2024 Second Republican Primary: Kelly Daughtry vs. Brad Knott for US House District 13

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Amanda Benbow Lunn (00:09):
Hello friends, thanks for joining me
on the NC Deep Dive.
I'm your host, Amanda BenbowLunn, and we are delving into
the 2024 second primary electionhappening May 14th.
There will be three episodes tothis segment and, depending on
your precinct in Southern WakeCounty, you may have two or

(00:29):
three races on your ballot.
Since two of these are stateraces, they will apply to the
entirety of eligible voters inNorth Carolina, so if you are
listening from afar, they stillmight be useful.
Please note that all three ofthese runoff races are on the
Republican ballot because thetop vote getter in March's
primary did not achieve morethan 30% of the vote.

(00:51):
When that happens, therunner-up can ask for a second
primary runoff election.
Those eligible to vote thisgo-round are as follows 1.
All registered Republicans.
Two, all those registered asunaffiliated, also known by some
as independent, who did notcast a vote in March's primary.

(01:12):
And.
Three, all those registered asunaffiliated or independent who
did vote in March's primary andthey selected a Republican
ballot.
No races fit the criteria for arunoff election for the
Democrats or Libertarians.
All of those primary winnershave moved on to November's
general election, so there isnot an opportunity to cast your

(01:34):
vote this go-round For thesesegments.
I will be reading from eachcandidate's website, along with
anything I feel may be ofinterest on a simple Google
search.
Sometimes it's easier forpeople to digest this stuff
audibly, but if you are a visuallearner or you are short on
time, feel free to skip theseepisodes and search for yourself
Without further ado.

(01:54):
My friends, let's dive in.
For this episode we will bespeaking about Kelly Daughtry
and Brad Nott, who are vying forthe US congressional seat for
District 13.
First off, we will start withKelly Daughtry.
Her website is kellyfornc.
com, that's K-E-L-L-Y-F-O-R-N-C.

(02:15):
com.
It starts with send aconservative to Congress, Kelly
Daughtry.
Kelly Daughtry never backs downfrom a fight.
In Washington.
She'll put an end to JoeBiden's reckless agenda and
stand up for North Carolinavalues.
The daughter of a veteranfarmer and businessman, Kelly

(02:37):
Daughtry grew up here in ruralNorth Carolina, where she
learned conservative principlesand the value of hard work.
She spent her career fightingfor North Carolina families,
farmers and small businesses InCongress.
She'll secure the border, gettough on China and put an end to
out-of-control governmentspending.
About Kelly Kelly Daughtry, aNorth Carolina Story.

(02:58):
Kelly Daughtry is aborn-and-bred North Carolinian,
a Christian, a conservativeRepublican and a political
outsider.
Kelly has been serving hercommunity and practicing law in
her home of Johnston County,North Carolina, for over 25
years.
Kelly has fought for familiesduring times when they are most
vulnerable.
She knows their struggles andhas been their strongest

(03:19):
advocate.
Kelly has also proudly stood upfor farmers.
When an international Fortune500 company's product killed
North Carolina farmers' tobaccocrops, Kelly was not afraid to
take on the company and fightfor our farmers.
Her work helped save familyfarms.
Kelly has worked with countlesssmall businesses and knows the
unique problems they face.

(03:40):
Having worked with families,farmers and small businesses
throughout our region, Kellyknows firsthand the impact the
disastrous Biden agenda has hadon North Carolina.
Their struggle to get by thanksto Joe Biden and the career
politicians in Washington iswhat motivated her to run for
Congress and serve her community.
As our Congresswoman, kelly willfight for North Carolina values

(04:03):
each and every day.
That means securing our borderonce and for all, cutting
reckless government spending,getting tough on China and
putting an end to Joe Biden'sreckless agenda.
Kelly's Priorities, her Issues,kelly's Priorities North
Carolina Values for Our Family.
As our Congresswoman, kellywill fight for North Carolina

(04:23):
values each and every day.
That means securing our borderonce and for all, cutting
reckless government spending,getting tough on China and
putting an end to Joe Biden'sreckless agenda.
Border security what'shappening on our border is a
crisis, plain and simple.
Joe Biden and the Democratshave opened our borders and
drugs and crime are pouring intoour communities at record rates

(04:45):
.
I will hold the Bidenadministration accountable and
use any means necessary,including authorizing the use of
military force, to secure ourborder once and for all.
Hold China accountable.
Weak on China careerpoliticians have put our economy
and our national security atrisk.
That ends with me as yourcongresswoman.
I'll get tough on China andwill stop the Chinese Communist

(05:08):
Party and their affiliates frombuying farmland in North
Carolina or anywhere in theUnited States.
Stop out-of-control spending.
Career politicians have spentour country to the brink and
North Carolinians are paying theprice.
Record high inflation ratescaused by reckless spending are
crushing our families, farmersand small businesses.
I'll stop the out-of-controlspending coming from career

(05:31):
politicians, which will lowergas and grocery costs for
working families.
End Joe Biden's reckless agenda.
Washington is broken and JoeBiden is destroying our country.
Biden's reckless agenda hasopened our borders, made our
nation less secure and made lifemore expensive.
In Congress, I'll stand up forNorth Carolina and get our

(05:51):
nation back on track.
There are buttons where you cancontribute or join her team.
She does have a Facebook pageand a Twitter or an X account
linked to her website as well,and that is the totality of
Kelly Daughtry's website.
Moving on to Ballotpedia, itstates that Kelly Daughtry
earned a Bachelor's of Arts fromDartmouth College in 1992 and a

(06:16):
JD from the University of NorthCarolina in 1995.
Daughtry's career experienceincludes working as a family law
attorney.
Ballotpedia's summary of this2024 battleground election for
the second primary betweenDaughtry and Knott Kelly
Daughtry and Brad Knott, bothRepublicans, are running in the

(06:37):
Republican primary runoff inNorth Carolina's 13th
congressional district on May 14, 2024.
Congressional district on May14, 2024.
Daughtry and Knott were the twotop finishers in the March 5
primary, with 27.4% and 18.7% ofthe vote respectively.
Incumbent Wiley Nickel,democrat, did not seek
re-election, leaving thisdistrict open.

