Assistant DA Rebecca Zimmer Donaldson runs to lead sixth district
PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — New Hanover and Pender County District Attorney Ben David will be stepping down this year, leaving his position open for a new DA.
On Tuesday, WWAY sat down with Democratic District Attorney Canidate Rebecca Zimmer Donaldson to hear what she hopes to bring to the courtroom.
A native of Wilmington, Donaldson has been working in the justice system for more than a decade. She’s currently an assistant district attorney under Ben David.
Prior to that, Donaldson was a prosecutor in Brooklyn, NY, where she dealt with violent crime cases.
“Everything from machetes on a subway to animal cruelty cases to attempted murders,” she said
Donaldson said one of the main focuses of her platform is a zero-tolerance policy for fentanyl-related crimes.
“We’ve got a drug problem, and I think we need to hold dealers accountable. We’re going to have a zero-tolerance policy for fentanyl crimes,” Donaldson said. “But we also need to look at those who are suffering from substance use disorders and we need to be able to get them the help that they need.”
Another centerpiece of Donaldson’s campaign—she said—is cracking down on sex crimes against minors.
“Getting involved with kids now, being able to partner with the parents so that we can help protect their kids, I think that’s important,” Donaldson explained. “You know, we want to be able to speak to kids before they’re potentially a victim of a crime or before they have the right to remain silent.”
Donaldson said she hopes to educate children about the dangers of predators to prevent crimes before they happen.
When asked what she wants voters to know about her, Donaldson had this to say:
“You know, I’m born and raised here. I love this community. My family has been here for multiple generations, we are deeply invested and we care. My whole career has been dedicated to public service and I want to continue that,” she said.
If elected, Donaldson would be the first woman District Attorney in the sixth district.
On Wednesday, WWAY sat down with the Republican District Attorney Candidate Jason Smith to share his platform this November.
