McHenry Opens A New Path to Washington

U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry’s surprise announcement that he will not seek reelection in 2024 may have crystallized the contest in another newly drawn congressional district by boosting the chances of Tim Moore, the long-time state House speaker who is seeking a move to Washington.

The Tuesday announcement from McHenry, who recently served as interim House speaker, came five weeks after he said he was “excited for the opportunity” to run for an 11th term in the 10th district, which stretches north from Lincoln County to Iredell, Yadkin, and Forsyth counties.

About an hour after the decision became public, fellow Republican Pat Harrigan announced that he would run in the 10th district, not the 14th as he’d planned. Perhaps coincidentally, he and his wife had changed their voter registration from Gaston County (in the 14th district) to Hickory (in the 10th) on Monday.

Harrigan, a businessman and former Army Green Beret, had been running against Moore in the newly drawn 14th, which runs from western Mecklenburg to Burke and Rutherford counties. Last month, he publicly blasted Moore for what he described as “a legacy of corruption.”

Despite losing to Democrat Jeff Jackson in the 14th in 2022, Harrigan had $745,000 in his campaign account at the end of September. But he probably won’t be the 10th district’s only GOP candidate.

Former N.C. Appeals Court Eric Levinson of Mecklenburg already announced he’d be running, but could switch districts in light of Tuesday’s announcement, according to a source with the campaign. He had nearly $400,000 in the bank at the end of September.

GOP State Rep. Jason Saine of Lincoln County said he’s also considering running in the 10th. “I really didn’t wake up this morning thinking this was gonna be on my plate,” he told The Assembly.

Republican state Sen. Vickie Sawyer of Iredell County said she’s “talking with some folks” about finding a candidate from Iredell. GOP state Rep. John Bradford of Mecklenburg is considering running in the 10th District and said he will decide in the next couple of days.

Both districts are heavily Republican. Whoever wins each March 5 primary would enter November as a strong favorite. And whoever wins could, like McHenry, hold the seat for a long time.

“This could be the last opportunity for years,” said Chris Cooper, a political scientist from Western Carolina University. “The one thing we do know is that a Republican is likely to hang onto” these districts.