New Hanover and Pender DA candidates meet for Wilmington Chamber of Commerce forum

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Democratic District Attorney Candidate Rebecca Zimmer Donaldson and Republican Candidate Jason Smith met for a forum hosted by the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, just two weeks before election day. Chamber President and CEO Natalie English moderated the forum. 

Republican Attorney General Candidate Dan Bishop was also in attendance. His opponent, Democrat Jeff Jackson did not attend due to a scheduling conflict. 

During opening statements, Zimmer Donaldson raised questions about Smith’s role as an Assistant DA in Pender County, while Smith discussed why his on-the-job experience makes him the right person for the district’s top prosecutor position. 

“After reviewing his cases first hand, I saw how he had mismanaged is cases, offering extremely lenient plea deals to people who had committed stomach turning sex offenses and violent felonies,” Zimmer Donaldson said. 

“I have been in the DA’s office, like I said, for 14 years. Nine of those years I was in Pender County under the tutelage of Ben David running his office. He trusted me enough up in Pender County to run his office, and I’m here today to tell you experience in leadership matters,” Smith said. 

When asked about their approach to leadership, the candidates shared contrasting ideas about the future of the local courts. 

“You have to put the collective good before personal gain, and if you remember for the last 20 years, why people on both sides of the isle love Ben David is because he put the collective good above his personal gain, and that is my style,” Smith said. 

“We have got to be transparent. You guys need to know what’s going on. Not just when we win big cases, but you need to know maybe why we lost a case. You need to know why we’re dismissing a case,” Zimmer Donaldson said. 

During their closings, Zimmer Donaldson and Smith shared their vision for the office. 

“What do you want in your DA? You want someone with experience in leadership. I have that. Experience in the office, experience out of the office, I have the experience to run this office, I have the experience to engage the community, I have the experience to do what is necessary to keep our communities safe,” Smith said. 

“My vision is one that offers a smart and balanced approach to crime. People who are trafficking drugs, who commit robberies, rapes, and murders belong in our prisons. Those who are suffering from substance use disorders and mental health disorders, they need our help and our  compassion,” Donaldson said. 

During his discussion, AG Candidate Dan Bishop took the time to address a talking point for his opponent, Jeff Jackson, that Bishop has never been a prosecutor. 

“I’ve had a long career. I was a commercial litigator doing complex business litigation for 30 years, or 29 I guess literally, and that’s provided, I think, a good background for the office of attorney general,” Bishop said.