ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Buncombe County Commissioner Martin Moore has filed to run for district attorney, opting not to seek re-election to the commission.
Moore, 37, is an attorney and mediator who previously worked as a public defender in Buncombe County and in private practice at Van Winkle, Buck, Wall, Starnes & Davis, P.A. He now operates a mediation and appellate law practice.
“My perspective as a former public defender would be rare as a district attorney in North Carolina,” Moore said. “I hope to have a greater impact on my community as district attorney and use my experience to assure equal justice for all residents of Buncombe County.”
Moore graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the UNC School of Law.
He said his priorities, if elected, would include prosecuting domestic violence and gun-related crimes, which he says most severely impact the community. Conversely, misdemeanor cannabis charges would be a lower priority.
Moore has assembled a coalition of local officials to support his campaign, including:
- State House Reps. Eric Ager, Lindsey Prather and Brian Turner
- State Sen. Julie Mayfield
- Buncombe County Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger
- Former County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara
- Buncombe County Chair Amanda Edwards
- County Commissioners Drew Ball, Parker Sloan and Al Whitesides
- Buncombe County School Board members Amy Churchill, Rob Elliot and Kimberly Plemmons
- Asheville City School Board members Rebecca Strimer and Jesse Warren
- County Commissioner candidate Anna Stearns
“Creating structural change requires more than just Facebook posts and almost always more than just one elected official or community leader stepping up,” Moore said. “This coalition will help guide me as I work to make sure the district attorney’s office serves the needs of our community.”
Moore said his experience on the county commission has informed his approach to public safety.
“As commissioner, I voted to fully fund our local school system because I know that early childhood development and education have a profound impact on life outcomes,” he said. “We can fund our schools, or we can end up building more jails and prisons.”
In the 2022 election, Moore was the only Democrat in North Carolina to flip a Republican-held county commissioner seat, defeating NASCAR Hall of Famer Robert Pressley 55 percent to 44 percent.
More information about Moore’s campaign is available here.
