State Senator Wiley Nickel says if the courts uphold the latest congressional district maps he’ll be running in the newly created NC District 13, which covers southern Wake County in addition to the more rural Johnston, Sampson, and Duplin counties.
Nickel has already raised more than a half-million dollars in his prior bid for the 4th Congressional District, which hinges on Durham and Chapel Hill. But his odds weren’t great, as progressives started coalescing early around Durham County Commission Nida Allam while establishment Dems seemed to favor state Senator Valerie Foushee. That didn’t leave much of a lane for Nickel to run in.
While the 4th District leaned heavily democratic, District 13 is a swing district. President Donald Trump received half of the vote there in 2020, while Governor Roy Cooper got just under 52 percent.
“I’m running for Congress because working families deserve a fighter in Washington. I’ve served Wake County for two terms in the State Senate and have fought for investments in public education, affordable health care, and an end to partisan gerrymandering,” Nickel said in a Friday press statement. “In campaigning for the last several months, I’ve had the chance to talk to voters about the issues that really matter to them. Folks I’ve talked to are tired of D.C. infighting. That’s why I’m focused on policy goals that will make a real difference for them.”
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Follow Senior Staff Writer Leigh Tauss on Twitter or send an email to ltauss@indyweek.com.