Not sure this is your district? Enter your ZIP to confirm it and see your full ballot
2026 candidates we're tracking in NC-8
Mark Harris
Harris previously served as senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Charlotte for more than a decade and as president of the North Carolina Baptist Convention, per the official House biography. He holds a political science degree from Appalachian State University and a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, per the official House biography.
Colby Watson
Top priorities
From the campaign site
- Oppose institutional investors treating homes as commodities and fight corporate greed to preserve homeownership.
- Ensure healthcare is treated as a necessity, not a luxury, so no one chooses between health and financial ruin.
- Fix the education system and invest in it for the future, rather than blaming teachers.
About Colby Watson
Watson is a small-business owner with more than a decade of entrepreneurial experience who previously worked in masonry, construction and farming, per the campaign site. He was born and raised in Union County and was homeschooled, per the campaign site.
Bo Whitehead
Top priorities
From the campaign site
- Universal healthcare, universal childcare and an overhaul of the mental health system
- A $25 minimum wage and mandatory maternity leave and vacation time
- Expanding renewable energy and pausing new data center construction pending industry regulation
About Bo Whitehead
Whitehead currently works as a warehouse supervisor and has held a range of jobs including custodian, gas-station attendant and dump-truck driver, per the campaign site. He relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, after growing up on a small farm in Georgia, per the campaign site.
About this race
North Carolina's 8th Congressional District elects one member of the U.S. House of Representatives to a two-year term. Every House seat in the country is on the ballot in 2026. The North Carolina primary is Tuesday, March 3, 2026 (runoff Tuesday, May 12, 2026 if needed), and the general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
North Carolina primary details → · North Carolina voter guide →