North Carolina GOP Rep. Dan Bishop to leave Congress to run for state attorney general

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Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., will leave Congress to run for North Carolina attorney general in the upcoming election cycle, he announced Thursday.

Bishop, 59, made the announcement Thursday morning on a local North Carolina radio show. He has served in the House of Representatives since 2019 and has played a major role as a member of the Freedom Caucus that challenged House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's leadership.

"To have the news break that, in fact, I’m going to be a candidate, to come home in North Carolina and seek the spot of attorney general, and do that on WBT radio, I can’t think of a better place," Bishop told the hosts.

"I think it’s a particular time to reinforce support for prosecutors and front line law enforcement officers," he added. "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."

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Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., will leave Congress to run for North Carolina attorney general in the upcoming election cycle, he announced Thursday.

Bishop was among the most vocal opponents of McCarthy's bid for speakership earlier this year. At one point, he had to deny claims that he had promised to resign if McCarthy were to win the position.

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"We’re going to either see improvement up here the same way we made remarkable improvements in North Carolina in the state legislature, or I’m out," Bishop said at the time, leading some to assume he was threatening resignation. He later clarified the statement.

"I will serve my term with all the force and vigor in me," he tweeted later.

Bishop was among the most vocal opponents of McCarthy's bid for speakership earlier this year. At one point, he had to deny claims that he had promised to resign if McCarthy were to win the position. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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In the general election, Bishop will face off against Democrat Tim Dunn, who, according to Ballotpedia, is the only Democratic candidate who has filed paperwork for the 2024 election.