(06:58):
According to Meredith Collegeprofessor David McLennan, the
runoff will be a test of who canalign him or herself more with
Trump, between two candidates,kelly Daughtry and Brad Knott,
who run more strongly indifferent parts of the district.
Former President Donald Trumpendorsed Knott on April 5th of
2024.
Daughtry is an attorney withexperience in business disputes

(07:21):
and family law.
Daughtry says she is running torestore sanity in Washington,
defend conservative ChristianNorth Carolina values, secure
our border and end Biden'sdisastrous leadership of our
country.
Daughtry says that voters areseeking a candidate who will
prioritize America first.
I will work with Trump when Iget to Congress to secure the
border, reduce inflation andrefocus our foreign policy.

(07:44):
As of March 29, 2024, daughtryhad raised $2,146,546, including
$2,060,132 in self-funding.
Knott is a former federalprosecutor.
Knott says that he is runningbecause quote I saw firsthand

(08:04):
the devastating harm seriouscrime does to our communities.
The laws need to be strongerand more rigid to protect
law-abiding Americans.
Knott says that he and Trumpkept America safe together
before Joe Biden.
Knott says that he and Trumpkept America safe together
before Joe Biden took office.
Knott says he will work withPresident Trump to secure our
border and to put criminalsbehind bars.

(08:26):
As of March 29, 2024, knott hadraised $670,612, including
$250,000 in self-funding.
The primary runoff is takingplace in the context of
court-ordered redistrictingUnder the previous district
lines.
National political observersdescribed the 13th district as a

(08:47):
toss-up.
Wiley-nickel defeated Bo Hines,the Republican candidate, 51.6%
to 48.4% in 2022.
As of March 29, 2024, the CookPolitical Report with Amy Walter
and Larry J Sabato's CrystalBall both rated the general
election solid-slash-safeRepublican.
Inside Elections with Nathan LGonzalez rated the general

(09:11):
election likely Republican Forthe 2024 first primary in March.
Kelly Daughtry did get 27.4% ofthe vote, which was a total of
22,881 votes.
Bradnott came in second with18.7% of the vote, which was
15,613 votes a difference ofright around 7,000 votes that

(09:33):
Kelly won the primary.
But again, because she hit27.4% and did not hit more than
30%, bradnott did have theability to ask for a runoff
election and he did.
With her campaign financeinformation, this is as of March
31st of this year.
Kelly Daughtry receipts totaledjust over $4.4 million.

(09:56):
Her disbursements are almost$3.1 million.
Her cash on hand as of March31st was just over $1.3 million.
Brad Knotts, comparatively hehas $1.5 million in receipts, he
has dispersed just over $1million and his cash on hand is

(10:17):
$460,452.
Again, that's as of March 31stof 2024.
Kelly Daughtry did run back in2022.
She was on the Republicanprimary for the same US House,
district 13 for North Carolina.
She placed third with 16.9% ofthe vote, and that two years ago

(10:40):
she got 9,300 votes.
Both Beau Hines and DevonBarber beat her in that primary
so she did not move forth to thegeneral election.
She did not fill out the 2024Ballotpedia survey.
There is a campaign ad here.
Again, this is Ballotpediaorg.
Then you just search for thecandidate.

(11:02):
It talks a little bit aboutwhat her platforms are.
That's taken directly from herwebsite and it also talks about
what her campaign focus was forher 2022 election.
Looking again at some of thecampaign finance summary for
2024, she's had a total of justover $4.4 million in

(11:24):
contributions and she has spentalmost $3.1 million.
Back in 2022, the one in whichshe did lose the primary, she
received just over $3.5 millionand she actually spent exactly
what she had raised incontributions to the dollar.
Her grand total for the twoyears so far, she has raised

(11:47):
over $8 million and she hasspent $6,667,060 total.
And that concludes all theinformation on Ballotpedia for
Kelly Daughtry.
I did find at least one article,but there were a couple of
articles that did discuss thisas well.
This is from the CarolinaJournal.
It was published on Sunday,april 21st.

(12:10):
It says Kelly Daughtry and BradKnott are fighting hard in the
last congressional primaryrunoff here in North Carolina as
they compete for the Republicannomination.
We've seen lots of ads trying topoint out flaws in the other
candidates' conservative bonafides no surprise there.
Point out flaws in the othercandidates' conservative bona
fides no surprise there.
But one line of attack that issurprising is the Daughtry

(12:31):
camp's repeated insistence thatKnott was cozy with President
Biden, simply because Knottworked as a federal prosecutor
for several years across threedifferent presidential
administrations.
One of the ads from TeamDaughtry even featured a
doctored photo replacing a lawenforcement officer, with
President Biden draping his armacross Knott's shoulders.
Of course, Knott has never evenmet President Biden and, in

(12:51):
parentheses, much less supportedhim.
The article basically just goeson to say that they find this
line of attack troubling becauseof the chilling effect it may
have on qualified, incompetentpeople serving in critical roles
in our government.
For fear of future politicalramifications, the work of
assistant US attorneys, like notmyself and countless others, is

(13:14):
nonpartisan and apolitical.
This article states Federalprosecutors are the ones working
day in and day out to enforceour federal laws in court and
put serious criminals behindbars, criminals like the ones
that not routinely prosecuted,who traffic deadly poison into
our communities, often acrossthe border, and who oversee
networks that terrorize ourcommunities with violence, when

(13:35):
the kingpin whose drugtrafficking organization
delivered a lethal dose offentanyl to your child is on
trial and you're sitting in thecourtroom.
Politics don't matter very much.
You want the most competentlawyers zealously representing
the United States.
What our country needs is forour best and brightest of all
political stripes to want to dothis work at some point in their
career.
What our country does not needis for sharp and talented young

(13:58):
lawyers to think twice abouttaking a job that safeguards our
communities, simply because ofwho happens to be president at
the time.
An example helps Imagine withme, if you will, a young woman a
few years out of law school.
She's sharp, organized, quickon her feet, she's not easily
rattled, she gets someexperience around the courtroom
and she loves it.
She's good at it.
She's the kind of lawyer weshould all want representing us

(14:20):
when the most dangerouscriminals are on trial, and she
may well be the kind of personyou'd want to represent you in
Congress one day.
But according to DaughtryCamp's reasoning, this young
woman better think twice beforetaking a job as a federal
prosecutor, especially if thepresident happens to be of a
different party when theopportunity comes around.
Otherwise, it might be hershowing up in a doctored photo

