NC legislator facing sexual harassment allegations loses a primary challenger

Heather Metour, a Democrat challenging Rep. Duane Hall in the primary race for a Wake County seat in the state House, said she is ending her campaign.

Metour said a family emergency makes it impossible for her to continue.

"As a single working mom, I am inspired by the courage of women and young adults who have recently made their voices heard, and was honored to add my voice to theirs," she said in a statement Wednesday. "Unfortunately, my mother has recently been diagnosed with a medical condition that requires my full attention as a daughter and today I am withdrawing from the race for NC House in District 11."

Metour’s name will stay on the ballot because the deadline for officially withdrawing from the race has passed.

Metour spoke at the Wake Democratic Party Convention last weekend, but her campaign had not progressed much beyond her filing for office shortly before the Feb. 28 deadline. She did not have a campaign Twitter account, website, or Facebook page. According to state Board of Elections campaign reports, she had not raised any money.

Hall is facing sexual harassment allegations and calls to resign from Democratic Party leaders, including Gov. Roy Cooper, state party chairman Wayne Goodwin and House minority leader Darren Jackson.

Hall has denied doing anything wrong and said he won’t resign.

Allison Dahle of Raleigh remains in the Democratic primary. In the statement, Metour called Dahle "an outspoken champion for women, young people and everyone who is still finding their voice."

Metour was a figure in the 2011 murder trial of Brad Cooper. Cooper was accused of killing his wife in 2008 and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2014.

Testimony showed that Cooper and Metour had had an affair, a detail that was central to the prosecution’s case.

Lynn Bonner: 919-829-4821; @Lynn_Bonner

This story was originally published March 14, 2018 at 1:30 PM with the headline "NC legislator facing sexual harassment allegations loses a primary challenger."