A North Carolina House member from Transylvania County facing charges of cyberstalking said he will not run in 2020.

Rep. Cody Henson, a Republican from Rosman, said he won't seek another two-year term.

"I believe it is in the best interest of my children to step away from the political scene for now and be there during these exciting times in their lives," he said in a March 27 Facebook post.

On Feb. 26, a judge said texts Henson sent to his estranged wife amounted to "mental harassment" and issued a long-term protective order. On March 7, deputies from the Transylvania County Sheriff's Office charged the legislator with cyberstalking.

Democrats and protesters have called for Henson to resign. Transylvania County Democratic Chairman David Smith declined to comment March 27.

"I have no comment on his announcement not to run in 2020," Smith said.

A spokesman for the state Democratic party didn't immediately return a message.

Republicans have declined to defend Henson.

Henson is scheduled to appear March 28 in Transylvania County District Court.

For two terms, Henson has represented the 113th District covering Transylvania and Polk counties and the southern part of Henderson County.

It's not clear who would run for the open seat in the district that leans solidly Republican. In 2018, Henson faced no primary opponent and defeated Democrat Sam Edney by 22,407 votes to 16,551.

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