(14:41):
on TV someday and a presidentshe opposes with his arm around
her shoulder, and that's why theDaughtry camp's attacks are
particularly troubling.
If our young lawyer turns downthe job, that loss is a loss to
all of us.
We, the public, are the onesmissing out.
Daughtry would do well toapologize for the ads, correct
the record and make clearthere's no place for political

(15:02):
attacks on apolitical governmentservice.
This was written by JohnnyHarris, who is an attorney and
litigator at Smith Anderson, thelargest business and litigation
law firm headquartered in theTriangle.
John previously served as anassistant US attorney in the
Eastern District of NorthCarolina and that was really all
I could find.
She did have an ex-account thatcame up a bit on her Google

(15:25):
search, but primarily it wasjust election-related things,
with both her and Brad Knotbeing compared.
Moving on to Brad Knot'swebsite, His website is
bradknottforcongress.
com.
That's B-R-A-D-K-N-O-T-T-F-O-RCongress.
com.
It says Brad Knot, conservativefor Congress.

(15:46):
Brad Knot for Congress, northCarolina's 13th congressional
district endorsed by PresidentTrump.
Republican primary runoff May14th 2024.
Brad backs Trump.
There's information where youcan support the campaign and
then it goes on to read Brad nottough on crime prosecutor.
I recently resigned as afederal prosecutor to run for

(16:09):
Congress in the 13thcongressional district in North
Carolina.
While working in law enforcement, I became familiar with issues
important to every NorthCarolinian and I look forward to
discussing these issues in thiscampaign.
I grew up in Raleigh.
My parents grew up in smalltowns, wilson and Nightdale.
My grandfather, now 97 yearsold, fought in the Battle of the

(16:29):
Bulge during World War II.
My parents taught Bible study,and now so do I.
My wife Joanna and I have beenblessed with two daughters.
There is a picture here withBrad and his wife Joanna and
their two daughters.
During law school at Wake Forest, I worked as a clerk for
Supreme Court Justice Paul Newby.
After graduating, I became aprosecutor in the US Attorney's

(16:50):
Office for Eastern NorthCarolina.
For seven and a half years Iworked with numerous sheriffs
and police departments toprosecute and convict drug
kingpins, members of drugcartels, gangs, human
traffickers and criminal illegalimmigrants.
As I traveled Eastern NorthCarolina working on
investigations and preparing fortrials, I saw firsthand the

(17:10):
devastating harm serious crimedoes to our communities.
The open border policies now inplace allow a catastrophic flow
of crime that wreaks havocacross our state and country.
In the last three years alone,it is estimated that nearly 10
million illegal immigrants havecrossed our southern border.
The laws need to be strongerand more rigid to protect
law-abiding Americans.

(17:31):
I believe when an illegalimmigrant commits a felony, they
should be sent to prison for aminimum of five years and then
deported.
There's a quote that saysBrad's a conservative, he
teaches Bible study, putsprinciple above politics and
he's not a politician.
End quote from formerCongressman George.
Holding Brad Knott's prioritiesImmigration, secure our border.

(17:54):
Joe Biden has unleashed a floodof illegal immigrants into our
country.
His administration must be heldaccountable.
Our border must be secured.
The wall must be finished.
An illegal immigrant whocommits a felony should be sent
to prison for a minimum of fiveyears and then deported.
Israel Stand with Israel.
Israel, a loyal ally, is theonly nation in the Middle East

(18:16):
that is free and democratic.
Israel is the ancestral home ofthe Jewish people.
Hamas and Hezbollah and theirally, iran, openly proclaim
their desire to destroy Israeland America.
We must stand by Israel and weneed a strong foreign policy
that holds Iran in check.
Any refugees from Gaza must goto Arab countries, not the USA.

(18:38):
Abortion the unborn I oppose theDemocrats' efforts to legalize
abortion up to the moment ofbirth.
The Dobbs decision properlyoverruled Roe v Wade, returning
authority over abortion to thestates, as our Constitution
provides.
I'm pro-life.
I support state laws protectingthe unborn.
Faith-based crisis pregnancycenters which provide help to

(19:00):
women and promote alternativesto abortion are under attack
from pro-abortion extremists andleft-wing politicians.
I will fight to protect them.
Crime Back the blue.
The Democrats' defunding of thepolice and soft-on-crime
policies have brought us deadlyviolence, along with rampant
addiction and death from illegaldrugs.
As a prosecutor, after workingwith sheriffs and police

(19:21):
departments investigating andconvicting drug dealers, I back
the blue 100%.
I will fight for common sense,tough-on-crime policies.
Education Support, school choice.
Public schools are failing ourchildren.
Students are not educated inthe basics needed to succeed in
life.
Instead, public schools pushwoke ideologies like critical

(19:42):
race theory and eventransgenderism.
Parents must have a voice inschool curriculums and policies.
I support school choice soparents can get their children
out of failing schools and intoschools that will provide the
education their children need.
First Amendment Protect freespeech.
Freedom of speech and the freeexercise of religious faith form
the bedrock of American liberty.

(20:03):
Today, both of those freedomsare under assault from the left.
I will fight the cancel culture, protect freedom of speech and
work to stop the Bidenadministration's targeting of
Christian conservatives.
Second Amendment Defend gunrights.
I will work to protect ourright to keep and bear arms, as
guaranteed by the SecondAmendment.
I was introduced to hunting bymy grandfather, who taught me

(20:25):
about responsible gun ownershipand safety.
As a prosecutor, I repeatedlysaw the need of every citizen to
protect themselves and theirfamilies.
We already have numerous lawsregulating firearms, including a
background check system andprohibitions on the possession
of guns by felons and drugaddicts.
We need to enforce the gun laws.
We have not pass new ones thattarget the law-abiding rather

(20:47):
than criminals.
Inflation and wasteful spendingJoe Biden has walloped the poor
and the middle class withdevastating inflation.
His torrent of wastefulspending has given us $2
trillion deficits, undercut thevalue of the dollar and brought
on high interest rates.
It makes no sense forWashington politicians to print
money to pay for their wastefulspending.

