In 2015, Hines transferred to Yale University because of his interest in politics.[6][7] He played in four games for the Yale Bulldogs during the 2015 season, catching 11 passes for 134 yards, but missed the rest of the season and the 2016 season due to a separated shoulder that required surgery.[4]
In February 2022, the North Carolina Supreme Court struck down North Carolina's congressional lines, stating they were "unconstitutional beyond a reasonable doubt."[10] After the North Carolina district lines were thrown out, Hines switched districts to run in the newly created 13th congressional district which is based in the suburbs of Raleigh.[11] He received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump on March 14, who called Hines a "fighter for Conservative values."[12]
In April 2022, local Republicans campaigned against Hines through newspaper advertisements, email blasts, and door-knocking because Hines did not live in the district in which he was running. He lived in Winston-Salem, the heart of the old 5th, but he was in the process of moving to Fuquay-Varina in the new 13th.[13][14] Members of the House are only required to live in the state they represent, but longstanding convention calls for them to live in or close to the district they represent.
On May 17, 2022, Hines won the Republican primary against seven opponents, garnering 32 percent of the vote and defeating his closest opponent by nearly double digits.[16] Hines narrowly lost the election to Democratic state SenatorWiley Nickel.[17][18][19]
In May 2022, Business Insider reported that Hines was funding the majority of his campaign with a trust fund.[20] Campaign finance disclosures show that only 28 percent of Hines' race was self-funded, with a majority of campaign contributions coming from individual donors.[21] While campaigning on an "America-First economy", Hines faced criticism because his campaign hats were made in China.[22]
On the campaign trail, Hines said he was personally pro-life but that abortion is a states rights issue. Hines said, "This is a Raleigh issue, not a Washington issue."[23] Hines expressed belief that the 2020 election was stolen and promoted voter fraud conspiracy theories.[24]
2024 election
Hines filed papers in November 2023 to run as a Republican in North Carolina's 6th Congressional district.[25] Despite support from the Club for Growth,[26] Hines came in fourth place.[27]Addison McDowell, who secured Donald Trump's endorsement, won the Republican primary and the general election.
^DNCC "Bo Hines (NC-13) Research Memo," page 4, citing divorce filing number 020522 per Lexis-Nexis Marriage & Divorce Records database, accessed March 29, 2022.
