Pat McCrory

Pat McCrory, born on October 17, 1956, is a prominent American politician and businessman who made history as the 74th governor of North Carolina, serving from 2013 to 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he previously held the position of the 53rd mayor of Charlotte from 1995 to 2009, marking a significant tenure in local governance.

During his time as mayor, McCrory was appointed to the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council from 2002 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He first ran for governor in the 2008 general election but was defeated by the Democratic nominee, Lieutenant Governor Bev Perdue. However, he returned to the gubernatorial race in 2012, winning with fifty-five percent of the vote, becoming the first mayor of Charlotte to ascend to the state's highest office and the first Republican governor of North Carolina since 1988.

In 2016, McCrory gained national attention for signing the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, commonly referred to as HB2, which restricted restroom access based on birth certificate sex. This controversial legislation faced significant backlash, leading to lawsuits from the U.S. Department of Justice and numerous corporations opposing its provisions that limited protections for LGBT individuals. Economists later estimated that HB2 negatively impacted North Carolina's GDP by an amount between four hundred fifty and six hundred thirty million dollars.

After losing his bid for re-election in 2016 to Democrat Roy Cooper, McCrory continued to make headlines with allegations of voter fraud and attempts to limit Cooper's power during a lame-duck session. In 2022, he sought a seat in the U.S. Senate but lost the Republican primary to U.S. Representative Ted Budd. Notably, McCrory's political journey has seen shifts in his endorsements, as he chose not to endorse Donald Trump in 2024, despite having supported him in 2016.