{"biography":"James \"Jim\" Roderick O'Neill is the incumbent District Attorney for North Carolina\u2019s 31st Prosecutorial District, a post he has held since 2009 and for which he is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election [3].  The district covers Forsyth County, and his current term is scheduled to end on December\u202f31,\u202f2026 [3].\n\nO'Neill earned his undergraduate degree from Duke University and received a Juris Doctor from New York Law School [3][7].  He began his legal career as an assistant district attorney in Forsyth County before becoming the county\u2019s district attorney, a role he has maintained for more than two decades [3][7].  In addition to his prosecutorial duties, he serves on several community boards, including the Executive Committee of the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys, the board of Exchange/Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN), and the board of Industries for the Blind.  He is also an active lay member of Holy Family Catholic Church and coaches boys\u2019 lacrosse at R.J. Reynolds High School [7][12].\n\nBeyond his work as DA, O'Neill has pursued higher office.  He was a Republican candidate for North Carolina Attorney General in 2016 and again in 2020, and he entered the 2024 race for Lieutenant Governor, advancing to the Republican primary runoff where he was defeated by Hal\u202fWeatherman, receiving 25.7\u202f% of the vote [3][12][10].  His campaigns have emphasized a \u201ctough on crime\u201d stance, leveraging his prosecutorial experience to argue for stronger law\u2011enforcement resources and policies such as expanded school security and opposition to casino expansion [10].\n\nAs district attorney, O'Neill has championed innovative programs aimed at reducing substance\u2011abuse\u2011related offenses.  He launched the DATA (District Attorney\u2019s Treatment Alternatives) pilot in 2018, which directs non\u2011violent drug offenders to treatment rather than incarceration, a model he cites as a cost\u2011effective way to address the opioid crisis [10][12].  He has also advocated for faster processing of sexual\u2011assault kits and for stronger support of ICE immigration enforcement, positioning himself as a defender of victims and public safety [10][12].\n\nO'Neill resides in Winston\u2011Salem with his wife Oona and their three children.  His long tenure, community involvement, and repeated bids for statewide office have made him a recognizable figure in North Carolina politics, and his 2026 re\u2011election campaign will focus on continuing his existing initiatives while highlighting his record of public safety and victim advocacy.\n\n## Sources\n- [3] [Jim O'Neill - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jim_O'Neill)\n- [7] [Vote Smart | Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/167103/james-oneill)\n- [10] [James \"Jim\" Roderick O'Neill | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/people/james-roderick-o-neill)\n- [11] [Jim O'Neill - North Carolina Candidate - Transparency USA](https://www.transparencyusa.org/nc/candidate/jim-oneill)\n- [12] [Jim O\u2019Neill looks to win N.C. Attorney General race | The North State Journal](https://nsjonline.com/article/2019/12/jim-oneill-looks-to-win-n-c-attorney-general-race/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"district_attorney_dist_031","county":"forsyth","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"District Attorney District 31"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"James","fullname":"James Roderick O'Neill","lastname":"O'Neill","middlename":"Roderick","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"district_attorney_dist_031","contest_title":"District Attorney District 31","county":"forsyth","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"district_attorney","office_title":"District Attorney","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"district_attorney_dist_031","contest_title":"District Attorney District 31","county":"forsyth","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"district_attorney","office_title":"District Attorney","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"district_attorney","office_title":"District Attorney","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"James \"Jim\" Roderick O'Neill is the incumbent District Attorney for North Carolina\u2019s 31st District, seeking re\u2011election in 2026 after a career spanning prosecution, community service, and prior statewide campaigns.","terms":[],"token":"08e6785d7943b384"}