RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina state Sen. Andy Wells, who finished second in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor in March, announced on Monday he’s leaving his legislative seat before his term expires.
Wells, 65, served in the House for one term before getting elected to the Senate in 2014. By lending his lieutenant governor’s campaign $500,000, Wells was a top fundraiser in the nine-candidate GOP primary. He was the runner-up to winner Mark Robinson in the election.
Wells’ Senate resignation is effective July 27. Catawba and Alexander county Republican activists can choose someone to fill out his term through the end of the year. The legislature is planning to return to work in early September.
Republican Dean Proctor is already the party’s nominee to succeed Wells in the 42nd Senate District this November. Proctor is running against Democrat Tina Miles for the next two-year term.
Wells, a real estate developer and manager, has been known in the Senate for legislation designed to protect the state’s retirement system and keep the state’s unemployment benefit trust fund solvent. Regulatory overhauls also were a top priority.
Serving as a senator has been a full-time commitment, Wells said in an email, so “I’m now available for some other projects.”
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