest businessman Fred Von Canon with 17.1% and DeVan Barbour with 15.4%.

Shortly after noon Wednesday, Knott posted on X that he’s preparing for the runoff.

“We’re hitting the campaign trail again to secure victory in the NC 13 Republican Primary Runoff on May 14 so that I can fight for you in Congress to secure the border, stop the surge in crime and disorder, and reduce inflation by cutting wasteful spending,” he said.

Daughtry’s campaign, in a news release this morning, said that she is expecting a runoff. The release included remarks she gave to supporters Tuesday night.

“The results make it clear that voters are seeking a candidate who will prioritize America first,” Daughtry said. “Trump won in a landslide here in North Carolina and I will work with Trump when I get to Congress to secure the border, reduce inflation, and refocus our foreign policy.”

Von Canon, the unofficial third-place finisher, has conceded the race and congratulated Daughtry and Knott, said campaign advisor Charles Hellwig.

Fourteen Republican candidates filed for the GOP primary, including two Johnston County residents who sought it in 2022: Daughtry, the daughter of former state Rep. Leo Daughtry, and Barbour, the head of an employee insurance benefits firm.

Federal Election Commission campaign filings through mid-February show Daughtry and Von Canon had each spent more than $1 million running in the primary, while five others spent at least $100,000. One of those five, state Rep. Erin Pare of Holly Springs, opted out of the primary to seek reelection to her House seat.

The other candidates were Chris Baker, Marcus Dellinger, David Dixon, Steve Von Loor, Josh McConkey, James Phillips, Siddhanth Sharma, Matt Shoemaker, Eric Stevenson and Kenny Xu.

The incumbent, Rep. Wiley Nickel, a Cary Democrat, did not seek reelection after the Republican-led state legislature passed a redistricting plan that is expected to change a 7-7 Republican-Democrat split of U.S. House seats into at least a 10-to-4 Republican advantage. Wiley, a former state senator, had won a swing district that took in Johnston County and parts of Wake, Wayne and Harnett counties.

The new district leans Republican and largely wraps around Wake County like a horseshoe, narrowing down to a strip of land in eastern Wake. It includes all or most of Lee, Harnett, Johnston, Franklin, Granville, Person and Caswell counties.

It is one of three North Carolina congressional districts that first-term incumbent Democrats abandoned after state lawmakers redrew them to favor Republicans. North Carolina is considered a purple state that has voted for a Democratic governor the last two elections while backing Republican Donald Trump for president.

The legislature’s congressional districts are being challenged in court. If the districts are upheld they will be used through 2030.

TV ads run by several of the Republican candidates featured their support for Trump and border security. Attack ads accused some GOP candidates of not being true to the party, or having flawed backgrounds.

Trump did not endorse a candidate in the primary.

A candidate needs more than 30% of the vote to avoid a runoff. But if no candidate wins that much support, the top two finishers will face each other in a runoff set for May 14, unless one declines.

The winner of the GOP vote will face Democrat Frank Pierce of Raleigh, a landscaping company owner, in the November general election.

Primary results in 2nd, 4th U.S. House districts

Two other Triangle congressional seats also had primaries Tuesday in districts that lawmakers drew to strongly favor Democrats. Both are held by Democratic incumbents.

Rep. Deborah Ross of Raleigh easily turned back a challenge from Michael Camero for the 2nd district in the Democratic primary, the AP said. In the Republican primary, The AP called the contest for Alan D. Swain, who was up against Robert Morales Vergara and Eugene F. Douglass.

In the 4th District, The AP said Eric Blankenburg defeated Manesh Ganorkar in the Republican primary. Blankenburg will face Democratic Rep. Valerie Foushee in November.