Bill Graham, an attorney and previous candidate for governor of North Carolina, announced his bid to run in the Republican primary for the state's gubernatorial contest next year and will invest millions of his own finances into his campaign.
Republicans are running several candidates in the Tar Heel State as they try to wrest control of the governor's mansion to give the Republican state House and Senate an ally.
DISTRICT OF CRIME: WHAT HAPPENED TO WASHINGTON'S SHRINKING POLICE FORCE?
“The Democrat politicians have been running Raleigh for too long and liberals like Roy Cooper and Josh Stein, they're ruining our state, but Republicans — we keep losing to them,” Graham said in a campaign announcement video. “Let's change that.”
Graham, a personal injury and wrongful death lawyer, is investing at least $5 million of his own resources into the campaign. If elected, Graham said he’ll focus on going “after violent criminals, including the death penalty for human traffickers and drug dealers,” and he’ll push to “require public schools to give parents a say in their kids’ education.”
Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) is term-limited and therefore can’t run for reelection for a third consecutive term in office. Democrats have held the governor’s mansion since 1993, except for a four-year stretch in 2013, but Republicans are eyeing the state’s top office in 2024.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
However, Democrats don't have nearly the number of candidates vying to keep the office blue as Republicans seeking to flip the governorship. State Attorney General Josh Stein is seen as the party’s front-runner. Former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Michael Morgan jumped into the race in August after leaving his post.
Graham joins a packed field of GOP candidates, including Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who is widely seen as the party’s favorite. The Republican field includes multiple candidates who have held state office: North Carolina state Treasurer Dale Folwell, former Rep. Mark Walker, former state Sen. Andy Wells, and retired healthcare executive Jesse Thomas, who lacks political experience.