Former Rep. Wiley Nickel is running to become the top prosecutor in North Carolina's largest county

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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A former North Carolina Democratic congressman whose bid for U.S. Senate ended several weeks ago announced Tuesday that he is running to become the top prosecutor in the state’s largest county.

Ex-U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel, who also served previously as a state legislator, said he wants to become the next Wake County district attorney. Current DA Lorrin Freeman has said she will not seek another four-year term in 2026.

Nickel, a lawyer who also once worked as a White House staffer in Barack Obama’s administration, said in a news release that he’s running to bring his experience “back to the local level and drive real change for our criminal justice system.”

Nickel was elected in 2022 to the U.S. House from a Raleigh-area swing district. But he decided against seeking a second term in 2024 because he said the district’s redrawing by the General Assembly made it essentially impossible to win again.

Nickel formally launched a 2026 U.S. Senate campaign this past April, but he stepped aside in late July the day after former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper entered that race and Nickel endorsed Cooper.

Nickel’s kickoff statement Tuesday hit on national themes, accusing President Donald Trump and “right-wing extremists” of “trying to take away our freedoms.”

“I’m running to increase support for police and first responders and to make sure our justice system is more fair, more accountable, and more focused on real public safety,” Nickel said. “In this moment, we need a District Attorney who will stand up for our rights and freedoms, hold corrupt politicians accountable, and defend our Constitution.”

At least two other Democrats are running for the post, including longtime Wake County DA office prosecutor Melanie Shekita and Sherita Walton, now a Raleigh city attorney who advises the police department.

The Wake County post may be the most high-profile local prosecutor in the state because the job often handles government corruption and election law violation cases.

Party primaries will be held in March, with the general election in the Democratic-leaning county scheduled for November 2026.