PASTOR VERSUS THE LOBBYIST AND TURNS OUT THAT RUNOFF WILL NOT BE HAPPENING IN THE SIX CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. MARK WALKER SAYS HE’S TAKING A NEW PATH INTO POLITICS, AND THAT BREAKING NEWS IS FIRST AT 4:00. WALKER ANNOUNCED THIS AFTERNOON THAT HE HAS ACCEPTED A JOB WORKING ON FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN. THAT CLEARS THE WAY FOR HIS OPPONENT, ADDISON MCDOWELL, TO BECOME A MEMBER OF CONGRESS. BILL O’NEIL JOINS US IN GREENSBORO WITH THE STORY. THE FORMER CONGRESSMAN HAD UNTIL TOMORROW TO FILE FOR THE RUNOFF. THE DELAY SPARKED RUMORS THAT PERHAPS HE HAD OTHER PLANS. A FEW HOURS AGO, HE ANNOUNCED THOSE PLANS. MARK WALKER SAYS HE WILL BECOME THE DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH FOR FAITH AND MINORITY COMMUNITIES FOR THE DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGN. THE FORMER SIXTH DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN SAYS HE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM MR. TRUMP YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. COULD YOU SHARE SOME OF THAT CONVERSATION WITH WHAT THAT WAS LIKE? AND IT WAS INTERESTING. IT’S ONE OF THE RARE TIMES THAT I FELT LIKE THERE WAS A CONCILIATORY, UH, APPROACH FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP. AND VERY GRACIOUS, I MIGHT ADD, THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY, UH, MUCH BETTER PREFER WORKING DIRECTLY WITH HIM IN THE WHITE HOUSE ON THESE INITIATIVES AND MAYBE OTHERS AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY GRACIOUS TO BASICALLY SAY, YOU’VE GOT A WHITE HOUSE POSITION IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO RUN FOR AN ELECTED POSITION. AGAIN. WALKER AND THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAVE A ROCKY PAST. MR. TRUMP ENDORSED TED BUDD OVER WALKER FOR U.S. SENATE IN 2022, AND THIS YEAR, THE FORMER PRESIDENT ENDORSED POLITICAL NEWCOMER ADDISON MCDOWELL OVER WALKER FOR THE SIXTH CONGRESSIONAL SEAT. WITH NO DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER, MCDOWELL NO LONGER HAS ANY ROADBLOCKS KEEPING HIM FROM WASHINGTON. ON THE SURFACE, IT WOULD LOOK LIKE A BRIBE GIVING YOU A JOB. YEAH, I THINK MY RECORD IS PRETTY CLEAR. UH, YOU KNOW, I’VE MET WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, AND I HAD TO SAY NO, UH, FOR A DISTRICT SIX ENDORSEMENT. YOU MAY REMEMBER IN DECEMBER OF 2022. SO I HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF WHAT I’M DOING, WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. WALKER SAYS HE DID GET A PROMISE FROM DONALD TRUMP. FORMER PRESIDENT HAS PROMISED TO ENDORSE YOU IF YOU RUN FOR OFFICE IN THE FUTURE. HE HAS. HE GAVE IT TO 100%. IF WE CHOOSE TO DO THAT. WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU GIVE TO YOUR SUPPORTERS, MANY OF WHOM I WOULD IMAGINE WILL BE DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THIS NEWS? UH, A LOT OF THEM, UH, WILL BE GRATEFUL THAT I’M NOT CALLING THEM AGAIN FOR ANOTHER MAX OUT CONTRIBUTION. I DON’T KNOW IF I SHOULD SHARE THIS LIKE THAT OR NOT, BUT BUT YOU KNOW ME, I’M KIND OF A I’M JUST GOING TO BE REAL WITH YOU. ADDISON. MCDOWELL IS A FORMER LOBBYIST WITH NO EXPERIENCE IN POLITICAL OFFICE. HOWEVER, HE DOES HAVE THE ENDORSEMENT OF DONALD TRUMP. AS FOR MARK WALKER, HE TELLS ME THAT HIS POLITICAL FUTURE REMAINS UNCERTAIN FOR NOW. IN GREENSBORO, I’M BILL O’NEIL, WXII 12 NEWS. BILL. THANK YOU. AND NORTH CAROLINA VOTERS WILL HEAD TO THE POLLS ON MAY 14TH TO DECIDE TWO STATEWIDE RUNOFF CONTEST. WE HAVE MORE DETAILS ABOUT THOSE RACES INSIDE THE COMMITMENT 2024 SECTION