Eden attorney latest to run on GOP ticket in 2024 NC lieutenant governor race | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the Carolina Journal. The author of this post is Theresa Opeka.

    An attorney from Eden is the latest to declare his candidacy on the Republican ticket for North Carolina's next lieutenant governor.

    Seth Woodall announced his candidacy in the 2024 race on Wednesday. He joins the crowded GOP roster that includes former N.C. state senator Deanna Ballard, Hal Weatherman, Peter Boykin, Allen Mashburn, Rockingham Sheriff Sam Page, and Rep. Jeffrey Elmore.

    On the Democrat side, State Sen. Rachel Hunt, former State Sen. Raymond Smith, former State Sen. Ben Clark, Chris Rey, former mayor of Spring Lake, and Delmonte Crawford are also running for the office.

    Woodall said in a YouTube video that he has watched the culture decline across America, with violent protests, climate extremists, problems with an open Southern Border, voter ID laws being struck down across the states, being unable to fill positions in his business, and the impacts of high inflation.

    But what prompted him to run for office was the woke agenda on children, including issues involving transgenderism.

    "When they started coming for our kids, I don't care what any politician says, no one is going to push their agenda on me or my children," Woodall says in the video. "My daughters will not share a locker room with men. My sons will not be led to question their gender, and before anyone tries to tell you that this is not happening in North Carolina, they're dead wrong. I've experienced this firsthand, and I have no doubt that many of you have stories of your own."

    He continued saying that if he didn't step up and do something now, it wouldn't be long before the state is unrecognizable, along with the nation.

    If elected, Woodall said he would find ways to curb inflation, stand with law enforcement officers, defend the Second Amendment, protect the life of the unborn, secure elections, and get better access to education for children.

    Woodall kicked off his campaign by loaning it $1 million, and, according to a press release announcing his candidacy, "a huge advantage over any candidate running for either the Republican or Democratic parties." The release said that Elmore currently leads the Republican candidates with $52,000 on hand, while Weatherman is slightly behind with $47,000. Hunt leads the Democrats with $313,000 on hand.