With redistricting creating a political opportunity for Cumberland County Republicans, former Fayetteville Mayor Nat Robertson is announcing this week that he’ll run for Congress in the newly drawn 4th District. Robertson served as mayor from 2013 to 2017, when he lost to Democrat Mitch Colvin.
The new 4th includes all of Cumberland, Sampson and Johnston counties, as well as portions of Harnett and Wayne counties, and data indicates it leans Republican. Cumberland’s current congressman, U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of Cabarrus County, will no longer have any Sandhills counties in his district.
“There is no current incumbent running in this district, and hopefully no one else from Cumberland County will file,” Robertson said in an email to supporters, which was obtained by Business North Carolina. “This would stop Cumberland from splitting the GOP vote needed to win the primary election.”
Robertson is a businessman who currently works for Cintas, an Ohio-based services company that provides uniforms, cleaning supplies and safety equipment. As mayor, Robertson oversaw Fayetteville’s efforts to lure a minor league baseball stadium and secure funding for the Outer Loop freeway.
Robertson’s announcement comes among a flurry of 2022 campaign news following the legislature adoption of new maps for Congress, state House and state Senate. Other highlights include:
-Former Mecklenburg County Commissioner Karen Bentley has filed paperwork to run for Congress in the new 13th District, which spans from Charlotte’s northern and western suburbs to Polk and McDowell counties in the mountains. That’s the open seat district where House Speaker Tim Moore is expected to run. Bentley is a healthcare executive who’s worked with Cardinal Innovations and Novant. She served four terms on the county commission.
-Also in Mecklenburg, former N.C. Rep. Scott Stone, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor last year, announced he’s running for state Senate in the new District 41, which includes southern Charlotte and the towns of Matthews and Mint Hill. The incumbent in that district – expected to be highly competitive – is Sen. Jeff Jackson, who’s running instead for U.S. Senate. Stone is the president of American Engineering Associates.
-Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam is joining what’s expected to be a crowded Democratic primary in Congressional District 6, where N.C. Sen. Wiley Nickel is already running. If elected, Allam would be the first Muslim in North Carolina’s congressional delegation.
-Senate District 36 (Wilkes, Alexander, Yadkin and Surry counties) is attracting interest since it has no incumbent. Former Sen. Shirley Randleman, R-Wilkes, has reactivated her campaign committee, and Wilkes County Commission Chairman Eddie Settle has filed paperwork to run.
-With southern Wake County’s Senate District 17 becoming more competitive in new maps, former Republican candidate Mark Cavaliero announced Monday that he’ll run against incumbent Sen. Sydney Batch, D-Wake.
-After new districts double-bunked him with Rep. Ed Goodwin, R-Chowan, Rep. Bobby Hanig, R-Currituck, says he’ll run for Senate instead in a new open-seat district.