Brad Knott

Brad Knott
Born	John Bradford Knott 17 4, 1986
Birthplace	Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Attorney, politician
Known for	U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 13th congressional district
Education	Baylor University (BA) Wake Forest University (JD)
Spouse(s)	Joanna Saleeby
Children	2
Website	[knott.house.gov Official site]

John Bradford Knott (born April 17, 1986) is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 13th congressional district since January 2025. A member of the Republican Party, Knott won the 2024 general election after a competitive primary season that included a runoff contest and a subsequent endorsement from former President Donald Trump. Before entering Congress, Knott worked as a federal prosecutor in the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, where he built a record prosecuting criminal cases. In Congress, Knott has served on the House Committee on Homeland Security and has introduced legislation focused on border security and immigration enforcement. He succeeded Democrat Wiley Nickel, who did not seek reelection, in a newly redrawn district encompassing parts of the Research Triangle region of North Carolina.

Early Life

Brad Knott was born John Bradford Knott on April 17, 1986, in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is the son of Joseph Thomas Knott and Sarah Tucker. His grandfather, J. T. Knott, was also a notable figure in North Carolina.

Knott grew up in the Raleigh area and attended St. David's School, a private preparatory institution in Raleigh. His upbringing in North Carolina's capital city placed him in proximity to the state's political and legal institutions, which would later inform his career trajectory.

Knott has identified as a Baptist, part of a broader tradition of Baptist representation in the United States Congress.

Education

Knott attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He subsequently enrolled at Wake Forest University School of Law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree. His legal education at Wake Forest positioned him for a career in federal law, and he would go on to practice in the federal courts of North Carolina.

Career

Federal Prosecution

Following his law school graduation, Knott entered federal legal practice. He served as a federal prosecutor in the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. In that capacity, Knott was involved in prosecuting criminal cases in federal court. During his 2024 congressional campaign, Knott highlighted his prosecutorial record as a central element of his qualifications for office, emphasizing his experience with criminal justice and law enforcement issues.

His work as a federal prosecutor provided him with direct experience in the federal judicial system and exposure to issues including drug trafficking, immigration-related offenses, and violent crime — topics that would become central themes of his later congressional campaign and legislative agenda.

2024 Congressional Campaign

Primary Election

In the 2024 election cycle, North Carolina's 13th congressional district was an open seat after Democratic incumbent Wiley Nickel announced he would not seek reelection in the redrawn district. The district, as reconfigured following redistricting, encompassed portions of the Research Triangle area and was considered favorable to Republican candidates.

Knott entered a competitive Republican primary field. The March 5, 2024, primary election featured multiple candidates vying for the Republican nomination. No candidate secured a sufficient majority to avoid a runoff, leading to a second round of voting between Knott and Kelly Daughtry, who had also emerged as a leading contender in the initial primary.

The runoff election drew significant attention as both candidates sought to consolidate Republican support in the district. During the campaign, Knott positioned himself as a law-and-order candidate, drawing on his background as a federal prosecutor. He received endorsements from several prominent figures in the Republican Party, and the race attracted considerable media coverage in the Raleigh market.

Knott prevailed in the runoff election, securing the Republican nomination for the 13th congressional district.

Trump Endorsement

During the general election campaign, Knott received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, a development that was widely reported in North Carolina media. The endorsement was viewed as a significant boost to Knott's campaign in a district where Trump maintained strong support among Republican voters. Knott aligned himself with Trump's positions on immigration, border security, and law enforcement during the campaign.

General Election

In the November 5, 2024, general election, Knott faced the Democratic nominee in a contest for the open seat. The redrawn 13th district's political composition favored Republican candidates, and Knott won the election decisively. The Associated Press called the race for Knott on election night.

Congressional Tenure

Swearing In and Committee Assignments

Knott was sworn into office on January 3, 2025, as part of the 119th United States Congress. He succeeded Democrat Wiley Nickel, who had represented the previous iteration of the 13th district for one term. Knott was assigned to the House Committee on Homeland Security, a placement consistent with his stated policy priorities related to border security and law enforcement.

Legislative Activity

During his first year in Congress, Knott introduced several pieces of legislation and participated actively in committee work. In June 2025, he introduced the "Tren De Aragua Border Security Threat Assessment Act," a bill directed at combating threats posed by Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal organization that had become a focus of U.S. law enforcement and immigration policy discussions. The legislation called for a formal threat assessment of the gang's activities and their implications for U.S. border security.

Knott participated in committee hearings related to threats against law enforcement. In December 2025, the House Committee on Homeland Security featured remarks from Knott, alongside Representatives Daniel Evans, Andy Biggs, and Tony Gonzales, examining connections between criminal organizations and violence against law enforcement officers.

Immigration and Border Security

Immigration and border security emerged as central themes of Knott's congressional tenure. In August 2025, Knott appeared on a Republican Study Committee media engagement in which he stated that there were more undocumented immigrants in North Carolina than in Arizona, a claim that drew attention in political media. Knott used the claim to advocate for stricter immigration enforcement measures and increased federal resources for states beyond the traditional border states.

Healthcare, Guns, and Constituent Engagement

In September 2025, Knott held a telephone town hall with constituents in which he addressed a range of policy issues including healthcare, gun policy, and immigration. During the town hall, Knott stated that Congress would take action if changes to Medicaid threatened rural hospitals in North Carolina, acknowledging the importance of healthcare access in rural parts of his district. The telephone town hall format allowed Knott to engage with a broad range of constituents across the geographically dispersed district.

Federal Government Shutdown

In October 2025, a government shutdown of the federal government occurred, prompting commentary from North Carolina political figures. The Carolina Journal published analysis of the shutdown's impact on North Carolina families, with the broader political context involving congressional Republicans' negotiations over federal spending.

2026 Election Cycle

As the 2026 midterm election cycle commenced, Knott's seat in the 13th congressional district attracted attention. The Raleigh News & Observer published voter guide coverage examining where candidates, including Knott, diverged from their own party platforms on various policy issues. On the Democratic side, multiple candidates entered the primary to challenge Knott, with the News & Observer endorsing in the Democratic primary among candidates Frank Pierce, Alexander Nicholi, and Paul Barringer, who focused their campaigns on healthcare, among other issues.

Personal Life

Knott is married to Joanna Saleeby. Joanna Saleeby Knott attended North Carolina State University, where she was involved in collegiate athletics. The couple has two children.

Knott is a Baptist. He and his family reside in the Raleigh, North Carolina, area, within the boundaries of the 13th congressional district he represents.

During the 2024 campaign, Joanna Knott was profiled in The Conservateur, a publication that covered her role on the campaign trail and her approach to balancing family life with the demands of a congressional campaign.

Recognition

As a freshman member of the 119th Congress, Knott was included in The HillTemplate:'s guide to new members of Congress from North Carolina in 2025. His election was part of a broader pattern of Republican gains in North Carolina's congressional delegation following the 2024 redistricting cycle.

Knott's introduction of the Tren De Aragua Border Security Threat Assessment Act in June 2025 received attention from the House Committee on Homeland Security, which highlighted the legislation in its official communications. His participation in committee hearings on threats to law enforcement was also featured in committee press releases.

The Raleigh News & Observer and other North Carolina media outlets have provided regular coverage of Knott's first term in office, reflecting his status as a representative of a significant district in the Research Triangle region.