CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte mayor pro tem Braxton Winston announced Saturday that he will run for North Carolina Commissioner of Labor in 2024.
Winston was elected in 2017 as an at-large member of Charlotte City Council and is serving his second term.
Officials unanimously voted Braxton Winston the new Charlotte mayor pro tem in September of last year. The seat was held by Julie Eiselt, who decided to not seek another term.
In the past, Charlotte City Council has chosen the at-large councilmember with the most votes in the election to be mayor pro tem. For this term, that would've been Councilwoman Dimple Ajmera.
However, Ajmera declined the nomination in support of Winston. She told reporters that she wanted the role but, "I did not want to put my personal ambition over the work of the people.”
Winston released the following statement regarding the candidacy announcement:
"As North Carolina’s next Commissioner of Labor, I will combine my experience in municipal leadership with my experience as a labor leader to build coalitions of our communities to keep North Carolina a place people want to come to live and work. We can connect the diversity of strengths in our rural and urban communities to work together for the common good of North Carolina's workforce and business communities. I want to work with you toward that common good."
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