Former U.S. Rep. Mark Walker has formally entered the race for North Carolina governor.
The North Carolina Republican made his campaign announcement in Kernersville on Saturday saying he plans to form a diverse coalition to win the governor’s seat. Walker is a former Baptist pastor who rode the tea party wave to three terms in Congress.
Also running for governor on the Republican side are Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and N.C. Treasurer Dale Folwell. Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, is also running.
Walker previously ran for U.S. Senate in 2022 but was defeated in the Republican primary, finishing a distant third to the eventual winner in the general election, Sen. Ted Budd.
Primary elections for the N.C. governor's race will be held in March 2024. Current Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is barred by the state constitution from seeking a third term.
