Former US Rep. Mark Walker has made a surprising decision to end his congressional comeback bid in North Carolina and join Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. This move comes as a strategic move to avoid a competitive House primary runoff against an opponent backed by the former president.
Walker’s decision paves the way for former state health care lobbyist Addison McDowell, who had the support of Trump and several losing candidates in the Republican primary, to advance to the general election in North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District. This district was redrawn last year by state GOP lawmakers to heavily favor their party.
In a statement on social media, Walker announced that he would not file for a runoff and instead join Trump’s presidential campaign as the director of outreach for faith and minority communities. He expressed confidence in McDowell’s ability to serve the people of the 6th district, which influenced his decision to step aside.
Despite initially hinting at a runoff, Walker confirmed on Wednesday that he would not be requesting one. He also mentioned that he had been offered a role in a potential second Trump administration, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to continue working with the former president.
Trump announced Walker’s new position on his campaign shortly before the former congressman revealed his plans. The former president expressed excitement about working with Walker again and continuing to build bridges in all communities across the nation.
This development marks another instance of Trump’s involvement in House elections this cycle. Walker, who served in the House from 2015 to 2021, made an unsuccessful run for Senate in 2022 and briefly ran for governor before entering the 6th District race.
With McDowell now on track to enter Congress next year, the 6th District is set to have a new representative. McDowell, a onetime congressional aide to Rep. Ted Budd, is poised to take over the seat previously held by retiring Democratic Rep. Kathy Manning.
In a tweet following Walker’s decision, McDowell expressed gratitude to the voters of the 6th District and stated that he is honored to be their next Congressman. This unexpected turn of events sets the stage for an interesting general election in North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District.