Area legislator ponders run for Congress

Nov. 30—GUILFORD COUNTY — State Rep. Jon Hardister, R-Guilford, a five-term legislator and House majority whip, is considering a bid for Congress next year.

Hardister, who has represented eastern Guilford County since becoming a legislator, may run in the 7th Congressional District. If Hardister runs for Congress he couldn't seek reelection to his state House seat because a candidate in North Carolina can't run for more than one office in the same year.

"After serving 10 years in the state legislature, I have developed the skills necessary to elevate my service to a higher level. I will continue to assess the opportunity over the next few days as I finalize the decision-making process," Hardister said in a statement to The High Point Enterprise.

The 7th District was drawn as an open seat with no resident incumbent congressional representative. The district covers eastern Guilford and eastern Davidson counties, all of Randolph, Alamance, Chatham and Lee counties and parts of Wake and Harnett counties.

The district leans conservative in voter registration, and at least six Republican candidates have said they will run next year.

Candidate filing for next year's elections begins Dec. 6 and concludes Dec. 17, barring intervention by the courts to delay the filing period because of legal challenges to the Republican-drawn congressional and state legislative maps. The GOP-controlled N.C. General Assembly enacted the redistricting maps earlier this month based on population shifts detailed in the 2020 census.

The legal challenges contend the maps are illegal gerrymandering and unfairly drawn to benefit Republican candidates and dilute the impact of minority voters.

pjohnson@hpenews.com — 336-888-3528 — @HPEpaul

pjohnson@hpenews.com — 336-888-3528 — @HPEpaul