N.C. Attorney General Race: 2 congressmen contend to be state’s top lawyer

CHARLOTTE — After this election, one congressman will be trading the U.S. House of Representatives for the North Carolina Department of Justice.

Republican Rep. Dan Bishop is battling Democratic Rep. Jeff Jackson to be the state’s next attorney general, and both lawmakers say they’ve got the experience to protect N.C. laws.

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Channel 9 has been following the race, and our crews are keeping an eye on results Tuesday night. Jason Stoogenke is live with Dan Bishop in Monroe while Evan Donovan is reporting from Jackson’s campaign in Raleigh.

Looking to break a streak

North Carolina hasn’t had a Republican attorney general since 1896, but Bishop is hoping to change that.

His big focus is crime, and he talks about “restoring law and order” to the state.

As for his resume, he spent about 30 years in business litigation before joining the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners. He eventually went on to the North Carolina General Assembly and was instrumental in HB2, the controversial bathroom bill. Then in 2019, the conservative lawmaker won the U.S. House District 9 special election, and he’s been in Congress ever since.

Now, he’s hoping to be the state’s top lawyer.

“As Attorney General, I’m going to work very tightly, collaborate tightly with law enforcement, DAs and sheriffs and other law enforcement leaders across the state to restore law and order,” Bishop said.

Up-and-comer

Jackson became especially popular on social media by directly reaching out to voters, especially younger ones.

He’s a 22-year military veteran who served in the Army in Afghanistan before going to law school at the University of North Carolina. He started his law career as assistant district attorney in Gaston County, and he served eight years in the North Carolina Senate, representing Mecklenburg County.

Jackson was elected to Congress, but new district maps effectively drew him out of re-election this year.

Donovan asked how he’d be different if voters elect him instead of Bishop.

“I treat this job as something that should be done in a non-partisan way,” Jackson said. “I score in the top five percent for most bipartisan members of Congress, my opponent is in the bottom five percent. There’s a big difference in just how we are as people.”

Jackson believes the race will be close and could be decided by a one-point difference.

>>Channel 9 is keeping an eye on the race and we’ll update this article with more details from each campaign when available.

VIDEO: Board of elections prepares for results in Mecklenburg County

Board of elections prepares for results in Mecklenburg County

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