The North Carolina House Republican Caucus has launched a paid advertising campaign targeting several Democratic lawmakers in vulnerable districts who they say have put politics ahead of public safety by voting against key immigration enforcement bills.
In a press release, House Republicans said the new campaign will focus on “vulnerable House Democrats” in competitive districts: Reps. Lindsey Prather, D-Buncombe; Bryan Cohn, D-Granville; Garland Pierce, D-Scotland; and Dante Pittman, D-Wilson. The House GOP effort comes after they lost one seat in the November 2024 election that cost them their supermajority, which gave them the power to override the governor.
All four legislators either opposed or abstained from voting on two major bills pushed by House Republicans: House Bill 318, the Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act, and Senate Bill 153, the North Carolina Border Protection Act. Both bills aim to tighten cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. House Republicans have argued that the measures are necessary for public safety.
Republicans say that Democrats have “aligned themselves with policies that undermine North Carolina’s safety, prioritizing political posturing over protecting communities from the consequences of unchecked criminal illegal immigration.”
“These are critical public safety measures requiring state law enforcement officials and sheriffs to notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) before releasing individuals subject to federal detainers,” the GOP statement said.
Particular criticism was reserved for Pittman, who voted against HB 318 in April and was marked absent on the vote for SB 153 on Wednesday. The Republican Caucus accused him of avoiding accountability.
“Pittman did not vote because he knew he would be held accountable by the voters of Wilson and Nash counties,” the press release concludes. “If he can’t stand up for his constituents over criminal illegal immigrants, why is he in Raleigh?”
SEE ALSO: Senate approves border bill enabling citizens to go after sanctuary cities
One of the central elements of the North Carolina Border Protection Act, which passed this week, is increased cooperation between state agencies and ICE. Additionally, the bill would enable citizens to go after counties that follow sanctuary city policies. Under the legislation, any county or municipality that forms Sanctuary Cities will have its local immunity waived, allowing citizens harmed by illegal immigrants to sue them.
Meanwhile, House Bill 318 tightens the timeline on the law mandating that law enforcement alert ICE before an illegal alien criminal suspect is scheduled to be released, ending catch-and-release policies designed to provide a safe haven to criminal illegals in Democrat-run jurisdictions. The bill awaits action in the Senate Rules Committee.
SEE ALSO: NC House passes bill to crack down on sheriff cooperation with ICE
The post Republicans to target vulnerable Dems over immigration votes first appeared on Carolina Journal.