Following Mark Harris’s decision not to run again, the race is likely to invite a competitive GOP primary field. Harris’s campaign was at the center of an election-fraud investigation.
By Amy Gardner Amy Gardner National political reporter Email Bio Follow March 4 at 2:17 PM North Carolina election officials have set a new election schedule in the 9th Congressional District, calling for May primaries and a September general election, setting the stage for a bruising GOP nominating contest to replace Mark Harris, the scandal-plagued 2018 nominee, on the ballot.
Although primaries are possible on both sides, a nominating contest is less likely among Democrats after 2018 nominee Dan McCready quickly declared his candidacy and began raising money for an election do-over. The man at the center of the state board’s investigation, a political operative hired by Harris named Leslie McCrae Dowless, was indicted last week on seven charges related to the alleged scheme. Prosecutors accused Dowless of paying a crew of workers to illegally collect, fill out, forge and turn in other voters’ ballots in two rural counties within the 9th District.
That leaves a potentially wide-open primary for Republicans, with the filing period beginning next Monday. Harris has endorsed one candidate, Stony Rushing, a Union County commissioner. State Sen. Dan Bishop and former state senator Tommy Tucker are also considering bids, Republicans said.
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