Candidates for North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District
Mark Harris – Republican
Mark Harris is the Republican candidate for the 9th District Congressional Election. Harris attended R.J. Reynolds High School, and graduated from Appalachian State University in 1987 with a B.S. in political science. He later attended Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, where he earned a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry in Christian Leadership. He served from 1999-2009 as a trustee of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and acted as Chairman of the Board from 2005-2007. Harris was elected President of the North Carolina Baptist Convention from 2011-2013, and was a senior pastor at first Baptist Church Charlotte.
Main Issues
Education – Teachers should be compensated fairly, and education works best at the local rather than national level; Parents should have the ultimate say in their child’s education.
Term Limits – Harris is a firm believer in term limits, and advocates for a Constitutional Amendment in support of term limits in Congress.
Tax Reform – Harris wants to simplify the tax code and replace it with a “fair, concise, and simpler process.”
Immigration – Harris opposes illegal immigration, and proposes building a wall and using advanced technology to enforce current immigration laws.
Military and National Defense – “A strong national defense is the cornerstone of a peaceful nation.” Harris believes we must make our military the strongest “in the world”, and invest whatever it takes to make this a reality.
Obamacare and Healthcare – Harris fights to end Obamacare, and believes healthcare decisions should lie with the individual.
2nd Amendment – “strict gun laws do not reduce illegal use of firearms and opens the door for tyranny.” Harris opposes gun restrictions and firmly endorses the 2nd Amendment.
Abortion- Harris is firmly pro-life, opposing abortion.
LGBT+ rights – Mark Harris defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman. He supports House Bill 2, which prevented transgender people from using the restroom corresponding to the gender with which they identify.
Religious freedom – Harris has history as a pastor, and believes firmly in the freedom of religious expression.
Dan McCready – Democrat
Dan McCready is the Democratic candidate for the 9th District Congressional election. McCready went to Charlotte-Mecklenburg public schools before serving in Iraq with the Marines, where he was baptized a Christian. After being honorably discharged with the rank of Captain, he graduated from Harvard Business School. Most notably, he helped with the building of 36 solar farms within North Carolina.
Main Issues
Education – McCready will fight for teacher pay, early, accessible and equal early education, and removing debt from students by exploring options other than four-year degrees.
Term Limits – McCready is a firm believer in term limits within Congress. He also feels strongly about eliminating gerrymandering (altering voting districts to change the outcome of an election.)
Tax Reforms – McCready plans to simplify the tax code and cut taxes for middle-class families.
Immigration – “[McCready] will work to fund, improve, and support ICE.” ICE is the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and enforces current immigration laws.
Military and National Defense – McCready wants a “national security strategy that’s anchored by strong military might, economic power, and smart diplomacy.” He also firmly believes in advocating for veterans.
Healthcare – McCready plans to lower healthcare costs by strengthening Medicare and lowering prescription cost.
2nd Amendment – McCready supports the 2nd Amendment. However, he plans to fight for “bipartisan gun violence prevention, comprehensive background checks, and closing the gun show.”
Abortion – McCready is pro-choice, and believe access to abortion should not be restricted by the government.
LGBT+ Rights – “…everyone, straight or gay, deserves equality under the law.” McCready supports the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize gay marriage.
Maintaining the Environment – McCready is a firm and open supporter of solar panels, and has worked to install several around the state. He wants to “preserve our state’s natural beauty” by strengthening restrictions on pollution.
Jeff Scott – Libertarian
Jeff Scott is an independent candidate for the 9th District Congressional election, representing the Libertarian Party of Mecklenburg County. He graduated from San Francisco State University with degrees in Economics and Statistics. Working as an economist for the Federal Home Loan Bank in San Francisco in the late 80s, he’s spent the last 30 years working with finance and banking. He holds the title Adjunct Scholar at the Mises Institute of Auburn, Alabama, and often works with CMS schools.
Main Issues
“Peace” – Scott wants the U.S. to withdraw from Syria and Afghanistan, and work to prevent war with Russia. He advocates for decreased military spending.
“Prosperity” – Scott wants a transparency clause to take effect when “emergency” measures are taken to restore the economy. He also wants to incentivize saving up money for businesses and retirement.
“Privacy” – Scott believes firmly in privacy, and advocates for severe punishment for the unauthorized violation of the people’s security by the government. He believes the Fourth Amendment should extend to all staying on American soil, not only American citizens.
Veterans – Scott believes the current Veterans Association harms both veterans and taxpayers, and calls for reform, believing the focus of the association should be more heavily concentrated on the veterans.
If you would like to watch the previous debates between Dan McCready and Mark Harris, please click here and here for the first and second debates respectively.
*All information and quotes are taken from each candidate’s respective website.
