Former Charlotte Mayor and NC Governor Pat McCrory has just released an anticipated statement about his possible run for NC’s 9th District US Congress seat this morning by saying he’s not running.
“I’ve come to a conclusion that I am making a difference right now in educating the public and teaching at UNC but am keeping the option of running g for governor or the US Senate,” the former governer turned radio show host said this morning on WBT.
.@PatMcCroryNC – I’ve come to a conclusion that I am making a difference right now in educating the public and teaching at UNC but am keeping the option of running g for governor or the US Senate. #nc09
— News 1110/99.3 WBT (@wbtradio) February 25, 2019
The announcement comes after a tweet he sent out last night, hinting at the possibility of a run;
At 8:15am, I will be sharing my personal status on what is now the 9th district congressional election. The Pat McCrory Show (1110 WBT-AM radio).
— Pat McCrory (@PatMcCroryNC) February 25, 2019
It has now been 5 days since the North Carolina State Board of Elections officially announced that there will be a new election following a voter fraud investigation over absentee ballots in the 9th districts Bladen County.
The investigation turned up damaging evidence suggesting that Mark Harris knew about the ‘shady behavior’ of McCrae Dowless, who Harris personally hired to help him win Bladen County;
Nov. 2018 NC-09 race wasn’t ever certified because Leslie McCrae Dowless, hired by Mark Harris, faced accusations of ballot fraud — specifically, hiring workers to illegally request absentee ballots, forging voter signatures & filling out ballots for Republican candidates. pic.twitter.com/EXn5djjLAV
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) February 22, 2019
One of the documents is a message from Mark Harris to Judge Marion Warren, who is known to be one of the people to vouch for McCrae Dowless.
Harris wrote to Warren about McCrae “The guy whose absentee ballot project for Johnson could have put me in the US House this term.” #NC09 pic.twitter.com/feEgfRY56s
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) February 21, 2019
Several Republicans have now announced the possibility of running for the 9th district seat, including former Senator Tommy Tucker of Waxhaw.
Democrat Dan McCready announced he would be re-running for the seat a day after the reelection was announced;
Today I was honored to stand with family and friends and announce my candidacy in the special election in North Carolina’s 9th District. We’ve got a tough fight ahead of us, but together we can restore faith in our democracy. Join our movement here: https://t.co/BPTO6GTq21 pic.twitter.com/FmePg13Ryj
— Dan McCready for NC (@McCreadyForNC) February 22, 2019
Mark Harris has not yet announced whether or not he will be re-running.
Election officials have not yet set a date for the new election, although many are speculating a primary in May and a general election in October.