Former North Carolina Rep. Mark Walker Joins Trump Campaign After Primary Loss

Raleigh, N.C. (AP) — Following his second-place finish in the recent primary for the old U.S. House seat in North Carolina, former state representative Mark Walker declared on Wednesday that he will not pursue a runoff and instead will align with Donald Trump's campaign.

New Role with Trump's Campaign

Ex-U.S. Rep. Mark Walker, who had a six-year tenure in Congress until 2020, vied for the central North Carolina 6th District seat in this year's election. Although the top vote-getter in the Republican primary, Addison McDowell, did not secure the required 30% vote margin to avoid a runoff, Walker decided not to formally request one, according to a campaign spokesperson. This decision paves the way for McDowell to become the primary winner and likely the next 6th District representative, with no Democratic opposition anticipated this fall.

Democratic Representative's Exit

The current 6th District representative, Democratic Rep. Kathy Manning, opted not to seek reelection, citing a significant rightward shift in the district due to redistricting by the GOP-controlled legislature, with no other Democrat filing as a candidate.

Trump's Invitation to Walker

Donald Trump took to social media earlier in the day to announce that he had asked the former Baptist pastor, Mark Walker, to join his campaign team to engage with Faith Groups and Minority Communities, with Walker accepting the offer promptly. Trump highlighted their previous victories together and expressed enthusiasm for building connections with all communities across the nation.