Weeks ago, Rep. Duane Hall, D-Wake, was hinting at a run for lieutenant governor in 2020. Now, Hall is running from controversy, trying to keep a low profile and make it through his upcoming primary.
NC Policy Watch published a story in late February detailing sexual harassment allegations against Hall. Several women told the news site that the lawmaker kissed a Democratic Party official without her consent, made persistent sexual advances to another woman and was known around the Legislative Building for making sexually suggestive comments.
Other WRAL Top Stories
The story prompted Gov. Roy Cooper, Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Goodwin and House Minority Leader Darren Jackson to immediately call for Hall's resignation. The Democratic National Committee said this week it stands with them in seeking Hall's resignation.
Hall has refused to step down, telling Policy Watch, "I have never harassed anyone or engaged in anything that was not completely consensual."
But public comments from him since the beginning of March have been scarce. He has turned down repeated requests from WRAL News for an interview.
Yet, his campaign continues to flood mailboxes in the north Cary and southwest Raleigh neighborhoods that comprise House District 11 with campaign fliers touting his education record in the General Assembly.
Although the fliers bear the DNC logo, the party said it never endorses candidates in primaries and didn't approve of Hall's use of the logo.
Allison Dahle, the first-time candidate running against Hall in the May 8 Democratic primary, said she decided to run to get some exposure before the 2020 elections. But when the allegations surfaced against Hall, she said time's up for the three-term legislator.
"I'm like, well, I can't just dip my toe in. I've got stick everything in. I've got to go for it," Dahle said.
In the wake of the #MeToo movement, she has gotten support from groups that rarely choose sides in Democratic primaries, such as Young Democrats of North Carolina, Equality NC and Lillian's List.
"It is up to all of us in public office – I’m now a public figure – to moderate our behavior," she said. "This is a world issue. We have to come to a mutual respect. Equality is one of the basic things I’m running my campaign on. I have three E's – I have equality, education and economy. But we have to look at each other as equal."
Dahle said she's aware that Hall has a lot more name recognition – until recently, he was one of the rising stars of the Democratic Party – but she said that, even as a freshman lawmaker, she'll be able to get more done for District 11 voters than Hall will.
"My concern is that he will be ineffective in the House and that those people who have asked for his resignation will therefore not want to work with him – or he won't want to work with them," she said. "I don't think it's going to be a good situation."
Republicans Shawn Hamilton and Tyler Brooks also have a District 11 primary.