Pat McCrory is a former governor of North Carolina. He left the office after losing his re-election bid to Democratic North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper. McCrory's loss was one of the few encountered by a Republican in 2016.
Among those on the winning side from North Carolina was Richard Burr. Burr was elected to another term in the United States Senate. He has said he won't run for re-election in 2022. But Pat McCrory could be looking to make an electoral comeback.
Expected to announce a Senate run
Pat McCrory is likely to officially run for the U.S.
Senate, according to Politico and CNN. Rumors had been swirling for months that McCrory might get into the race. But apparently, he's finally going to make it official.
Pundits say the 2022 North Carolina U.S. Senate race is likely to be one of the country's most competitive. Outgoing Senator Richard Burr is one of the legislative body's most prominent members. He's a former chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Currently, he's the ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Burr also served in the U.S. House of Representatives.
McCrory would be the second Republican to enter the race officially. The first was now-former U.S. Representative Mark Walker.
Walker represented North Carolina's 6th District in the House. During his House career, he chaired the Republican Study Committee. He was also vice-chair of the House Republican Conference.
Several candidates on the Democratic side have already formally announced their candidacy, including current State Senator Jeff Jackson and former State Senator Erica D.
Smith. The pool of Democratic candidates is expected to grow as time goes on.
McCrory was also mayor of Charlotte
Pat McCrory lost his first gubernatorial run in 2008. He was defeated by Democratic Lieutenant Governor Bev Perdue. Perdue did not run for re-election in 2012. That year, McCrory won the governorship over Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton, also a Democrat.
McCrory's political career as an elected official began as a member of the Charlotte City Council. While a member of the Council, he eventually became the city's mayor pro tem.
He was first elected mayor in 1995. Incumbent Republican Mayor Richard Vinroot wasn't running for re-election. He instead launched an unsuccessful campaign for the 1996 Republican gubernatorial nomination. McCrory would win re-election several times, ultimately becoming the longest-serving mayor in Charlotte history. During part of his mayoral tenure, McCrory was also a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council.
After leaving the governorship, McCrory became a radio show host. In years past, he had worked for Duke Energy.
