GOP's Mark Harris will not run in North Carolina special House election marred by election fraud
Republican Mark Harris announced Tuesday that he will not be a candidate in the special election that has been ordered in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District. Harris, who was the apparent winner in the district's congressional race last fall, bowed out just days after the North Carolina State Board of Elections ordered a new election in the wake of last week's hearing that exposed evidence of widespread fraud in the 2018 race.
In a statement announcing his decision, Harris said he had an "extremely serious" health condition that would keep him from devoting the time needed to run in the new election.
"While few things in my life have brought me more joy than getting to meet and know the people of this incredible part of North Carolina, and while I have been overwhelmed by the honor of their support for me as the Congressman-elect of NC-9, I owe it to Beth, my children and my six grandchildren to make the wisest decision for my health," he said, referencing his wife.
"I also owe it to the citizens of the Ninth District to have someone at full strength during the new campaign. It is my hope that in the upcoming primary, a solid conservative leader will emerge to articulate the critical issues that face our nation."
Harris initially appeared to have won the state's 9th Congressional District race, edging out Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes. But shortly after Election Day, credible allegations of election fraud occurred, allegations that prompted the state elections board to refuse to certify the election.
During a shocking, days-long state election board hearing, investigators accused political operative McCrae Dowless, who worked for the Harris campaign, of being at the center of an illegal absentee ballot harvesting scheme. One of Dowless' associates told the board she collected incomplete ballots from voters and marked votes for Republican candidates, while Dowless told her how to avoid raising suspicion along the way.
Harris had for months claimed that he had no knowledge of any impropriety. But during that hearing, his son took to the stand and admitted that his father ignored his advice to not hire Dowless out of fears that he was involved in illegal conduct.
In response to that testimony, the state board of elections ordered a new election for the seat, but hasn't outlined the timeline yet.
While ruling himself out of that election Harris endorsed Stony Rushing, a local county commissioner.
McCready has said he will run again for the seat.