(21:08):
It's time to cut spending, putan end to omnibus spending bills
and carefully scrutinize everyspending bill to make cuts.
I support a balanced budgetamendment to the Constitution.
Brad's endorsements he has beenendorsed from US Congresswoman
Virginia Fox.
Each of these endorsements hasa paragraph that you can click

(21:28):
on and it takes you to anothersite to read more in detail.
I'll just read the little bitthat's here and if you're
interested, you can have a lookat his website and read these
articles in their entirety.
The endorsement from USCongresswoman Virginia Foxx
states Brad Knot has thebackbone and determination to
fight for hardworking andlaw-abiding families of North
Carolina's 13th District who arefed up with Joe Biden's

(21:51):
policies promoting open bordersand runaway inflation.
As a prosecutor, he made suredangerous criminals paid the
price for their crimes, and inCongress he will make sure our
communities are safe.
At his core he is, and then youclick to read more.
Representative Matthew Winslowendorses Bradnott as a father
who cares deeply about thecountry our children inherit.

(22:12):
I'm endorsing Brad Nott forCongress because he will protect
the promise of the Americandream and fight for everyday
working families.
Now is the time for strongleadership to stand up to woke
ideologies and distractingpolitical games.
Brad Nott is a conservative tothe core who won't cave to the
Washington establishment Again.
President Donald J Trumpendorses Brad Knott for Congress

(22:34):
.
Brad Knott is a strong patriotwho is running for Congress in
North Carolina's 13thcongressional district against a
rhino, Kelly Daughtry who hasgiven money to far-left
Democrats, pledged to vote forObama and is no friend to MAGA,
a former federal prosecutor Bradwill fight hard to support our
great law enforcement andmilitary, secure our border,

(22:58):
protect our always under siege.
Second, and then you can clickmore to finish that article.
Conservative US Congressman DanBishop endorses Brad not for
Congress.
In the 13th District Republicanrunoff, Kelly Daughtry claims
to be a conservative Trumpsupporter, even though she
donated to Sherry Beasleyagainst Ted Budd and to Josh
Stein.
She celebrated voting forBarack Obama and now she runs
fake photos of Brad Knottshaking Biden's hand.

(23:20):
That tells you three thingsKelly Daughtry isn't a
conservative.
She's brazenly dishonest andshe'd fit right.
And you can click more to readmore.
Nc Values Coalition endorsesBrad Knot for Congress.
We are endorsing Brad Knottbecause of his character and
commitment to the family valuesthat made this country great.
He was a federal prosecutor forthe past seven years

(23:41):
prosecuting drug cartel cases,so voters know he will be strong
on crime, border security and adrug and human trafficking.
He is the only candidate inthis primary election runoff who
is a true conservative on allissues.
Brad Knott receives endorsementfrom Dr Josh McConkey.
Dr Josh McConkey said, havinghad the opportunity to get to

(24:02):
know Brad Knott more personallyon the campaign trail, I am most
impressed with his commitmentto America First, values, values
.
As a prosecutor, Brad is bestqualified to secure our border,
stop the fentanyl crisis that Ideal with every day in the ER
and hold criminals and drugcartels accountable.
As a husband, father and andyou can click more to finish

(24:22):
that article Brad Knott receivesendorsement from US Senator Ted
Budd.
Today, senator Ted Budd endorsedBrad Nott for Congress in the
runoff election in NorthCarolina, district 13.
Senator Budd said I'm endorsingBrad Knot because of his
character and commitment to theAmerica First agenda.
Brad is a solid conservativewho will fight for a strong
nation and stronger families.

(24:44):
As a prosecutor, he knows theconsequences of Joe Biden's open
border and he's made our.
And you can click more to readmore.
Then there's Veterans for Trumpendorsement.
I am honored to receive theNational and North Carolina
chapter endorsement fromVeterans for Trump, aka Veterans
for America First.
The original Trump campaigncoalition focused on veterans'

(25:04):
issues while promoting a secureborder.
As a federal prosecutor, Ifought against illegal
immigration and violent crime inthe courtroom.
In Congress, I will work tosecure the border, finish the
wall, and you can click more toread more.
North Carolina grassrootsgovernment endorsement I worked
with sheriffs and police toconvict drug dealers and violent
criminals.
As a federal prosecutor, now Iam running for Congress in the

(25:26):
13th district and am honored tobe endorsed by North Carolina
grassroots government.
I stand for medical andreligious freedom, parents'
rights, educational choice,sanctity of life second
amendment rights and legislativereform.
Congressman George Holdingendorses Brad Knott and there's
a little bit that you can readhere that says dear friend,
while four years have passedsince I was in Congress, one

(25:49):
thing has remained the same Ourpolitical system is still a mess
.
Our elected officials are moreinterested in politicking than
working to fix our problems.
We must work to elect credible,serious candidates in order to
address the many issues facingour country.
This is why I am thrilled toannounce my support for Brad
Knott, who recently filed to runin the district I was honored

(26:09):
to represent a short time ago.
Brad Knott is a tried and trueconservative and the best choice
for North CarolinaCongressional District 13.
Brad is a career prosecutor whohas worked in the United States
Attorney's Office where heinvestigated and prosecuted
organized crime ranging from andI can't read the rest of that,
but you can click more if youare interested.

(26:30):
North Carolina BenevolentAssociation endorses Brad Knot
for Congress.
I am honored to be the onlyNorth Carolina 13 congressional
candidate to be endorsed by theNorth Carolina Police Benevolent
Association, the largest lawenforcement association of North
Carolina.
As a federal prosecutor, I workside by side with law
enforcement to reduce crime.

(26:50):
I will always stand with themand for them.
Liberty First Grassrootsendorses Brad Knot for Congress.
I am a former federalprosecutor.
For the last seven years Iworked with sheriffs and police
to investigate and prosecutedrug dealers and violent
criminals.
I have seen how our wide, opensouthern border contributes to
the increase in crime in NorthCarolina and across the country.

(27:12):
I also understand how to reducecrime.
Laws need to be enforced andstrengthened to correct the and
you can click more to read more.
You can follow Brad on FacebookX, instagram and YouTube.
There is a place where you cansign up to get updates from him,
as well as buttons where youcan donate to his campaign.
Now, as we're talking aboutendorsements, I realized I did

(27:35):
not mention Kelly Daughtry'sendorsements because they were
not on her website, but I didfind some that she posted on her
Twitter account.
Now I will say George Holdinghas endorsed Brad Knott for this
second primary election.
Actually, he endorsed him forthe first primary election, but
in 2022,.

