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U.S. House · North Carolina's 8th District

Southern Piedmont North Carolina, including all of Anson, Montgomery, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly, and Union counties and portions of Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, and Robeson counties (Union County/southeast Charlotte suburbs).

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

RESULT · UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED

Mark Harris, projected winner

CandidateVotesShare
Mark Harris147,09450.4%
Colby Watson141,91548.6%
Bo Whitehead2,8901%

About 99% of the expected vote counted. As of November 9. Winners take office next year. Counts can change until states certify. NBC News ↗

Sources re-checked September 25, 2026 · How we research

  • The Republican primary was canceled and incumbent Mark Harris advanced unopposed. Colby Watson won a three-way Democratic primary with 47.9% of the vote.[1]
  • Harris previously won the Republican nomination for North Carolina's 9th District in 2018, but no candidate was certified as the winner of that November 2018 general election; Harris was elected to the newly numbered 8th District in 2024 after the state's congressional map was redrawn.[2]

On the November 3 ballot · 3 candidates

Mark HarrisRINCUMBENTPROJECTED WINNERU.S. Representative (since 2025)Full profile →Colby WatsonDFull profile →Bo WhiteheadGFull profile →

Issue evidence — side by side

Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.

Protect legal access to abortion

  • Mark Harris
    Opposes[15]

    Cosponsored H.R. 722, the Life at Conception Act (119th Congress), which would extend legal personhood from the moment of fertilization.

  • Colby Watson
    —
  • Bo Whitehead
    —

Stricter gun laws

  • Mark Harris
    Opposes[3]

    Says he will resist efforts to undermine gun rights, describing the right to bear arms as not negotiable.

  • Colby Watson
    —
  • Bo Whitehead
    —

Expand immigration enforcement and deportations

  • Mark Harris
    Recorded votes[16][17][18][19]

    Voted yes on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations.

  • Colby Watson
    Mixed[5]

    In a WSOC-TV candidate questionnaire, said he opposes the means and methods of the current immigration crackdown, while supporting border screening technology, additional personnel and enforcement focused on trafficking networks, smuggling and repeat violent offenders.

  • Bo Whitehead
    Opposes[6]

    On his campaign site, calls for ending ICE and overhauling the immigration system.

Loosen zoning rules to build more housing

  • Mark Harris
    —
  • Colby Watson
    Supports[5]

    In a WSOC-TV candidate questionnaire, said he supports increasing housing supply and modernizing building regulations so more homes can be built.

  • Bo Whitehead
    —

Raise taxes on high earners or corporations

  • Mark Harris
    Recorded votes[17][18][19]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent.

  • Colby Watson
    —
  • Bo Whitehead
    —

Expand public health coverage

  • Mark Harris
    Recorded votes[17][18][19][21]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted no on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08), which extended enhanced ACA premium subsidies.

  • Colby Watson
    Supports[5]

    In a WSOC-TV candidate questionnaire, said he supports moving toward a universal coverage framework and expanding Medicare drug-price negotiation.

  • Bo Whitehead
    Supports[6]

    On his campaign site, says universal healthcare must be implemented as soon as possible.

Faster transition away from fossil fuels

  • Mark Harris
    Recorded votes[17][18][19]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits.

  • Colby Watson
    —
  • Bo Whitehead
    In their own words[6]
    “We must expand wind and solar power to update our power grid, and work towards developing a proper infostructure for electric vehicles.”

    On his campaign website

Raise the minimum wage

  • Mark Harris
    —
  • Colby Watson
    —
  • Bo Whitehead
    Supports[6]

    On his campaign site, lists a $25 minimum wage among his workers' rights priorities.

Continue U.S. military aid to Israel

  • Mark Harris
    —
  • Colby Watson
    Opposes[5]

    In a WSOC-TV candidate questionnaire, said the U.S. should not provide weapons that enable violations of international law and that he believes Israel's government and military have committed serious human rights violations in Gaza.

  • Bo Whitehead
    —

Broad tariffs on imported goods

  • Mark Harris
    Recorded votes[24]

    Voted no on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11), which disapproved the tariffs on Canadian imports.

  • Colby Watson
    —
  • Bo Whitehead
    —

Universal, publicly funded child care

  • Mark Harris
    —
  • Colby Watson
    —
  • Bo Whitehead
    Supports[6]

    On his campaign site, says universal childcare must be implemented as soon as possible.

Require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote

  • Mark Harris
    Recorded votes[20]

    Voted yes on SAVE Act (H.R. 22, 2025-04-10).

  • Colby Watson
    —
  • Bo Whitehead
    —

Require Congress to approve U.S. military action abroad

  • Mark Harris
    Recorded votes[22][23]

    Voted no on War Powers Resolution on Venezuela (H. Con. Res. 64, 2025-12-17), which would have directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Venezuela absent congressional authorization. Voted no on War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities (H. Con. Res. 86, 2026-06-03), which directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization.

  • Colby Watson
    —
  • Bo Whitehead
    —

Bar transgender women and girls from women's and girls' school sports

  • Mark Harris
    Supports[14]

    Cosponsored H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (119th Congress), which would bar transgender girls and women from girls' and women's school sports programs that receive federal funds.

  • Colby Watson
    —
  • Bo Whitehead
    —

Research notes & limits

Bo Whitehead (Green Party) had not completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey and no campaign website was found; his biography draws on a WFAE voter-guide questionnaire. Harris's House biography lists a Doctor of Ministry, while Ballotpedia lists a Ph.D. in Christian leadership; this guide uses the House website. Harris's federal key votes and FEC totals are added separately by script.

Sources · 32

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  2. 2.Mark Harris (North Carolina) · Ballotpedia Reference
  3. 3.Issues · Office of Rep. Mark Harris Candidate's own words
  4. 4.Colby Watson - Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey Candidate's own words
  5. 5.The Political Beat Candidate Guide: House of Representatives District 8 · WSOC-TV (candidate questionnaire) · 2026-02-12 Candidate's own words
  6. 6.Bo Whitehead for Congress · Bo Whitehead campaign website · 2026 Candidate's own words
  7. 7.Mark Harris (North Carolina) · Ballotpedia Reference
  8. 8.Meet Mark · Office of Rep. Mark Harris Official record
  9. 9.Mark Harris enters race for NC's District 8 Congressional seat following 2018 scandal · WBTV · 2023-09-12 News report
  10. 10.U.S. House of Representatives NC-8 candidates · WFAE · 2026-09-22 News report
  11. 11.North Carolina 8th District U.S. House election results 2026 · NBC News News report
  12. 12.H.R. 22, the SAVE Act (SAVE Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  13. 13.H.R. 7296, the SAVE America Act (SAVE America Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  14. 14.H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  15. 15.H.R. 722, the Life at Conception Act (Life at Conception Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  16. 16.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  17. 17.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  18. 18.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  19. 19.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  20. 20.Roll call: SAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-04-10 Official record
  21. 21.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  22. 22.Roll call: War Powers Resolution on Venezuela · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-12-17 Official record
  23. 23.Roll call: War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-06-03 Official record
  24. 24.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record
  25. 25.Colby Watson · Ballotpedia Reference
  26. 26.Colby Watson - Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey Candidate's own words
  27. 27.U.S. House of Representatives NC-8 candidates · WFAE · 2026-09-22 News report
  28. 28.United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  29. 29.U.S. House North Carolina's 8th District results 2026 · NBC News News report
  30. 30.Bo Whitehead · Ballotpedia Reference
  31. 31.U.S. House of Representatives NC-8 candidates · WFAE · 2026-09-22 News report
  32. 32.U.S. House North Carolina's 8th District results 2026 · NBC News News report