The Guilford County Democratic Party is nominating High Point City Councilwoman Amanda Cook to fill the state House of Representatives seat of Rep. Cecil Brockman, who resigned last month to focus on his defense against child-sex charges.
Cook, who serves on the council in an at-large seat, is expected to serve the remainder of Brockman’s term, which lasts through 2026. She is also expected to seek to retain the seat in the 2026 election, state Democratic Party leaders told WRAL on Saturday.
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Cook had already been gearing up for a campaign against Brockman, who represented High Point in the state House for a decade, according to party leaders.
Guilford County Democrats held a local party vote for potential nominees to replace Brockman. Cook beat out a field of other county Democrats including education administrator Angie McMichael; former county party chairman Joseph Alston and former county commissioner Bruce Davis.
“I congratulate Amanda Cook on her win," said Kathy Kirkpatrick, chair of the Guilford County Democratic Party. "We had four excellent candidates, and I’m proud of all four who ran. I look forward to having a person in the seat who will vote for her Democratic values.”
“We’re excited to have a good public servant in that position to be able to represent the people of Guilford County,” Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, told WRAL on Saturday.
State law requires Democratic Gov. Josh Stein to sign off on the nomination within seven days. If he doesn’t, the nominee can still serve the remainder of Brockman’s term under state law.
Brockman, 41, resigned from the seat on Oct. 31 following bipartisan pressure. Stein, the state Democratic Party, and legislative leaders from both sides of the aisle had called for Brockman to resign within hours of his arrest on Oct. 8.
Brockman was charged with two counts of statutory sex offense with a child and two additional counts of indecent liberties with a child. Prosecutors allege that he met a 15-year-old on a dating app and that they lived together for a time. Investigators found videos of illicit acts on a cellphone, according to prosecutors, who said investigators recognized Brockman in some of the videos.
Nearly two weeks after the arrest, House Speaker Destin Hall announced the creation of a legislative committee that could potentially expel Brockman from the House in the event that he didn’t resign. Hall released members of the committee on Oct. 31. Moments later, Brockman tendered his resignation.
Brockman was released last week after posting bond. He and his attorney haven’t responded to multiple requests for comment in recent weeks. A legislative aide previously said Brockman wouldn’t comment on the charges.
Brockman's lawyer, Alec Carpenter, has said the former lawmaker met the alleged victim on an LGBTQ dating site that requires users to be over the age of 18, WXII previously reported. Carpenter said Brockman thought the victim was of age during their relationship. Prosecutors have disputed that claim, noting that the dating app features a disclaimer, saying it has no way to verify users’ ages.
Carpenter didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.
During a bond hearing last week, Brockman told a judge: "I would like to know why lies are being accepted without there being a rebuttal to those lies.”