(27:56):
George Holding did endorseKelly Daughtry, so he has
changed since 2022.
Kelly Daughtry's currentendorsements are North Carolina
State Senator Brent Jackson,north Carolina House Majority
Leader John Bell, former StateSenator Bob Steinberg, former
State Senator Rick Horner, stateRepresentative Donna White,

(28:18):
state Senator Benton Sawry, andshe is also endorsed by Sheriff
Steve Bizzle, district AttorneySusan Doyle, formerly the DA of
Harnett and Lee Counties, theRegister of Deeds, craig Olive,
and the Clerk of Court, michelleBall.
And those were the onlyendorsements that I saw.
But again, I only saw them onKelly Daughtry's X account and

(28:41):
she made one post in January onX and then, starting April 1st,
she has madea series of posts aswell, but prior to January her
last post was when she was lastrunning back in March of 2022, I
believe it was Now.
I did talk some about Brad Knottfrom his Ballotpedia, but let

(29:02):
me read what is different whenyou click on his name.
Brad Knott is from theRepublican Party, is running for
election to the US House torepresent North Carolina's 13th
congressional district.
He is on the ballot in theRepublican primary runoff on May
14th 2024.
He advanced from the Republicanprimary on March 5th 2024.

(29:22):
Brad Knott grew up in Raleigh,north Carolina.
He earned a JD from Wake ForestUniversity.
Knott's career experienceincludes working as a federal
prosecutor in the US Attorney'sOffice for Eastern North
Carolina.
Again, it states the same thingabout the 2024 battleground
election that I read earlier andagain.
Kelly Daughtry won the primaryin March with 27.4% of the vote,

(29:45):
which was 22,881 votes.
Brad Knotts came in second with18.7% of the vote, which was
15,613 votes, which is adifference of just over 7,000
votes.
He did not complete the 2024Ballotpedia survey responses.
There are three campaign adsthat are on this site that you

(30:08):
can check out, or you can findthem on YouTube or Facebook.
It says it goes into hiscampaign website for his
platform issues and then againthe campaign finance summary for
2024.
This is through March 31st ofthis year.
His total contributions havebeen $1,508,386.

(30:30):
His expenditures have been$1,047,934.
And that is all that you canfind on Ballotpedia for Brad
Knott.
Looking on Google, I found a fewarticles that seemed of
interest, one of which is fromWUNC.
org, and this was published backin December 14th of 2023 by

(30:54):
Colin Campbell.
It's a video that says solid,strong, conservative.
Brad Knot, a little knownRepublican candidate for
Congress, is getting a boostfrom a super PAC that's spending
big on TV ads backing hiscampaign.
Former federal prosecutor BradKnot hasn't run for office
before and few people inpolitical circles had heard of
him.
He's one of at least 11Republicans running in the 13th

(31:16):
Congressional District, whereDemocrat Wiley Nickel isn't
seeking re-election.
The redrawn district leansheavily towards the GOP and runs
from the Virginia border northof the Triangle down to
Smithfield and Sanford.
Now Knott has the advantage ofbeing one of the first
candidates backed by regular TVads that play up his name.
This is a Knott solid.

(31:37):
The narrator says this is aKnott strong.
And this is Brad Knott a solid,strong conservative for
Congress.
But Knott's campaign didn't payfor the ads.
Instead they're produced by asuper PAC called the American
Foundations Committee.
The group isn't saying how muchit plans to spend, but so far
it's paid about $500,000 inadvertising in November and

(32:00):
early December alone.
Federal Disclosure Filing ShowFilings show how much money the
PAC has raised are not yetavailable.
Its leaders include attorneysBoyd Serges and Steve Long, as
well as Sampson Countybusinessman Allie Rae McCullen.
All three are active in GOPpolitics.
Mccullen is a former UNC ChapelHill Board of Trustees member

(32:21):
and Long previously served onthe UNC Board of Governors.
Sturges is a former Lewisburgtown councilman who's best known
for his role as a specialprosecutor in the Duke Lacrosse
case.
They're supporting him becauseof his track record as a
prosecutor getting tough oncrime, particularly illegal
immigrants and gang leaders,which is sorely needed in
Congress right now, said MichaelLuthi, a political consultant

(32:44):
working for the PAC.
Luthi says the PAC is trying toget a head start over other
campaigns expected to advertiseheavily in the primary.
The sooner you can startmessaging other campaigns
expected to advertise heavily inthe primary, the sooner you can
start messaging the better,said Luthi, who's also worked on
US Senator Ted Budd's 2022campaign.
We saw it in Ted Budd's racelast year.
The early start was critical,especially for somebody who, in

(33:05):
Ted's case, hadn't run statewidebefore, but in Brad's case, he
hasn't run at all.
Other candidates are followingclose behind.
Disclosure records show.
Fellow Republican candidate,fred Von Kannon, has booked TV
ad space in December.
Von Kannon is a businessman whohas already loaned his campaign
$300,000.
Johnson County attorney KellyDaughtry, who spent nearly $3
million of her own money runningfor a seat last year, filed on

(33:28):
Thursday to enter next year'srace.
Another candidate spending hisown money to break through the
crowded primary field is AirForce reservist and Dr Josh
McConkie, who has loaned hiscampaign $250,000.
Again, this was written byColin Campbell, who covers
politics for WUNC as thestation's Capitol Bureau chief.
Another article I found when Iwas searching for Brad Knott on

(33:51):
Google comes up with recordsindicate GOP candidate Brad Knot
used the wrong address to vote.
There is a video here but itsays Brad Knott, a contender for
the GOP nomination in thestate's 13th congressional
district, voted while registeredat his father's address,
despite living elsewhere inRaleigh.
He says it was an oversight.
There are details in atranscript.

(34:11):
The transcript says New tonighta Republican candidate is
facing questions about hisvoting history.
Former federal prosecutor BradKnott is one of more than a
dozen candidates hoping tosecure his party's nomination
and North Carolina's 13thcongressional district.
Election records show thatKnott bought a home in Raleigh
in 2014, but continued votingwhile registered at his parents'

(34:34):
address until 2023.
It's against the law toknowingly misrepresent your
residential address at the polls.
In an interview with WRAL notacknowledged that he should have
updated his voter registration,but it slipped his mind Again.
That was on WRAL News.
I don't see a date, but itwould have been probably before
the March primary.

