Former U.S. congressman and state senator Wiley Nickel has clinched the role of Wake County District Attorney. With all precincts reporting, Nickel had secured 49% of the vote in the three-candidate race.
Nickel is perhaps the best-known candidate in the Democratic bid to replace Lorrin Freeman, who has served as district attorney since 2014. The defense attorney originally ran for the U.S. Senate before dropping out to endorse former Governor Roy Cooper last July. He is also a former Congressman and North Carolina legislator.
The other two candidates in the race were Sherita Walton, a city attorney advising the Raleigh Police Department, and Melanie Shekita, a decades-long prosecutor with the Wake County District Attorney's office. Walton won 30% of the vote, and Shekita won 20%.
In Wake County, registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans 281,000-174,000, and Democrats tend to win in the county. No Republican ran in the Republican primary, meaning Nickel will, in all likelihood, succeed Freeman in the fall. Though it's a local elected position, the race for Wake County District Attorney has statewide impacts because it is home to the state capital.
As district attorney, Nickel would handle a variety of political corruption cases from voter fraud to investigations involving state government officials accused of misconduct.
During the race, Nickel's lack of experience prosecuting cases prompted Freeman to endorse Walton in the race. For his part, Nickel received a slew of endorsements from elected Democrats in local government and the North Carolina legislature.
During his campaign, the Cary resident pledged to prioritize public safety in a variety of ways, including prosecuting political corruption cases, creating a full-time mental health court for Wake County and securing more funding for the district attorney's office.
Nickel also said he would also go after federal agents, including ICE and Border Patrol agents, who break the law.
"A federal badge doesn't put anyone above the law in North Carolina — and Donald Trump cannot pardon state crimes," he said in an INDY week questionnaire in February. "When I'm District Attorney, accountability will apply to everyone in Wake County, without exception."
