Charlotte Rep. Jacqueline Schaffer resigns her seat

Republican N.C. Rep. Jacqueline Schaffer, who championed gun and social legislation during two terms in the state House, resigned Friday, citing business responsibilities.

Republican Scott Stone, who won the GOP primary to replace her, said he wants to fill out her term.

Schaffer, who was not running for re-election, could not be reached. In her resignation letter, she told House Speaker Tim Moore that she’s unable to serve out her term because of increased responsibilities at her family-owned business.

The southeast Charlotte Republican was a prime sponsor of bills on religious freedom, restricting abortion and loosening control of guns.

A Virginia native, she came to Charlotte when her father brought the family's executive search firm to town. She attended Charlotte Christian School and graduated from Raleigh's Meredith College, where she majored in political studies. She went on to get a law degree from Regent University, a school founded by the Rev. Pat Robertson.

Before being elected in 2012, Schaffer worked in Washington as counsel for government affairs with the American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative legal group also founded by Robertson. It specializes in constitutional law and promotes traditional values.

Stone, who twice ran for mayor of Charlotte, won the March primary for her District 105 seat. He faces Democrat Connie Green-Johnson in November in the heavily Republican district.

Members of the county GOP executive committee who live in the district will select somebody to fill the term. Gov. Pat McCrory would make the appointment.

“I’m ready and hopefully I can serve well,” Stone said.

This story was originally published April 22, 2016 at 5:08 PM with the headline "Charlotte Rep. Jacqueline Schaffer resigns her seat."