Nickel announces run for Wake County district attorney | Eastern NC Now

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

    Former congressman Wiley Nickel made his candidacy for the office of Wake County district attorney official this week, with his Tuesday announcement.

    Current DA Lorrin Freeman, a Democrat, announced in May that she will not run for re-election in 2026.

    In July, there was speculation that he was considering a run for the office, after he dropped out of the US Senate race and endorsed former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper for the nomination when Cooper announced his intention to run for the seat.

    In an announcement on X, Nickel said that he was running because "our Democracy and rights are under attack."

    "I'm running for Wake County district attorney because the stakes for our community and our democracy have never been higher in this moment," he said in the video clip. "With the president shredding the Constitution in the Oval Office, we need leaders who will stand up to protect our rights and keep our justice system fair and independent. Listen, my time in Congress was cut short because of Republican gerrymandering, and I've got a lot of work left to do."

    Nickel announced his intention to run for the US Senate in April. He was elected to the US House of Representatives, representing the 13th Congressional District, in 2022. He decided not to seek re-election last year when redrawn maps, which were much less favorable to a Democrat winning the seat, were finalized. Republican Brad Knott now represents the district. Before his time in Congress, Nickel served two terms as a state Senator in NC-16.

    "Today, I am suspending my campaign for US Senate and proudly endorsing Roy Cooper," he said in a post on X in July. "It was an honor to work alongside Governor Cooper in the State Senate and in Congress. I've seen firsthand his steady bipartisan leadership."

    Nickel finished his statement by saying that he still has a lot of work left to do, that public service is a part of who he is, and that "you'll hear more from me soon."

    Former Republican National Committee and NCGOP chair Michael Whatley also announced in July that he was running for the US Senate seat on the Republican ticket that current US Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC, is vacating. Tillis announced his retirement after sparring with President Donald Trump.

    Nickel will face competition in the race for Wake County DA.


    Sherita Walton, an attorney for the Raleigh Police Department and former prosecutor; and Assistant District Attorney Melanie Shekita, a longtime Wake County prosecutor, will also be running.

    No Republicans have entered the race so far. The primary will take place in March, and the general election will be held in November 2026.