The NC-09 Drama Continues As Dowless Is Arrested-- And Harris Announces He Won't Run, Backs Boss Hogg Instead

Dowless mug shot

A few days ago, Mark Harris, as expected, announced that he will not be running for Congress. Harris claimed ill-health, but it is likely that he made a deal to not run in return for not being prosecuted for for hiring a known election fraudster to steal the Republican primary and then the general election. The fraudster, Leslie McCrae Dowless Jr., however... doesn't have a good bargaining position. He was arrested yesterday and indicted on election fraud charges related not just to the Mark Harris' fraudulent election but also for 2016.

One indictment-- there were 3 so far-- stated Dowless "unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did, with deceit and intent to defraud, obstruct public and legal justice by submitting or causing to be submitted by mail absentee ballots and container-return envelopes for those ballots to the Bladen County Board of Elections in such a manner so as to make it appear that those ballots had been voted." Four of Dowless' employees, Caitlyn Croom, Matthew Matthis, Tonia Gordon and Rebecca Thompson, are also facing prosecution. Two other Dowless accomplices, Lisa Britt and Kelly Hendrix, were not charged, presumably in exchange for their testimony against Dowless. Dowless is being held on $30,000 bail.

Harris testified at an election board of Elections hearing that he hired Dowless after the 2016 race, when he noticed that one of his primary opponents, Todd Johnson, had miraculously won 221 out of 225 absentee ballots cast in Bladen County during the Republican primary, helping to cost Harris the election, which was won, narrowly (0.6%), by incumbent Robert Pittinger.

Boss Hogg (AKA- Stony Rushing)-- can you imagine this in Congress?

Monday, State Board of Elections will announce the timetable for the primary and general election to fill a seat that's been without representation for far too long. Harris has already endorsed Union County commissioner Stony Rushing (AKA- "Boss Hogg), a gun seller and another far right extremist like Harris. Other Republicans likely to jump into the race are former state Senator Tommy Tucker, Dan Barry, chairman of the Union County Republican Party, and Matthew Ridenhour, a former Mecklenburg County commissioner. Pittenger has already said he won't run.

Dan McCready, the Blue Dog Democrat in the race is unlikely draw a primary challenge.He has already raised over half a million dollars for the special election. Republicans are trying to blame the incontrovertible fact that their own party and candidate was caught red-handed stealing the election, is something that was somehow McCready's fault. Boss Hogg put this up on his Facebook page.