Kelly Daughtry, a Johnston County attorney, has withdrawn from the Republican primary runoff for North Carolina’s 13th congressional district, effectively conceding the nomination to her opponent, Brad Knott. Daughtry made her decision after Knott received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, realizing that a pathway to victory was no longer feasible. With the 13th district recently redrawn to heavily favor Republicans, Knott is now very likely to be elected as the district’s representative in November.
Daughtry had finished first in the March primary but failed to secure the majority needed to avoid a runoff with Knott, a former federal prosecutor. After Trump’s endorsement of Knott and with third-place finisher Fred Von Canon also supporting him, Daughtry decided to suspend her campaign. Despite this, her name will remain on the ballot for the May 14 runoff, as it is too late to remove it. Early in-person voting is ongoing, and traditional absentee balloting has been taking place for weeks.
While Daughtry has endorsed Knott and urged her supporters to back him, Knott emphasized that the election is not over and encouraged his supporters to vote. The 13th District covers parts of eight counties in North Carolina, including most of Raleigh, the state capital. The district’s boundaries were redrawn to favor Republicans, leading Democratic incumbent Rep. Wiley Nickel to decline seeking reelection. Two other Democratic incumbents also opted not to run, citing the political shift in the district due to redistricting.
The GOP runoff winner in the 13th District will face off against Democratic candidate Frank Pierce in the fall. The departure of Democratic incumbents could impact whether Republicans can retain their narrow U.S. House majority in the upcoming election cycle. Despite the changes in the district’s makeup, the contest for the 13th District remains competitive, with Knott now positioned as the likely Republican nominee. Daughtry’s decision to suspend her campaign has reshaped the dynamics of the race, setting the stage for a closely watched general election in November.
