President Trump on stage with Republican congressional candidate Dan Bishop, right, during a campaign rally in Fayetteville, N.C., Monday.
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Bishop is in a do-over election from last November after North Carolina’s State Board of Elections found that a political operative illegally collected absentee mail ballots for the Republican candidate, Mark Harris.
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Democrat Dan McCready, the victim of that alleged fraud, says Tuesday’s election is a chance for justice.
“Our right to vote is our most sacred right as Americans,” McCready said. “It’s a right that people have fought for here at home in the battle for civil rights. And that was stolen from the people.”
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Democrats believe McCready can upset Bishop based on his strong performance last November. In early voting, a greater percentage of registered Democrats have cast ballots compared to 2018. A smaller percentage of Republicans have voted early.
On his way to the rally, Trump told reporters he believes his support will pay off for Bishop. “I think it’s getting less close,” Trump said. “If you look at the numbers from two weeks ago, and I got involved about two weeks ago, and the numbers have gone way up.”
Democratic consultant Bill Busa says it’s a sign of how energized Democratic voters are.
“Oh, I think this is 2020,” he said. “We’re here. We’re seeing what’s going to happen next year – certainly around the state, and possibly around the country.”
When Republican state lawmakers drew the 9th District, it was designed to be an easy win for the GOP.
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Article URL : https://www.npr.org/2019/09/10/759130646/in-north-carolina-the-last-election-of-2018-is-also-the-first-election-of-2020