Republican Dan Bishop narrowly defeated Democrat Dan McCready on Tuesday in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District, with a strong showing in suburban Union County and three rural eastern counties.
With 99% of precincts reporting, Bishop led McCready 50.8% to 48.6% in a race that analysts saw as a harbinger for 2020.
Bishop rolled up big margins in Union County and carried Richmond and Cumberland counties, which McCready had won last fall over Republican Mark Harris. He trailed McCready by just over 200 votes in Robeson County, which McCready won handily in 2018. Turnout was about 37%.
On Monday President Donald Trump rallied Bishop supporters in Fayetteville and Vice President Mike Pence crossed the district stumping for Bishop. Pence also appeared on WBT radio Tuesday morning for a final plug.