BRUNSWICK COUNTY — The district attorney for Prosecutorial District 15 has announced he will be stepping down from serving Brunswick, Columbus and Bladen counties after 15 years on the job.
In a release Tuesday, Jon David said he will not run for re-election next year, as filing officially opens on Monday, Dec. 1. Instead, David has endorsed Assistant District Attorney Jenna Earley.
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“I have absolute confidence that she is ready to take on the responsibilities of district attorney and excel,” David wrote in the release, calling Earley trustworthy and respected in the DA’s office and judicial system. “We need someone with proven prosecutorial skills, sound judgment, and the ability to inspire others. Someone whose integrity is beyond question and who is respected not just within our office, but throughout the courthouse and beyond. Someone deeply connected to our community and admired across the criminal justice system. By every standard, one person stands out as the right leader to carry forward our mission.”
David will continue serving as DA for the next year until after the election in November 2026 determines the next top prosecutor for the three-county district.
David was elected district attorney in 2010 — the first Republican to serve in the district seat in more than 30 years, after 20-year incumbent Rex Gore lost his bid in the primary that year to Butch Pope. David is an undergraduate of Florida State University and law school grad from University of Florida and began his career in Miami before moving to North Carolina.
He worked as an assistant district attorney in New Hanover County with his twin brother, Ben, who eventually became the DA for New Hanover and Pender counties, before stepping down last year.
In Tuesday’s release, Jon David said he found unimaginable fulfillment, both personally and professionally, in the public service sector and thanked voters and his family and friends for entrusting him in the role. More so, David called it privilege to help victims, while also working alongside law enforcement and judicial staff to help serve and protect citizens.
“I have come to understand that greatness is in the agency of others,” he said in the release. “Our work together has been guided by a fundamental belief: that the pursuit of justice, achieved with integrity, is a responsibility we all share. This principle is woven into the very fabric of our organization.”
During his final months on the job, David said there is meaningful work left to accomplish. One high profile case he and Earley have been working on in recent months is prosecuting the Southport shooter, Nigel Max Edge. Egde opened fire and shot six victims, killing three, in mid-September. David announced he would seek the death penalty in the case. Edge’s next hearing has been pushed into the new year.
“I promise to lead with the same passion and commitment that has defined my service,” David said in the announcement. “The community can be assured that I will serve with complete devotion until my last day in office.”
David said he doesn’t have plans to stop practicing law, but will continue working as an attorney in the region.
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