Republican Sen. Newton running for NC attorney general, visits Wilmington

STAR, NC (WWAY) — Republican state Sen. Buck Newton of Wilson has started his bid to become North Carolina’s next attorney general.

Newton announced his candidacy Monday. He planned to kick off his 2016 campaign with a breakfast in the Montgomery County town of Star – the state’s geographical center. Newton also scheduled stops later in the day in Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, New Bern and Wilmington.

The 46-year-old Newton is a lawyer first elected to the Senate in 2010. Newton says if elected he’ll protect North Carolina’s citizens from things like scam artists and the overreach of the federal government. He also says he wants to bring family values back to North Carolina. It’s something he’s says that’s been missing during Roy Coopers’s tenure as Attorney General.

“The attorney general is not the same thing as a legislator or a governor,” Newton said. “A legislator and governor makes laws… the attorney generals job is to enforce the law and that’s the significant difference right there. So I wouldn’t let my, it’s not a political job, it should be about the law and upholding the constitution.”

Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper is preparing a campaign for governor next year.

Newton’s Senate colleague Josh Stein of Raleigh is considering a run for the Democratic attorney general’s nomination.