Steve Monks said he would consider a write-in candidacy if another potential candidate, county Commissioner Lewis Cheek, decides not to run or only runs halfheartedly.
Cheek, a Democrat, has enough signatures to run against District Attorney Mike Nifong, but has not committed to the race. He would be an unaffiliated candidate if he does decide to run for office.
Both Monks and Cheek have criticized Nifong's handling of a
high-profile rape investigation
that involves three members of Duke University's men's lacrosse team and an exotic dancer.
"I think there's some question in people's minds about whether justice can be accomplished," Monks told WRAL on June 19.
Because neither man ran for the position in the May 1 primary, they each had to collect more than 6,000 signatures by noon on June 30 to get their names on the November ballot. Monks fell short of the required number while Cheek turned in about 10,000 signatures.
If no one were to run against Nifong in November, he would automatically be re-elected as Durham County's district attorney.
Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