(34:55):
The last article that I foundwas from the Assembly.
The website is theassemblync.
com.
It's entitled Politics theGOP's Family Feud.
The 13th Congressional DistrictRunoff Between Kelly Daughtry
and Brad Knot is PittingFamilies and Political
Consultants with Deep RepublicanRoots Against Each Other.
By Brian Anderson, and waspublished on April 3, 2024.

(35:19):
Kelly Daughtry wasn't toothrilled with her father's idea.
She had a good life practicinglaw in Johnston County and was
resistant to upending it to seekcongressional seat.
I don't know anything aboutpolitics.
I don't know what to do.
I don't know the people.
Leo recalled his daughtersaying at the time.
But where Kelly saw headache,leo saw opportunity.
The elder Daughtry knew amoment when he saw one.

(35:41):
He had decades of experience inRepublican politics as a state
party chair, presidentialconvention delegate,
unsuccessful gubernatorialcandidate, state legislator and
UNC system board of governorsmember.
Today the 83-year-old is on theNorth Carolina Board of
Transportation.
So when the new congressionalmaps created an open triangle

(36:01):
area toss-up in 2022, he figuredKelly would be a good fit.
The Daughtrys had deep personaland political ties to the
community, lots of money attheir disposal and wanted to
appeal to pragmatic votersfrustrated with higher cost of
living.
Under President Joe Biden, theyounger Daughtry came around to
her father's idea but lost inthe GOP primary.

(36:21):
Now she's running again, thistime in a newly drawn, largely
conservative district thatalmost certainly will elect a
Republican.
Democratic US RepresentativeWiley Nichol chose not to seek
re-election after the districtwas redrawn.
There's a picture with attorneyKelly Daughtry and her father,
leo Daughtry, 54, has faredbetter this time.
She finished atop the14-candidate primary field at

(36:44):
27%, just shy of the 30% neededto win the nomination outright.
Daughtry is now in a May 14thrunoff against Brad Knott in
Raleigh, a first-time candidateand a former federal prosecutor,
who finished in second with 19percent of the vote.
It's also a family affair forKnott.
His 97-year-old grandfather, jt, volunteered for US Senator

(37:06):
Jesse Helms' 1984 campaign andspent 12 years as a Wake County
commissioner.
His dad, joe, is a lawyer whooverlapped with Leo Daughtry on
the UNC Board of Governors.
One brother, tucker, served aschief of staff to former US
Representative George Holding ofRaleigh and now holds the same
job for US Senator Ted Budd.
Another brother, thomas, is aNew York investor who's donated

(37:29):
at least $700,000 to a pro-notsuper PAC, according to federal
campaign filings.
I will not push back on anyclaim that I've been blessed
with two wonderful parents andwith five wonderful siblings.
Bradnaught37 told the Assemblythere's not much difference
between naught and daughtery onpolicy issues.
Policy issues A cadre ofveteran Republican political

(37:51):
consultants have lined up oneach side, portraying their
candidate as a true conservativeand their opponent as a squishy
rhino Republican in name only.
This battle of politicallyactive families might come down
to geography, with each tryingto cut into the other's home
base.
The district includes parts ofWake and Granville counties and

(38:11):
all of Caswell, person, franklin, johnston, harnett and Lee
counties.
David McLennan, a MeredithCollege political scientist,
said the runoff may have abouthalf the turnout as the first
primary that would most benefitthe candidate best able to
convince voters.
They are the staunchestconservative.
Barring any changes toredistricting or Democrats

(38:32):
taking control of thelegislature when maps are
redrawn after the 2030 census,the victor could hold the seat
for years.
Mclennan said the familydynamics have created interest
in the race beyond the triangle.
We don't see a lot of racesinvolving two people with family
histories like Daughtry andKnott.
Political liabilities ForDaughtry and her political

(38:53):
allies.
Distinguishing her has meantcriticizing Nott in television
ads for living outside thedistrict and working as a
federal prosecutor when Obamaand Biden were president.
It's hard for me to understandhow, if you're not living in the
district, how you love thedistrict, daughtry said To me it
seems like you should berunning because you want to do
good, you want to help NorthCarolina, but with Nott it's

(39:14):
more about what you want to doand where you're going in your
career.
I'm not looking to make this acareer.
I'm looking at trying to fixwhat I see as broken.
Nott lives in Raleigh, a fewmiles outside of the district.
Us House members are notrequired to live in the district
they represent.
Daughtry said she supports termlimits that cap a
representative's service at sixor eight years.

(39:35):
The ad criticizing Knott's stintas a federal prosecutor was
produced by a pro-Daughtry groupseparate from her campaign, but
Daughtry defended it.
He was an Obama appointee, shesaid.
Daughtry's campaign has alsoput out a similar ad.
Knott was a federal prosecutorin North Carolina from 2016 to
2023.

(39:56):
He said he started in atemporary job, was hired
full-time by US Attorney BobbyHigdon during Trump's presidency
and left the Department ofJustice last year.
They are trying to paint me assomeone who I'm not an
Obama-Biden lawyer, knott said,and they are trying to portray
Kelly Daughtry as someone she'snot an Obama-Biden lawyer, knott
said and they are trying toportray Kelly Daughtry as
someone she's not a lifelong,committed conservative.

(40:16):
When Knott worked as a federalprosecutor, he was not a
political appointee who servedat the pleasure of the president
.
He served on the professionalstaff which is chosen by merit
and is intended to benonpartisan.
Max Steyer, president and CEO ofthe Nonpartisan Partnership for
Public Service, said the TV adsattacking Knott for serving in
Democratic administrations weremisleading and risk undermining

(40:40):
voters' faith in an apoliticalfederal workforce.
It's an attack with zerosubstance and it's an attack
that misunderstands our systemof government and our democracy.
Steyer said If you're enforcingthe laws of the United States
as an assistant United Statesattorney, you swear an oath to
the Constitution.
You do not swear an oath to thepolitical party of the United

(41:00):
States by casting ballots usinghis parents' Raleigh address
instead of his Raleigh townhouse.
Daughtry's campaign has alsobranded Knott as a never-Trumper
because he didn't vote in the2016 and 2020 primaries.
Knott said he made a mistake byvoting at the wrong precinct in

(41:24):
as many as five elections andnever thought to double-check
the address listed on the ballotthe poll workers handed him.
I am just adding in my ownpersonal information that when
you do go in to vote, theelection volunteers do ask you
your address and ask you toconfirm that the address that
they have written on the ballotis the correct address for you.

