Who is running for U.S. House, North Carolina District 8 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for U.S. House, North Carolina District 8 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in U.S. House District 8 in North Carolina.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Mark HarrisRepublican | Colby WatsonDemocrat | Bo WhiteheadGreen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income taxes | Cut taxes across the board, including for top earners and corporationsVoted · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Safety net programs | Keep them, but add work requirements for able-bodied adultsVoted · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Minimum wage | No public position | No public position | Raise it higher and tie it to the cost of livingSaid · medium |
| Business regulation | No public position | Stronger rules on big corporations, banks and tech companiesSaid · medium | No public position |
| Healthcare | Private insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditionsVoted · medium | No public position | Government-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)Said · medium |
| Abortion | Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestSaid · low | No public position | No public position |
| Immigration | Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadyVoted · medium | Tighter border security plus a path to legal status for long-time residentsSaid · low | Much more open immigration with less enforcementSaid · medium |
| Foreign policy | No public position | Lead with diplomacy and aid more than military forceSaid · medium | No public position |
| Politicians trading stocks | No, ban it for members and their spousesVoted · medium | No, ban it for members and their spousesSaid · medium | No public position |
| Campaign finance | No public position | Overturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaignsSaid · medium | No public position |
| Mandatory minimums | Add or lengthen them for serious crimes like fentanyl traffickingVoted · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Childcare and pre-K | No public position | No public position | Guarantee low-cost childcare for all families plus universal pre-KSaid · medium |
| Transgender athletes | No, and Congress should set a biological sex rule nationwideVoted · medium | No public position | No public position |
Mark Harris
Republican · IncumbentU.S. Representative, North Carolina's 8th District
Mark Harris has represented North Carolina's 8th District since January 20253. A Winston-Salem native, he was a Baptist pastor, including senior pastor of First Baptist Charlotte, and president of the North Carolina Baptist Convention from 2011 to 20132. He is the Republican nominee for re-election5.
Where they stand 9 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Transgender athletesNo, and Congress should set a biological sex rule nationwidemedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a federal rule basing girls' and women's school sports eligibility on sex at birth. (2025-01-14) source
Mandatory minimumsAdd or lengthen them for serious crimes like fentanyl traffickingmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the HALT Fentanyl Act, which permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I and applies mandatory minimum sentences to trafficking them. (2025-06-12) source
Income taxesCut taxes across the board, including for top earners and corporationsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which made the 2017 individual tax cuts permanent, including the 37% top rate, and extended business tax breaks. (2025-07-03) source
Safety net programsKeep them, but add work requirements for able-bodied adultsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which added work requirements for able-bodied adults on Medicaid and expanded SNAP work requirements. (2025-07-03) source
HealthcarePrivate insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditionsmedium
Voted · medium confidenceImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadymedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the Secure America Act, which provides about $70 billion for immigration enforcement and border security through 2029. (2026-06-09) source
Politicians trading stocksNo, ban it for members and their spousesmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the Stop Insider Trading Act, which bars members of Congress, their spouses and dependents from buying new individual stocks. (2026-07-22) source
AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestlow
Said · low confidence- His campaign says he believes in the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural end. (2026) source
Aid to UkraineNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against the Ukraine Support Act, which provides military aid to Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia. (2026-06-04) source
No public position found on: National debt, Social Security, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Guns, Trade and tariffs, Foreign policy, Energy and climate, Judges, Marijuana, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, DEI programs, Religion in schools, Aid to Israel, China policy.
Colby Watson
DemocratPrivate citizen (small business owner)
Colby Watson was born and raised in Union County, was homeschooled, and worked in masonry, construction and farming before running his own small business for more than a decade1. He is the Democratic nominee10.
Where they stand 8 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Politicians trading stocksNo, ban it for members and their spousesmedium
Said · medium confidence- Wants to ban members of Congress from buying, selling or trading individual stocks while in office. (2026) source
Campaign financeOverturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaignsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Supports a constitutional amendment to overturn the effects of Citizens United and campaign finance reform to reduce special-interest money. (2026) source
Business regulationStronger rules on big corporations, banks and tech companiesmedium
Foreign policyLead with diplomacy and aid more than military forcemedium
Said · medium confidence- Supports stronger congressional war powers, peace through strength and diplomacy rather than endless war, and no weapons for governments that violate human rights. (2026) source
ImmigrationTighter border security plus a path to legal status for long-time residentslow
Said · low confidence- Supports a secure border with more technology and staffing, a faster legal immigration process, and enforcement focused on violent criminals. (2026) source
- Says many people already here have worked, paid taxes and raised families for years and calls for common sense and humanity rather than one-size-fits-all policies. (2026) source
AI regulationNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Wants clear, enforceable guardrails on AI to protect privacy, jobs and safety while keeping the U.S. ahead of China. (2026) source
Kids onlineNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Wants to ban social media companies from collecting data on children under 18. (2026) source
Term limitsNo single answer fitsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Said term limits for members of Congress are important but only part of the solution to corruption. (2025) source
No public position found on: Income taxes, National debt, Social Security, Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Trade and tariffs, Energy and climate, Judges, Marijuana, Redistricting, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, Aid to Israel, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.
Bo Whitehead
GreenPrivate citizen
Bo Whitehead moved to Charlotte from rural Georgia about three years ago and is the main caregiver for his wife, who was permanently disabled by an attack1. He is the Green Party nominee23.
Where they stand 6 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
HealthcareGovernment-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)medium
Said · medium confidence- Calls for universal health care to be implemented as soon as possible. (2026) source
Childcare and pre-KGuarantee low-cost childcare for all families plus universal pre-Kmedium
Said · medium confidence- Calls for universal child care. (2026) source
Minimum wageRaise it higher and tie it to the cost of livingmedium
Said · medium confidence- Supports a $25 minimum wage. (2026) source
ImmigrationMuch more open immigration with less enforcementmedium
Said · medium confidence- Wants to end ICE, overhaul the immigration system and shut down detention centers. (2026) source
Paid leaveNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Supports mandatory maternity leave and vacation for all workers. (2026) source
Energy and climateNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Wants to expand wind and solar power, build electric vehicle infrastructure and hold polluters accountable. (2026) source
No public position found on: Income taxes, National debt, Social Security, Safety net programs, Business regulation, Abortion, Guns, Trade and tariffs, Foreign policy, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, Aid to Israel, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.