Seth Banks Considering a Primary Challenge Against Sen. Ralph Hise?

Seth Banks

Rumor on the street: District Attorney Seth Banks (24th Prosecutorial District, which includes Avery, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga, and Yancey counties) is considering a primary run against incumbent Republican Senator Ralph Hise.

Seth Banks grew up on a Yancey County farm, got his law degree from Wake Forest, and lives now in Burnsville. He was just elected District Attorney in 2016 after beating Watauga attorney Nathan Miller in a Republican primary.

Hise is currently under investigation for violating campaign finance laws and for illegally pocketing more than $10,000 from his campaign account. He's also under fire for a potential conflict of interest in his role as chair of the Senate Select Committee on Elections in that he controls the budget of the very agency charged with investigating his campaign activities.