(41:46):
Now back to the article.
Knott said he corrected theissue last year when he learned
he hadn't updated his voterregistration.
He also said that while hedoesn't remember why he didn't
vote in the 2016 or 2020primaries, he's never voted
against Trump.
Asked why he didn't vote in2016 when Trump was in a
competitive primary, knottreplied I should have.

(42:07):
I own that.
Meanwhile, knott has worked todistinguish himself from
Daughtry by highlighting herpast donations to Democrats,
which were first reported on bythe Carolina Journal in 2022.
Knott points to a 2012 Facebookcomment Daughtry made, voicing
her intention to vote for BarackObama over Mitt Romney, as
evidence she's not sufficientlyconservative.

(42:29):
He has a picture of herFacebook comment.
It says from Kelly KathleenDaughtry, I'm voting for Obama.
So I'm just saying, but I dofind a lot wrong with both
parties.
The fact that a president sleptwith an intern and the power
dynamics that goes along withthat I find abhorrent.
Part of the job of a presidentis to set an example, so we

(42:50):
think it is okay for people inpower to do this type of thing,
so much so that we hold Clintonup as an elder statesman and
someone Obama is proud to havespeak on his behalf, not to
mention the fact that he said hedidn't sleep with her.
I guess this type of thing isfine and no big deal.
I have seen an overwhelmingamount of applause for Clinton.
It makes me sad and angry.

(43:11):
I think he promotes the causeof women about as well as Paul
Ryan 11 years ago, it says.
He also notes Daughtry gave$500 to support Democratic
Attorney General Josh Stein's2020 re-election bid and $250 to
former state Supreme CourtChief Justice Sherry Beasley in
2021 as she was running for USSenate.

(43:32):
Daughtry also gave Beasley $200for her 2014 state Supreme Court
campaign.
I do not know how aconservative could justify that
litany of actions.
Knott said Daughtry alsocontributed to Republicans.
She said she voted for Romneyin 2012,.
Gave to Stein because a mutualfriend asked for help and
donated to Beasley because shehad collaborated with her father

(43:55):
while he was in the GeneralAssembly.
Daughtry said she never voted orconsidered voting for Stein or
Beasley.
Some things are just not aboutpolitics, daughtry said.
They say you have bankrolledDemocrats.
I never voted for either one.
Never would vote for either oneof them.
Never have even thought aboutvoting for either one of them.
Her father said she is in factTrumpy enough and she is in fact

(44:18):
conservative enough Charismadeficit If you'd walked into the
13th District Forum at Sophie'sBar and Grill in Cary in
January, you might not havethought Nott and Daughtry would
advance to the runoff.
You might not have thought Knottand Daughtry would advance to
the runoff.
Other candidates were morelively and charismatic.
Speaking to a group of WakeCounty Republicans with 10 other
primary contenders, daughtryand Knott came across as stiff

(44:39):
and mild-mannered not thecharacteristics one might expect
to generate grassrootsenthusiasm.
What Daughtry and Knott lack insmiles and soundbites they
attempt to make up by beingdirect with voters.
Daughtry presented herself assomeone capable of addressing
inflation by lowering federalspending.
We can't continue to make fakemoney and not balance our budget
, daughtry told the crowd.

(45:00):
Knott answered a question abouthis residency by referencing his
career.
I probably live as a crow fliesthree miles outside the
district, knott said.
For most of my professionalcareer I was a prosecutor with
the United States Attorney'sOffice.
I worked all throughout thisdistrict.
Daughtry and Knott are tryingto show voters that they are the
workhorses, not showhorses.

(45:20):
I may not be a good speaker,but I'm a worker and I'm a
fighter.
Daughtry said it is what it is.
It makes running more difficult.
I don't think it makes the jobmore difficult.
Do I enjoy running for office?
Not reflected in response to areporter's question.
There are parts like this youhave discussions, talking with
voters I really do, but thereare other parts fundraising and

(45:41):
responding to attack ads that Ireally don't.
Daughtry and Knott say they dowell with one-on-one
interactions with voters, buttelevision ads may prove far
more impactful.
Both are campaigning heavily onclosing the southern border,
getting the country's financialhouse in order and reducing
crime.
Daughtry said she'd want tosend US military troops to the
southern border and declareMexican drug cartels terrorist

(46:04):
organizations.
Knott said he wants more localpolice officers, cross-deputized
with federal credentials, toassist in fighting crime, and
more criminal deportations.
If you come here and you commita crime, it needs to be
exorbitantly punitive.
Knott said I don't care if it'sa DUI all the way up to a
serious drug trafficking orviolent felonies.

(46:25):
There needs to be an immediateresponse to punish and expel.
He added when I say I want tofix immigration at the border.

(46:52):
I know how to do it and I haveactually fought the fight to
punish and exp.
Background we're the onlyconservative in this race, he
said the candidates are closelyaligned with Trump.
They oppose further aid toUkraine as it fights against
Russia's invasion and neither iswilling to challenge Trump's
repeated statements that the2020 election was stolen from
him.
There's no evidence to supportthat claim.

(47:13):
Daughtry said Democrats and bigtech clearly worked together to
rig the election for Joe Biden.
Knott, through a spokesman,said there were not appropriate
checks on mail-in ballots in2020, raising suspicion about
the results.
Battle of the consultants.
The political consultants areplaying an unusually public role
in this Republican family feud.
Carter Wren, longtime campaignstrategist for US Senator Jesse

(47:37):
Helms, advised Daughtry in 2022.
He joined, not for 2024.
I thought Brad was moreconservative than Kelly and that
he'd be a better person inCongress.
Wren said Luke Stansel, whohandles communications for
Daughtry's Super PAC and workedon her 2022 campaign, blamed
Wren for Daughtry's past defeat.
Carter Wren is a disgruntledformer employee that Kelly

(47:58):
Daughtry did not retain thistime into this campaign because
he spent $2.5 million ofDaughtry's own money and came in
third.
Stansel said Wren attributedthe 2022 loss to Daughtry's past
donations to Democrats and saidhe joined Knott's campaign
after Brad's father asked forhelp.
It had nothing to do withdisgruntlement with Daughtry.
Wren said.

