REPLACING:
Dan Bishop (R)
WORK HISTORY:
First Baptist Charlotte (Senior Pastor); Center Grove Baptist Church (Pastor); Curtis Baptist Church (Pastor); North Carolina Baptist Convention (President)
EDUCATION:
BS, Appalachian State University; Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
CAMPAIGNED ON:
Pro-life and Pro-family; Prioritizing National Security with Strong Borders; Fortifying Our Nation, Honoring Our Heroes; Empowering Teachers, Ensuring Choice; Enforcing Laws, Ensuring Safer Communities [i]
ON THE ISSUES
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:
Harris “fervently believes in the sanctity of all human life, from conception to natural end.” He has also been a strong ally over the years with the N.C. Values Coalition, which has pushed for more restrictions on abortion. [ii]
IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY:
Harris believes that “our nation's safety and sovereignty hinge upon robust border security.” He is committed to fortifying our borders, supporting “advanced technology,” and “rigorously enforcing” immigration laws. [iii]
ECONOMY & JOBS:
Harris has criticized the Biden administration, stating that “the U.S. Department of Labor confirmed that 818,000 FEWER JOBS were created from March 2023 through March 2024 than previously reported, marking an incredible 30% error in the federal government’s calculations of the strength of our economy. This is incompetence at its best, and a timely reminder that the policies of the past just won’t cut it as we look towards the future.” [iv] He has called “Bidenomics” an “abject failure since day one.” [v]
TAXES:
Harris has expressed support for lowering taxes. [vi] In January 2024, Harris stated that he would work towards saving the tax cuts implemented by 2017’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. He also signed a pledge not to support legislation that raises taxes. Harris stated in a Facebook post, “The Trump tax cuts stimulated our economy and put more money in the pockets of every American and they must be preserved. I will work with President Trump to make all of these cuts permanent.” [vii]
CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY:
Harris believes in championing “rigorous law enforcement” and holding criminals accountable. [viii] He has repeatedly expressed support for backing police, saying in a social media post, “America’s men and women in blue are the true heroes of our communities, and I’m proud to stand firmly behind them this National Police Week, and every week, because they need our support now more than ever.” [ix]
FOREIGN POLICY:
Harris supports strong national defense and believes in the need for a military that “deters threats, stands with allies, and above all, honors the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women, both during and after their service.” [x]
HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL SAFETY NET:
Harris has stated his opposition to the Affordable Care Act. During a November 2018 debate, Harris claimed that “Liberal Democrats” cut “$716 billion from Medicare to fund their scheme: Obamacare.” [xi]
DEMOCRACY:
Harris has expressed opposition to the investigation into the events of January 6th and subsequent indictment of President-elect Donald Trump. In August 2024, Harris stated, “This latest indictment of President Trump is nothing short of the Biden-Harris administration weaponizing the federal government against their leading political opponent just months before Election Day. This is a blatant attempt to distract from their own failures and undermine the will of the American people. Americans, we must stand united against this political witch hunt and fight for the integrity of our democracy. It's time to push back against this abuse of power and ensure that our voices are heard at the ballot box.” [xii]
SOCIAL ISSUES:
Harris strongly opposed LGBTQ marriage; in 2012, he led the fight for a controversial state constitutional amendment that would reinforce the state’s ban on same-sex marriage (prohibitions on same-sex marriage were found to be unconstitutional in 2015 by the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges ruling). [xiii] Harris still considers himself to be a “a stalwart defender of traditional family values, having led the charge for the 2012 marriage amendment and consistently advocating for measures that uphold the foundations of our families.” [xiv] Harris has also allied himself with the N.C. Values Coalition which backed a controversial state law — now repealed — that required people to use the bathroom that matched the gender listed on their birth certificate. [xv]
[i] “Issues,” Mark Harris for Congress, accessed November 14, available at https://markharrisforcongress.org/issues.
[ii] “Mark Harris Is Not Asking For Forgiveness,” Tim Funk, The Assembly NC, January 3, 2024, available at https://www.theassemblync.com/politics/elections/mark-harris-congress-2024/.
[iii] “Issues,” Mark Harris for Congress, accessed November 14, available at https://markharrisforcongress.org/issues.
[iv] Mark Harris Facebook post, August 22, 2024, available at https://www.facebook.com/pastormarkharris/posts/pfbid021zFXNLmUPPLMgnH3Jq54AE9umXSb8N5DwUKjwbWtRsQFZPJZnpJXVEpTXw7HzDvfl?__cft__[0]=AZWXSGXIIL_cNaKvMbK8Uvxcj85dXo_CqRyc2UXvCG1yvq_wjQ0V7Mi-AqMl8r-W72DNaLvv2je2l-k-fTVSyZakmrXQoiA7iiQbSzxIdc8LC5zVsfoyStBAgC8JeLojlCUD33p7ofZI3mN-V9njV4H2Twp5bFXi3TWzB16YxdqZFwj9H9zmyovYdGUy_zrt3rs&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R.
