Mark Walker (North Carolina politician)
Mark Walker | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2017 | |
| Principal Advisor on Global Religious Freedom to the State Department | |
| In office January 9, 2026 – April 21, 2026 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021 | |
| Leader | Kevin McCarthy |
| Preceded by | Doug Collins |
| Succeeded by | Mike Johnson |
| Chair of the Republican Study Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Flores |
| Succeeded by | Mike Johnson |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 6th district | |
| In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Howard Coble |
| Succeeded by | Kathy Manning |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Bradley Mark Walker May 20, 1969 Dothan, Alabama, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Kelly Sears |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Trinity Baptist College Piedmont International University (BA) |
| Website | State Department biography |
Bradley Mark Walker (born May 20, 1969) is an American politician and pastor. He was the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 6th congressional district from 2015 to 2021. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was vice chair of the House Republican Conference in 2019.[1]
In December 2019, Walker said he would not reelection in 2020.[2] Instead, he unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate in the 2022 election.[3]
He was also briefly a candidate for Governor of North Carolina in the 2024 gubernatorial election and for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives that same year before withdrawing from that race to join Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.
In April 2025, President Donald Trump announced his plan to nominate Walker to be the U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, a position within the State Department.[4] However, the Senate failed to act on Walker's nomination and in January 2026, Walker announced that he was withdrawing from consideration to serve as Ambassador at Large.
In January 2026, Walker was appointed to serve as the Principal Advisor on Global Religious Freedom to the State Department.[5] He left this newly created role on April 21, 2026.[6]
References
- ↑ "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Archived from the original on January 1, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
- ↑ Murphy, Brian (December 16, 2019). "His House district was made a Democratic one. Here's what's next for Mark Walker". The Herald-Sun. Durham, North Carolina. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
- ↑ Steinhauser, Paul (December 1, 2020). "Republican Mark Walker announces candidacy in 2022 North Carolina Senate race". Fox News. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
- ↑ "Trump nominates former pastor, congressman for top religious freedom post". Christian Post. April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
- ↑ "Former NC pastor, Rep. Mark Walker accepts religious freedom role in Trump administration". Biblical Recorder. January 9, 2026. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
- ↑ Battaglia, Danielle (2026-04-28). "Mark Walker leaves religious freedom position Trump created for him after 90 days". The Raleigh News & Observer. Retrieved 2026-04-28.