 In 1998, he won a highly contested primary  to become the Republican nominee for Congress in the heavily Democratic 12th congressional district, winning 43% of the vote against incumbent Democrat Mel Watt, the highest percentage ever received by a Republican in that district.In 2000, he won the Republican nomination for the heavily Democratic 23rd Senate district in the North Carolina General Assembly, and narrowly lost in the general election.He moved to Iredell County in 2003 and ran successfully for County Commissioner there in 2008.