A pastor who led the opening prayer at a recent campaign stop for Republican U.S. Senate nominee Michael Whatley is a registered sex offender who was twice sentenced to prison, according to state and court records.
Records show Pastor Daimon L. King was convicted in 1998 and again in 2010 for offenses involving children. The episode has drawn scrutiny as the Senate contest between Whatley and former Gov. Roy Cooper remains tightly contested with two months to go before the November election.
Campaign ties and responses
The prayer at the event asked God to bestow "integrity and honesty" on the gathering and to right wrongs "hammered down on the conservative movement." Those lines, delivered from the stage, mirrored the broad themes of the candidate's campaign.
"[The prayer asked God] to bestow 'integrity and honesty' upon the event and to right wrongs 'hammered down on the conservative movement.'"
Whatley's campaign maintained it did not organize the event and said the candidate did not know King. Campaign spokesman D.J. Griffin said the appearance was "NOT planned nor organized by the Whatley campaign nor did the campaign invite any of the guests." Griffin said King was invited by event hosts identified as the Craven County Republican Party.
King did not respond to messages seeking comment. Officials with the Craven County party were not immediately reachable for comment.
Political implications
Democrats seized on the appearance, noting the optics of a convicted sex offender participating in a high-profile campaign event and suggesting it undercuts Whatley's law-and-order messaging. The allegation arrives amid a wider Democratic advertising push that has highlighted the Republican nominee's ties to other figures with criminal histories.
The situation underscores the potential consequences of third-party invited speakers and guests at political events, particularly in a race that could influence control of the U.S. Senate. It also raises questions about how campaigns and local party organizations vet invitees and manage event access.
Record details and background
State and court records reviewed by media outlets list convictions for King in the years below; public filings describe them as offenses "involving children." Further details of the convictions were not included in the available summary records.
| Year | Record |
|---|---|
| 1998 | Conviction involving children (state/court records) |
| 2010 | Conviction involving children (state/court records) |
What to watch next
The episode could drive further scrutiny in campaign ads and on the debate stage. Key developments to monitor include:
- Whether the Whatley campaign provides a fuller account of who was invited and how the event was organized.
- Statements or clarification from the Craven County Republican Party about their role in inviting participants.
- Any additional information from law enforcement or court records about the nature of King’s past convictions, should new records become publicly available.
For voters and political observers, the incident is likely to become part of the broader narrative about candidate judgment, campaign oversight and the contrasting claims both parties are making about public safety and criminal justice.
The campaign season in North Carolina has repeatedly seen attention drawn to the people who appear onstage with candidates. That pattern suggests this episode may resurface in television spots and social media posts as both parties vie for undecided voters in the final weeks before the election.
As the race tightens, such moments often spur rapid response from opposing campaigns and allied groups. The Whatley campaign’s immediate distancing underscores how quickly events outside a candidate’s direct control can become political liabilities.
— Latoya Simmons, State Correspondent
