President Donald Trump will hold a rally for the Republican candidate in North Carolina’s ninth district Monday night, directly inserting himself into a race that will be widely observed as a possible precursor for the 2020 elections.
According to Politico, Trump isn’t the only one investing in the race — it’s already the second most expensive special House election in U.S. history. This is not least because Republicans, who have held the seat since the 1960s, are desperate to save face.
In keeping with the political lean of the district, Republican Dan Bishop has painted himself as a diehard Trump supporter. Democrat Dan McCready has taken a moderate tack, focusing on bread-and-butter issues like health care.
Polling shows the two Dans at a virtual tie, despite the fact that Trump won the district in 2016 by 12 points. Early voting has already begun, and the official election day is Tuesday.
The original election for this district in 2018 was never certified, as rumors quickly surfaced about an illegal absentee ballot scheme helmed by an operative for Republican candidate Mark Harris. That operative, McCrae Dowless, and a handful of his employees have since been indicted by a grand jury.