[v] Mark Harris Facebook post, August 2, 2024, available at https://www.facebook.com/pastormarkharris/posts/pfbid0fbwd8G1MrnBxJRfj989YLBctStgFhmFq5p7Nhn4iDDYM8D8ETSz1963hgAXEjjjel?__cft__[0]=AZX-eqa5-bKNVma_lbU32_prKjyhtE5ZtT46zMHVO_EqsASQfZyjcregA6hK0HYxqI4chCC5IFgsMHIyZJZLBZgYu0FJF1_csa2Mc1K1UdquMQgeAToaDnEXqmjX_T8_ChE-TmAr6bfQFjycyCIfFKdqfxhwatT_T5k2Rh_SOMjOVIFZj9wAKPxRrBFx7Qwz34o&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R.
[vi] Mark Harris Facebook post, October 2, 2024, available at https://www.facebook.com/pastormarkharris/posts/pfbid02YqmW1FrWegMKUR3YuXhjDJKhPkv21viiq2JpuRvdr9wkoospgVkWWr5TyMFP63L3l?__cft__[0]=AZV2-JNc1bv8HAkBaLiMoh36jD0zqOBrYGorT2uahKH8fI7_rlQxeRXSlJi1ziB6hhGLpUZUUgwT0BBtfQ1izORHdvmKDW8134D9jQDdmp19zbO1hBp64ukZipBX2RDyOhGY5CybnMb6s51kX3tiXQaBUG0Ijo7U9UB_48SIuaNOl1TQ4Hj6_rfIqCOGtM5OMhA&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R.
[vii] Mark Harris Facebook post, January 23, 2024, available at https://www.facebook.com/pastormarkharris/posts/pfbid036JLkXEDCvTVsEgiiGECMAeMJDRTxHFDM6oVxmL1zrNiPEABLp7qeam3goe94HSdsl?__cft__[0]=AZVcRHZp_YfwMdcmkTS-wCvuOzSx3u9CzO6eTxksJVXC1LckjU8M-qSTfHiZRA1Hvb2Fx4j8hT3og8rvfC1aKFYbuX6peNrfk0kLViXKqzCHPFmiE9I0pImok5xI34YdcWnUaK46SkDuBEUsYfhkKPAJXUf9_iVeFC2IlvJIa42qEnbIOux6oB05UT8dX97D3_Y&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R.
[viii] “Issues,” Mark Harris for Congress, accessed November 14, available at https://markharrisforcongress.org/issues.
[ix] Mark Harris Facebook post, May 14, 2024, available at https://www.facebook.com/pastormarkharris/posts/pfbid02faQtJCYMRo8sbWfUK4ercWSW69CfXwpNs8Qo9sibisjyopnm7fxfBrqCo2Q6oYAWl?__cft__[0]=AZUbnymdG7lKFAH_RjSKXNaXCF7OikaeoLoP-c0DTlPo_wtwwtTatZ3pLrO2DOcfcIVoqswYNnSwnUy-Fh5SpyF8UCLyR0SHTH0PTyg5_EWkHCdmku9PthICYEkvrAFOoJvObPsLnKrlRvrhSiZHsgZPKuD2yBgU4L7rszcKhdqN8O6JM-1FBX5cSm3lGJUa78Q&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
[x] “Issues,” Mark Harris for Congress, accessed November 14, available at https://markharrisforcongress.org/issues.
[xi] Mark Harris, Politifact, accessed November 14, 2024, available at https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2018/nov/03/mark-harris-nc/republican-says-democrats-cut-billions-medicare-le/.
[xii] Mark Harris Facebook post, August 27, 2024, available at https://www.facebook.com/pastormarkharris/posts/pfbid0UhwgqRMbP4ZYLWGt6vuUfm9nV7HCKK9fK3MRFdpRNE8ViSDBo5NgAj8YMceWfnXrl?__cft__[0]=AZUU_h0GHPfZJBLH7EGSrRwviXFs5tcmWoEoqhDvTN-2BV6tPo6LIcnvpnmgzwc3IN1P3xABkGqvRUunOue0lIV9h5i1GHhTqJkZ-00EMA_YqSCoOHNszuSA_Dnwu7IAWDPUKpXZn_y0L9PfOLWJLk9dx90brVTqH2zsk1oeLyUX0--REqmBsnPu5cXOYapBGIQ&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R.
[xiii] “US Senate candidate Mark Harris became leader in church, North Carolina marriage fight,” Jim Morrill, The Charlotte Observer, April 16, 2014, available at https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article9113360.html.
[xiv] “Issues,” Mark Harris for Congress, accessed November 14, available at https://markharrisforcongress.org/issues.
[xv] “Mark Harris Is Not Asking For Forgiveness,” Tim Funk, The Assembly NC, January 3, 2024, available at https://www.theassemblync.com/politics/elections/mark-harris-congress-2024/.
