Democrat challenges NC Rep. Chris Malone

State Rep. Chris Malone of Wake Forest will have a Democratic challenger next year: Wake Forest attorney Terence Everitt.

Everitt is making his first run for office with backing from House Minority Leader Larry Hall of Durham, who praised the candidate in a news release. Everitt is on the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors and the Wake County Transit Advisory Committee.

“His work as a respected attorney and his background on the Wake Forest Chamber of Commerce board give him the experience to make a great legislator,” Hall said. “He will be a welcome addition to our caucus and we look forward to working with him.”

Everitt criticized the Republican-led legislature in his campaign announcement Tuesday. “The politicians in the state legislature simply have the wrong priorities,” he said. “I am running for the state House because I believe it’s time to shift our priorities and focus on creating jobs and making certain our kids have access to a world-class education that prepares them for the jobs of the future.”

Malone, a Republican and former Wake County school board member, is in his second term. In 2014, he defeated Democrat Brian Mountcastle with 56 percent of the vote.

This story was originally published November 24, 2015 at 1:39 PM.