After serving almost 24 years as North Carolina’s Commissioner of Insurance, Jim Long has announced his retirement.  Long, elected in 1984, is known for setting North Carolina’s low auto insurance rates and creating the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (“SHIIP”).  SHIIP is a program that trains senior volunteers to assist their peers with questions and problems in connection with Medicare, Medicare supplement insurance and long-term care insurance problems.  Long has also served as past president and vice president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and is currently the chairperson of both the North Carolina Manufactured Housing Board and the Arson Awareness Council.

Two candidates, Democrat assistant insurance commissioner Wayne Goodwin, and five-time Republican Raleigh City Councilman John Odom, have filed their intention to run for the office following Long’s announcement not to run for reelection.  Long has publicly endorsed Goodwin for the position.