ROCKINGHAM — One congressional candidate has some heavy hitters stumping for him on the campaign trail.
Former Arkansas governor and two-time presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee will be making several stops throughout the 9th Congressional District on Wednesday, including in Richmond County, encouraging voters to choose Republican Mark Harris.
He is scheduled to be at the early voting location, the Cooperative Extension office on Caroline Street, around 1:45 p.m., before heading west for appearances in Anson and Union counties later in the afternoon.
Huckabee and Harris have something in common aside from party affiliation: they were both men of the cloth prior to becoming politicians. Each was a Baptist pastor and head of his respective state convention.
Huckabee’s political action committee is also raising funds for Christian conservative candidates.
But he’s not the only heavyweight throwing support behind Harris.
Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law and campaign adviser, appeared at a luncheon for Harris last week in Anson County.
Later this week,Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will be at a Harris fundraiser in Charlotte and President Donald Trump is coming to a Make America Great Again rally in the Queen City on Friday.
Harris was in Richmond County Tuesday for a fundraiser, and has made several appearances since his first campaign against Rep. Robert Pittenger in 2016.
Pittenger narrowly won that race, but Harris came out on top in the Republican primary earlier this year.
The Democratic challenger, Dan McCready, also has a few big names behind him.
According to his campaign website, McCready is endorsed by former North Carolina governor Jim Hunt, former state Supreme Court Associate Justice Bob Orr — a Republican — and former Bank of America CEO Hugh McColl, among others.
Locally, McCready is supported by former Rockingham mayor and state senator Gene McLaurin, who said the candidate is “appealing to independent-minded” voters.
The third candidate in the race, Libertarian Jeff Scott, has also been making his rounds across the district, recently attending an event at UNC-Pembroke.
Scott was the only congressional candidate to attend Richmond Young Professionals’ Pints and Politics event earlier this month, though McCready did send a representative.
Since he wasn’t allowed in a recent debate televised by Spectrum News, Scott said he stood outside handing out campaign literature and meeting voters. He said he plans to do the same at an upcoming event hosted by public radio station WFAE.
Early voting continues Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. until Nov. 2 and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3.
