Republican North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop announced Thursday he will be running for North Carolina Attorney General and not seek re-election for his House seat, according to the Charlotte Observer.
“I think it’s a particular time to reinforce support for prosecutors and front line law enforcement officers,” Bishop said. “I think there’s an opportunity to use the influence of that office to restore law and order to our cities like Asheville, in particular Charlotte, and some others.”
Bishop reportedly did not intend to make the announcement Thursday, having told The Charlotte Observer just last week he was still thinking over his decision. Months of rumors of Bishop’s run for North Carolina Attorney General have preceded his announcement. (RELATED: ‘A Crime Like No Other’: Trump Blasts DOJ, Clinton Over Russia Probe In Op-Ed)
Rep. Dan Bishop Talks About New Bill Designed to Hold Government Censors Accountable@RepDanBishop joins @charliekirk11 to discuss a new bill he has cosponsored with Wyoming Rep. @HagemanforWY that would hold federal officials accountable for violating Americans’ first amendment… pic.twitter.com/ZxiVziBYQy
— Real America’s Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) August 2, 2023
Bishop was the first Republican to call for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s removal in May when the Freedom Caucus grew frustrated with the debt ceiling deal. Bishop also took action against COVID-19 mask mandates and misinformation censorship.
Bishop also has a history criticizing the Department of Justice (DOJ). He led a group of congressional representatives in October 2021 demanding Attorney General Merrick Garland explain the alleged targeting of parents protesting local school boards. Bishop also endorsed a new congressional subcommittee on the “weaponization of the federal government,” according to Carolina Journal.
Josh Stein, the incumbent attorney general in North Carolina, will not run for re-election because he is a candidate in the state’s 2024 gubernatorial election. He announced his campaign in a three-minute Twitter video in January.