In a reversal that affects one of the state's most competitive legislative races, State Rep. Bryan Cohn, D-Granville, says he will seek reelection after all.
A Democrat in his first term, Cohn unseated former Republican Rep. Frank Sossaman last year by a narrow margin in a district representing Granville and parts of Vance counties.
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Sossamon is running again this year. A rematch between them would likely be one of the most important races in the state as Democrats seek to chip away at Republican control of the legislature.
Cohn's 2024 victory was one of several upsets that helps Democrats break the GOP's supermajority in the state House. Democrats have since succeeded in upholding some, but not all, of Democratic Gov. Josh Stein's vetoes.
Cohn originally said he wouldn't seek reelection this year. But he reversed course Wednesday after the Democratic Party's nominee Curtis McRae withdrew last week, citing health issues.
"When Curtis made the difficult decision to step aside, I knew our community needed someone ready to step forward," said Cohn, a former Oxford city councilman. "While I had not planned to be a candidate this year, my commitment to the people of Granville and Vance counties has never changed."
Just because Cohn says he wants to replace McRae on the ballot doesn't mean it's guaranteed. The decision will ultimately be up to Democratic Party leaders from Vance and Granville counties, to decide who to run against Sossamon this fall.
Sossamon, a Pentecostal pastor, touts his socially conservative politics and his track record, during his single term in office, bringing broadband internet and mental health funding to the district.
"Frank is ready to return to Raleigh to bring your state tax dollars home and represent District 32 values," his 2026 campaign website declares.
Cohn, who works in food-and-beverage logistics, is a progressive who touts his support of public schools and gun safety reforms. Most recently he's been heavily involved in a war over water rights, which recently spilled over into the state legislature, pitting several of the counties north of the Triangle against one another and implicating their local finances and ability to keep growing.
"It has been an honor to serve this district, but there is still more work to do," Cohn wrote Wednesday. "Families across Granville and Vance counties are feeling the strain of rising costs, from groceries and housing to health care and utility bills. We need leaders focused on tackling the affordability crisis, creating economic opportunity, strengthening our public schools, and ensuring working families can get ahead."