Who's running for US Senate, new Congressional district in North Carolina? Candidate filing period ends

North Carolina voters now have a better idea of who could represent them in U.S. Congress after Friday’s deadline passed for candidate filing.

Candidates were required to submit their paperwork by noon ET Friday for the May 17 primary.

A total of 13 candidates filed to run for North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District, which is the state’s newest. The district is comprised of southern Wake County, all of Johnston County and parts of Harnett and Wayne counties.

Among the candidates who filed to run for the 13th District:

Democrat: Wiley Nickel, Nathan Click, Denton Lee, Sam Searcy and Jamie Campbell Bowles

Republican: DeVan Barbour, Chad Slotta, Kelly Kathleen Daughtry, Kent Keirsey, Bo Hines, Jessica Morel, Renee Ellmers and Kevin Alan Wolff

"It's a very diverse field," said Meredith College political science professor David McLennan. "You've got everybody from a very young person to several experience people on the Democratic and the Republican side."

McLennan shared his thoughts about the GOP race, specifically mentioning Hines and Ellmers.

"The fact that (Hines) seems to have without the official endorsement, at least, some Trump support behind him, and I think that's why Renee Ellmers might be struggling if the Trump support ends up meaning anything," McLennan said.

McLennan also shared how he sees the Democratic field.

"Wiley Nickel has got some name recognition within the General Assembly," McLennan said. "There's nobody on either side that says to me, they're the front runner."

The highest profile race is for North Carolina’s U.S. Senate seat.

Incumbent Republican Sen. Richard Burr is not running for re-election. A total of 26 candidates have filed to run for the Senate seat. On the Republican side, former Gov. Pat McCrory, incumbent U.S. Rep. Ted Budd and political newcomer and military veteran Marjorie Eastman were among the candidates who met Friday’s deadline. On the Democratic side, former state Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley is among 11 Democrats who have filed to run.

Other candidates who have filed to run:

Republican: Jen Banwart, Lee Brian, Benjamin Griffiths, Charles Kenneth Moss, Lichia Sibhatu, McCrory, Drew Bulecza, Budd, Leonard Bryant, Kenneth Harper Jr., Mark Walker, Eastman, David Flaherty and Debora Tshiovo.

Democrat: Constance (Lov) Johnson, Robert Colon, Rett Newton, Chrelle Booker, Beasley, Greg Antoine, Alyssia Rose-Katherine Hammond, Tobias LaGrone, Marcus Williams, James Carr Jr. and B.K. Maginnis

Libertarian: Shannon Bray

McLennan said he was surprised about how many candidates filed last minute.

Last week, candidate filing resumed after it was suspended in December so courts could hear legal challenges to voting maps drawn and approved by the Republicans-controlled General Assembly in November.

State elections director Karen Brinson Bell couldn’t say whether this year sets a record for the number of candidates, but there are definitely more than usual.

"In 2020, we saw our largest voter voter turnout ever, and so to see a lot of candidates falling just puts a spotlight on how much interest there is in elections right now," Bell said.

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