9th District

The response to mass shootings in Texas and Ohio this weekend illuminated stark differences in state and national political candidates’ stances on gun reform. Among those were Dan McCready and Dan Bishop, two men running in a special election in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District.

Prosecutors have indicted Leslie McCrae Dowless, the political operative accused of harvesting absentee ballots in favor of Republican candidate Mark Harris in the 2018 midterm election. Dowless was indicted on charges of obstruction of justice and illegal ballot possession related to both the 2016 and 2018 elections. 

A fresh batch of state lawmakers were sworn in last week bringing with them sweeping changes to some North Carolina districts. Both Wake and Mecklenburg County now have no Republican representatives in the House and only two Republican senators between them. Nearly 40 new representatives will officially start work for the long session in two weeks. 

The North Carolina Republican Party is rallying behind congressional candidate Mark Harris in the 9th district despite an ongoing investigation into potential fraud that could invalidate his victory. Republicans are calling on the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement to certify the election results unless the alleged irregularities would have changed the outcome. The state elections board will hold a hearing on the fraud allegations early next year. 

State and federal officials from both parties are calling for a full investigation into election fraud in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District. With only 905 votes deciding the race between Republican Mark Harris and Democrat Dan McCready, and reports of absentee ballot irregularities, the state elections board voted to have an evidentiary hearing later this month.