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Ex-Legislator Mansfield Forms Exploratory US Senate Campaign

Eric Mansfield
Eric Mansfield
Eric Mansfield
Credit Eric Mansfield
Eric Mansfield

A former North Carolina legislator says he's seriously considering a U.S. Senate run next year and formed an exploratory campaign committee.

Democrat Eric Mansfield announced Wednesday his interest. He's one of at least three Democrats either running to unseat Republican Thom Tillis or seriously considering it.

Mansfield served in the state Senate briefly and ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 2012. Previous military service brought him to North Carolina. He's an ear, nose and throat surgeon now living in Holly Springs.

Mansfield said in a news release his own recent medical recovery brought him more clarity about serving the state. Mansfield was driving last year after a gym workout when his heart went into ventricular fibrillation. He said his car struck a tree, and a rescue squad restarted his heart.

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