Mecklenburg Democrat to run for NC treasurer, says office shouldn’t have ‘partisan games’
The 2024 North Carolina treasurer’s race gained its first major candidate Monday.
State Rep. Wesley Harris, a Democrat who represents parts of south Charlotte and Pineville, said in his announcement North Carolina is overflowing with potential and it should invest in its people. His announcement video was filmed in his hometown of Taylorsville, which he used as an example of what happens when government abandons a community.
Taylorsville is near Hickory and about an hour north of Charlotte.
“Like so many other communities throughout North Carolina, Taylorsville hasn’t seen the level of investments necessary to grow and thrive in today’s globalized world,” he said. “My parents taught me government can be a force for good when it invests in their success.”
Harris was first elected to the legislature in 2018 and won his third term in 2022. In his announcement Monday, Harris used TV news footage about the passage of House Bill 2 to describe his motivation for running for the N.C. General Assembly.
The 2016 bill eliminated a Charlotte ordinance that protected transgender people who used public restrooms based on their gender identity and nullified other nondiscrimination ordinances across the state.
On his 2024 campaign website, Harris said he’ll protect the state’s bond rating, make “wise investment decisions” and make sure state employees “benefit from a world-class health plan.” Harris said the treasurer’s office shouldn’t “be a playground for partisan games.”
The current state treasurer, Republican Dale Folwell, told WRAL last year he was considering a run for governor.
The job of state treasurer includes overseeing the state employee pension fund, state health plan, the Local Government Commission and the Treasury Department.
Harris is the second recent Mecklenburg County Democratic legislator to announce a run for statewide office. Sen. Rachel Hunt, whose district also covers parts of south Charlotte, announced a run for lieutenant governor this month.
Harris earned a bachelor’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill and masters and doctorate degrees from Clemson University. His resume includes teaching roles at the University of South Carolina and UNC Charlotte as well as private consulting.
Filing for the 2024 statewide primary begins Dec. 4 and lasts through Dec. 15, according to the North Carolina Board of Elections. The 2024 primary is March 5, 2024.
This story was originally published March 13, 2023 at 8:24 AM.
