Pittenger nearly lost the 2016 GOP primary. Here's why he might have an edge this year.
Two years ago it was the closest congressional race in North Carolina.
Charlotte Republican Mark Harris came within just 134 votes of defeating incumbent U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger in the GOP primary.
But a recent poll by the conservative Civitas Institute showed Harris trailing Pittenger by 32 points in a Republican primary widely seen as North Carolina's most competitive. As recently as last fall it drew national attention as a sort of proxy battle between the GOP establishment and its populist base.
Harris, who stepped down last year from the pulpit of Charlotte's First Baptist Church, believes the race "is a lot closer than the poll would indicate."
"People now are just starting to get engaged," he said.
But if the poll is right, what's happened since 2016?
Two years ago, the 9th District had just been redrawn. A district that had run through Mecklenburg from Iredell to Union counties suddenly stretched from southeast Charlotte to Fayetteville, through counties that had been represented by someone else. And there was a strong third candidate, former Union County commissioner Todd Johnson. He went on to win five of eight counties.
This year a third candidate, Clarence Goins of Cumberland County, entered the race late and remains relatively unknown.
"The big difference between two years ago and today is, in all actuality, that was an open seat because of redistricting and you had a third personality in the race," said Dan Barry, the Union County Republican chairman. "Today Congressman Pittenger . . . has had two years to meet his constituents Down East. That’s why the data looks like it looks."
Pittenger has been able to outspend Harris significantly. A heavy TV buy that started last month is expected to stay on the air through the May 8 election. Then there's the value of incumbency.
Thursday night, for example, Pittenger attended the Cumberland County Republican convention. He remained in Fayetteville on Friday where he joined GOP Rep. Richard Hudson in co-hosting a meeting of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. It met at a site just down the road from Fort Bragg.
"I think it's clear that what happened two years ago made an impression on the Pittenger campaign," said James Baker, Cumberland County's Republican chairman. "They seem to be working very hard."
Fight over spending
The $1.3 trillion spending bill Congress passed Thursday illustrates one difference between the candidates.
"President Trump promised to make America great again," Pittenger said after supporting the measure. "This legislation rebuilds our military, gives our troops the biggest pay raise in eight years, starts work on a border wall, steps up the fight against opioids, and extends multiple pro-life policies. . . . President Trump and I are committed to making our troops a priority."
Pittenger also supported an earlier spending bill that stopped a brief government shutdown. Trump signed the bill, which experts said could add $2 trillion to the national debt. The measure was opposed by many conservative Republicans.
Harris, who opposed both spending bills, said "Republicans are not acting like Republicans."
Speaking to a Republican women's group this week, he noted that the federal debt has grown from $16 trillion in 2012 to $21 trillion, a mark hit just last week. "Today was a sad day for our nation," he said in a statement. "The Omnibus Spending Bill voted on by Congress today is the polar opposite of good government and conservative values."
The two candidates also have sparred over loyalty to Trump. Pittenger has run a TV ad accusing Harris of being part of the "Stop Trump" movement in 2016.
Harris backed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz during the presidential primary while Pittenger originally supported Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. Politifact North Carolina said the ad was disingenuous and rated it "mostly false." Harris called the attacks "ludicrous" and misleading.
"When you're being attacked, that’s what you say," said Pittenger strategist Paul Shumaker.
High-profile help
Pittenger has enlisted high-profile help.
House Speaker Paul Ryan sent a fundraising letter. Former presidential adviser Karl Rove stumped with Pittenger in Charlotte. A Union County fundraiser featured N.C. Senate Leader Phil Berger. And former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton, who will become Trump's new national security adviser, is still scheduled to headline a March 28 fundraiser at Myers Park Country Club.
Aside from former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, Harris has leaned on supporters in the district, including his evangelical base by appearing in churches and before church groups. But despite carrying two counties and finishing second in all the others in 2016, he's still fighting for recognition, according to the Civitas Poll.
Six in 10 likely primary voters are neutral or have no opinion of Harris, according to the poll. That compares to 34 percent who fall into those categories for Pittenger.
"This isn’t saying anything bad about Rev. Harris, it's more that people don’t know anything about him," said Civitas President Donald Bryson.
But Harris supporters are passionate.
"He brings a dynamism to the picture," said state Sen. Dan Bishop of Charlotte. "I think Dr. Harris will be a change agent."
But Harris faces a different political landscape in 2018.
"Pittenger is going to be hard to beat," said former Weddington Mayor Nancy Anderson. "(But) not impossible to beat."
The victor of the Republican primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary between Christian Cano and Dan McCready, both of Charlotte. McCready ended last year with more money than any of the 9th District candidates.
This story was originally published March 23, 2018 at 11:37 AM with the headline "Pittenger nearly lost the 2016 GOP primary. Here's why he might have an edge this year.."