Mark Harris is GOP’s 8th District nominee six years after election fraud prompted do-over
Mark Harris on Tuesday won the Republican nomination in North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District six years after a ballot-harvesting scandal resulted in an election do-over.
Harris maintained a small, steady lead over Allan Baucom throughout the night in a district that stretches along the state line east from southeastern Mecklenburg County to Lumberton in Robeson County. The district includes most of Cabarrus County and all of Union County.
In this year’s crowded primary, six Republicans hoped to replace incumbent Rep. Dan Bishop, who announced in August he would run for N.C. attorney general rather than seek reelection. Though, Bishop’s current district has different boundaries than the new ones because of maps drawn last year.
Harris received 30.44% of the vote, followed by Baucom and John Bradford who received 27.01% and 17.78%, respectively.
Bradford is currently the N.C. House District 98 representative, which covers northern Mecklenburg, and one of the county’s only prominent Republican leaders. Harris is a pastor who ran for Congress in 2018, when his campaign was marred by election fraud.
Political operative McCrae Dowless, who worked for Harris in his campaign for NC’s 9th Congressional District in 2018, was awaiting a trial on charges of illegal ballot handling, conspiracy and obstruction of justice in relation to the scandal when he died in 2022. The State Board of Elections voted 5-0 in favor of a new election after Harris dropped his bid and called for a new election, the Associated Press reported in 2019. Bishop won that election re-do.
But in Harris’ candidate announcement last year he took aim at what he called the “manufactured scandal” that ended with the State Board of Elections “not certifying our victory in 2018.”
Bradford and Harris were seen as the race’s front-runners heading into Election Day, though Baucom began to gain steady ground in the weeks leading up to the election.
Harris narrowly topped the 30% needed to advance as the party’s nominee. If no candidate pulled ahead of that benchmark, the runner-up could request a runoff election be held in May.
Harris will face Democrat Justin Dues in the heavily-Republican district’s general election. Dues ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Pat Harrigan wins GOP primary in 10th District
Pat Harrigan won the Republican primary for NC’s 10th Congressional District after maintaining a small but steady lead over State Rep. Grey Mills. The district includes Hickory, Statesville and Mooresville northwest of Charlotte.
Harrigan received 41.21%, and Mills received 38.90% of the vote.
“I’m grateful to my family, supporters and all the voters of the 10th district. I also want to congratulate Grey Mills on a hard-fought campaign,” Harrigan said in a statement to The Observer after his victory. “I look forward to campaigning hard this fall and taking the values of the 10th district to Washington.”
The field was left wide open when incumbent Rep. Patrick McHenry, a Lake Norman-area Republican, announced his plans to step down from the seat after this term, ending a 20-year run in Congress. Shortly after, Harrigan, who previously announced his candidacy for the state’s 14th Congressional District, switched to the 10th Congressional District.
Mills has served as a representative in the North Carolina General Assembly since 2021. Harrigan is a U.S. Army veteran and former Green Beret who now owns a firearms manufacturing business. He previously was defeated by Democrat Jeff Jackson in the general election for the 14th Congressional District in 2022.
Harrigan will advance to the general election this November, where he’ll be a heavy favorite against Democratic nominee Ralph Scott, Jr.
House Speaker Tim Moore wins congressional primary
State House Speaker Tim Moore on Tuesday night won the Republican nomination for NC’s 14th Congressional District. The newly redrawn district touches six counties, including parts of west Charlotte and Moore’s hometown of Kings Mountain in Gaston and Cleveland counties.
Moore picked up just over 75.39% of votes, leaving the next Republican candidate, Jeff Gregory, trailing with 12.77%.
Incumbent Rep. Jeff Jackson, a Charlotte Democrat, announced plans to skip a reelection bid after the Republican-led North Carolina General Assembly redrew the district’s borders. Most of Charlotte — and its heavily Democratic voting base — were moved to the already solidly blue 12th Congressional District. Experts say the new boundaries heavily favor Republican candidates. So, Jackson instead announced his candidacy for attorney general.
Moore has served in the NC General Assembly since 2003 and was elected speaker of the House in 2015.
The National Republican Congressional Committee issued a statement shortly after results starting pouring in, claiming victory for Moore.
“Congratulations to Tim Moore on his primary election victory,” the organization said. “Tim has served North Carolina families in the state legislature for 12 years and the Speaker of the state House for 9 years. North Carolina voters will overwhelmingly send Tim to Congress in November.”
He will face Pam Genant in November’s general election. Genant defeated Brendan Maginnis in the Democratic primary with 61.67% of the vote.
Genant is a veteran of the U.S. Army and registered nurse. Maginnis is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and small business owner. He previously worked on political campaigns, including for John Edwards’ 2004 presidential bid.