(48:18):
It was just that I've known theKnott's and I'm close friends
with them.
Jonathan Feltz, a fierypolitical consultant who helped
get Ted Budd elected to the USSenate in 2022, joined Knott's
campaign last month.
Feltz also helped lobbyistAddison McDowell win a crowded
6th district GOP primary inMarch.
Feltz revealed he was joiningKnott's campaign by sharing the

(48:39):
Facebook post of Daughtry'ssaying she'd vote for Obama in
2012.
In an interview, feltz alsosought to distinguish Knott's
courtroom experience as aprosecutor from Daughtry's as a
divorce lawyer.
As a prosecutor from Daughtry'sas a divorce lawyer, daughtry
practices law at the firm herfather founded.
When you're in the court, it'syou up there making the case,

(49:00):
felt said.
But it is different, though, ifyour job is at your daddy's law
firm.
Charles Helwig, who handledcommunications for Raleigh
businessman Fred von Cannon'scampaign, is backing Daughtry.
Von Kannon spent $3 million andfinished 1.6 percentage points
behind Knott.
Wren published a blog postcondemning one ad from
Daughtry's super PAC that used adoctored photo of Biden with

(49:23):
his arm around Knott.
What the super PAC Leo fundeddid to the photo was pretty
deceptive.
Wren said they took a policemanout, they put Biden in, they
moved him close to Brad and theyput Biden's hand on Brad's
shoulder like they were oldbuddies and Brad Knotts never
met Joe Biden.
Stansel said Leo Daughtry hadno role in the commercial and

(49:44):
that Wren's outrage wasdisingenuous.
Carter Wren's done this foryears.
Stansel said To act like heshows shock that this happened
is really absurd.
This is nothing that hasn'tbeen done before by creating the
connection between Joe Bidenand one of his guys in the
Department of Justice.
Wren said he's run ads thatshowed different candidates side
by side, but said he's neverdoctored photos.

(50:06):
The politics of geography.
In the first primary, daughtryfinished in the top two in every
county except Wake, which notwon.
Von Cannon was a close secondthere.
Knott hopes to win the supportof Von Cannon's voters in the
runoff and overtake Daughtry.
The contest could also bedecided in Johnston County where
Daughtry, who lives in Clayton,got 35% of the vote to Knott's

(50:27):
13%.
The county had the largestshare of GOP primary votes cast
in the district.
Businessman Devon Barber, aJohnson County native, got
almost 27% of the vote in thecounty and finished fourth
overall.
Daughtry wants to appeal to hissupporters.
Daughtry has the financial edgeand has inundated the airwaves
over the past three months.

(50:47):
She spent at least $2.3 millionon her own campaign, while her
father kicked in at least$300,000 through a pro-Daughtry
super PAC.
The latest filing show, arandom drawing, also bolstered
Daughtry by placing her at thetop of the ballot.
I'm almost tapped out.
Fully, said Knott, who's givenhis campaign at least $380,000.
Can we compete with theDaughtry's dollars?

(51:09):
No, we cannot.
That's why we've had the mostaggressive fundraising of any
congressional candidate, maybein the whole state.
Looming large is whether Trumpwill get involved.
Bud, who's endorsed, not wonTrump's endorsement for McDowell
in December, which propelledthe political newcomer to
Congress.
There's no Democrat running forthe seat.
If he could secure Trump'sendorsement for not, that could

(51:30):
swing the outcome.
The family feud game show lasts30 minutes.
North Carolina's congressionaledition will be a weeks-long
marathon.
Early voting starts April 25th.
But Daughtry and Knott don'twant the race to be seen as a
war between affluent families orruthless GOP operatives.
The candidates have oneoverriding goal to convince
runoff voters that they are theone true conservative.

(51:54):
Brian Anderson, who wrote thisarticle, is a freelance reporter
who most recently coveredelections, voting access and
state government for WRAL-TV.
He previously reported for theAssociated Press and the News
Observer and again this articlewas posted on theassemblync.
com and that is the entirety ofall that I found relevant on

(52:17):
their websites and on the firstpage of a Google search.
Again, you will be voting forthe US congressional seat for
District 13.
That will be between KellyDaughtry and Brad Knott.
Again, you will be able to votefor one of these and whoever is
the top vote getter will moveon to the general election in

(52:40):
November.
The second primary election willbe held on Tuesday May 14th.
Early voting begins ThursdayApril 25th and will extend
through Saturday May 11th.
There are only three earlyvoting sites for Wake County
this election cycle.
They will be at the NorthernRegional Center in Wake Forest,

(53:01):
the Wake County Board ofElections on North New Hope Road
in Raleigh and at Wake Tech'sSouthern Campus on Fayetteville
Road in Raleigh.
If you plan to vote via anabsentee ballot, you may request
one through 5 pm on Tuesday May7th and it has to be received
by the County Board of ElectionsOffice no later than 7 30 pm on

(53:23):
Election Day, may 14th.
I will include general votinginformation as well as the
candidates' websites, campaignfinance information and social
media handles for yourconvenience in this episode's
show notes.
With that we will conclude thisinstallment of the NC Deep Dive
.
I hope you have found thisinformation useful.
If you did, I'd love for you torate it, review it and share it

(53:45):
with your friends, family andany who you think might find it
useful.
Make sure you keep a lookoutfor other relevant 2024 second
primary election episodes at www.
ncdeepdive.
com, apple Podcasts, audible,spotify or wherever you
currently listen to yourpodcasts.
As always, if you have anyquestions or topics you'd like

(54:07):
to share, you can connect withus on social media or via email
at ncdeepdive@ gmail.
com.
Thank you for taking the timeto listen and become a more
informed voter and taking anactive part in our democracy.
Your efforts really do make adifference and are very much
appreciated.
Until next time, my friends.
Namaste.
The love and light in me seesand honors the love and light in

(54:32):
you.

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}2024 Second Republican Primary: Kelly Daughtry vs. Brad Knott for US House District 13