Who's running in North Carolina's 8th congressional district
3 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
3 candidates · ballot order · Mark Harris currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Support for Israel; he is endorsed by AIPAC.
Hard-line fiscal conservatism; he is backed by the Freedom Caucus Fund.
Social conservatism, drawing on his years as a Baptist pastor.
Border security and immigration enforcement.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative for the 8th District since January 2025; elected in 2024 with 59.6%.
Baptist pastor in Charlotte before entering politics.
Was the apparent winner of the 2018 election in the old 9th District by 905 votes; the North Carolina State Board of Elections refused to certify the result and ordered a new election after finding that Bladen County operative Leslie McCrae Dowless had run an illegal absentee ballot collection operation for his campaign. Harris was never charged; Dowless was indicted.
Did not run in the 2019 do-over election, citing his health.
Unopposed for the Republican nomination in the March 3, 2026 primary.
Arguments in favor
AIPAC endorsed him, and the House Freedom Caucus's political arm backs him as a reliable conservative vote.
— AIPAC and the Freedom Caucus Fund
Arguments against
The North Carolina State Board of Elections threw out his apparent 2018 win and ordered a new election after finding that a consultant his campaign hired had paid people to collect absentee ballots illegally, forge signatures and fill in votes. He was never charged, and testified he did not know what the operative was doing.
— North Carolina State Board of Elections, February 2019; his 2018 opponent Dan McCready
NBC News reported during the inquiry that his campaign still owed about $34,000 to the consultant at the centre of the fraud investigation.
— NBC News, 2018
What we couldn’t verify
Both criticisms concern the 2018 election rather than this cycle. Harris has never been charged in connection with the ballot operation and told the elections board he did not know what the consultant was doing; the board's finding was about the operation, not about him personally.
No criticism of him by name from Colby Watson's campaign or from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee was located.
His 2026 fundraising was not established from sources read.
Won the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary against Kevin Clark and Jesse Oppenheim.
Endorsed by the Charlotte Observer in the Democratic primary.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
Watson's detailed policy positions could not be established: no candidate questionnaire or news profile setting them out was located, and his campaign site's issues content did not yield specifics that could be quoted. The standsFor list is left empty rather than filled with guesses.
No published criticism of Watson by name could be found. Searched: his name with 'criticism', against National Republican Congressional Committee material, against Mark Harris's campaign, and against Charlotte Observer, WFAE and WBTV coverage.
His fundraising was not established from sources read.
Green Party candidate for North Carolina's 8th District in the November 3, 2026 general election.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
Whitehead's biography and policy positions could not be established: no campaign website, candidate questionnaire or news profile covering him was located. The standsFor list is left empty rather than filled with guesses.
No published criticism of Whitehead by name could be found, and no published case for him beyond the ballot listing.
His fundraising was not established from sources read.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
North Carolina held its primary on March 3, 2026. Republican incumbent Mark Harris was unopposed for renomination; Democrat Colby Watson beat Kevin Clark and Jesse Oppenheim. Green Party candidate Bo Whitehead is also on the ballot. The district covers Anson, Montgomery, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly and Union counties, most of Cabarrus and Robeson, and part of southern Mecklenburg. Roster confirmed against Ballotpedia and CNN and WUNC reporting. Criticism of Watson and Whitehead by name could not be found, so their entries carry no arguments in either column.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A North Carolina ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at North Carolina State Board of Elections.