Republican Mark Harris declared victory in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District over Democratic businessman Dan McCready, who is refusing to concede.
"The unofficial results have Harris with a lead of about 1,850 votes from almost 280,000 ballots cast in the race. Absentee ballots will continue to trickle in this week," reports WSOC-TV.
"Without the votes and the support of so many people, we wouldn't be here celebrating this great victory," said Harris. "As you look at the board, you can see where we stand tonight."
Harris, a pastor who ousted Robert Pittenger during the primaries, has been an outspoken supporter of President Trump and his agenda.
He is in favor of tax cuts and the border wall and is against gay marriage and abortion. McCready, on the other hand, is against the 2017 tax cut, supports abortion, and only spoke vaguely about border security.
McCready, a former Marine, rarely talked about running as a Democrat, likely given that the 9th district hasn’t elected a Democrat since the early 1960s. Trump also won big here in 2016.
He also avoided taking definitive positions on key issues throughout the campaign, such as on healthcare, labor unions, and immigration, which the Charlotte Observer’s editorial board called out last month in an op-ed titled “What exactly would voters get in Dan McCready? Don’t ask him.”
Look for an update on this race as more information from the McCready campaign is announced.