Introduction
George Edward Bell Holding (born April 17, 1968) is an American politician who is the United States Representative for North Carolina's 2nd congressional district. He previously represented the 13th District from 2013 to 2017. He is a member of the Republican Party. His district stretches from just southwest of Raleigh to just east of Rocky Mount. He served as the United States Attorney for North Carolina’s Eastern District from 2006 to 2011.
Early life, education, and early law career
The youngest of five children, Holding grew up in Raleigh. He attended Wake Forest University, studying Classics. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree, he studied law at Wake Forest University School of Law. During law school, he met his future wife, Lucy Herriott. They married after graduating and returned to Raleigh where Holding practiced law with Kilpatrick Stockton, one of the oldest law firms in North Carolina.
In 1998, Holding left the practice of law to serve as legislative counsel to U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms in Washington. He was employed by Maupin Taylor, a Raleigh law firm, from 2001–2002. Holding joined the U.S. Attorney's office for the Eastern District of North Carolina in 2002, working under Frank Whitney. Under Whitney, the U.S. Attorney's office prosecuted a number of high-profile public corruption cases, including former N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Meg Scott Phipps, former House Speaker Jim Black and former U.S. Rep. Frank Ballance. In June 2006, President George W. Bush appointed Whitney to a federal judgeship.
U.S. Attorney's office
In September 2006, Holding was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Whitney's replacement. His priorities included more security in capturing child pornography and drug prosecutions. In addition, Holding prosecuted a state judge, a state Senator, a state Representative, and several sheriffs for political corruption. After Barack Obama won the presidency, Holding was asked to remain in office to complete ongoing public corruption investigations.
When Holding left office the average sentence in drug trafficking cases in eastern North Carolina was almost twice the national average. He indicted eight defendants for conspiring to promote terrorist attacks in the United States and abroad and convicted a number of child pornographers, several of whom were sentenced to more than 100 years in prison.
He worked closely with state prosecutors investigating former Governor Mike Easley, who was convicted for violating state campaign finance law.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2012
After his resignation in 2011, Holding announced his candidacy for Congress in North Carolina's 13th congressional district. He was endorsed by multiple conservative business and civic leaders, including N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake and former U.S. Senator Lauch Faircloth.
Holding won the Republican primary in May. He defeated former Raleigh Mayor Paul Coble. In the general election, he won the seat with 57% of the vote.
2014
Holding was unopposed in the Republican primary for re-election. Ultimately, he won the general election against his Democratic challenger, Brenda Cleary, a registered nurse and former executive director of the North Carolina Center for Nursing, 57%-43%.
2016
On February 19, 2016, it was announced that as part of a court-ordered redistricting, "a large chunk" of the 13th would be drawn into North Carolina's 2nd congressional district. Though Holding's home was located in the 4th district under the new map, congressional candidates are only required to live in the state they wish to represent. Thus, Holding decided to run in the 2nd district against the incumbent, fellow Republican Renee Ellmers. Ellmers made much of the fact that Holding didn't live in the district. However, his home is just six miles from the 2nd's border, and the new district is actually geographically and demographically more his district than Ellmers'. In the primary on June 7, Holding defeated Ellmers 53%-24%.
Tenure
Holding took office in the 113th Congress on January 3, 2013.
Committee assignments
- United States House Committee on Ways & Means
- United States House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Oversight
- United States House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Tax Policy
- Christensen, Rob (14 July 2011). "Holding will seek 13th District seat". Raleigh News & Observer. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- Oleniacz, Laura (7 November 2012). "Republican Holding takes 13th District congressional seat". The Herald Sun. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
- "NC SBE Contest Results". North Carolina State Board of Elections. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
- Campbell, Colin; Douglas, Anna (19 February 2016). "U.S. Rep. George Holding plans to challenge Rep. Renee Ellmers under new map". The News & Observer. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
- "In North Carolina's 2nd District, a fight over residency and authenticity between Holding, Ellmers". Politifact North Carolina. 2016-06-03.
- "NC SBE Contest Results". North Carolina State Board of Elections. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
Personal life
George and Lucy Holding have four children – three daughters and one son – and are members of Christ Baptist Church in Raleigh.