NC Rep. John Blust to run for Congress in new 13th District

State Rep. John Blust of Greensboro is the latest Republican to run for Congress in the newly redrawn 13th District.

The new district – drawn by the legislature last month in response to a federal court order – spans from Greensboro to Statesville and Lexington, and it won’t have an incumbent candidate: 13th District U.S. Rep. George Holding of Raleigh says he’ll instead run in the new 2nd District. He has no ties to the new version of his current district.

Blust will face at least one of his legislative colleagues: State Sen. Andrew Brock of Mocksville, whose Senate district includes much of the new 13th. Rep. Jon Hardister, another Greensboro Republican, is also considering a run.

Blust, who has served in the House since 2001, cited his experience in his announcement.

“I am a strong, consistent, principled, constitutional, limited government, conservative who has demonstrated that I will stand for what is right even when it puts me at odds with party leadership,” Blust told the Summerfield News.

Only one Democrat has said they’re interested in running in the Republican-leaning district: Rep. Cecil Brockman of High Point.

The law setting the June 7 congressional primary allows legislators like Blust to run for both their current seat and a congressional seat as long as they withdraw from one race after the June primary.

This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 5:10 PM.