NEW: Six-figure TV ad buy calls for new election in NC-09

Progress NC Action running ads in Charlotte TV market, select cable networks calling for a do-over in NC-09 after potential GOP election fraud

CHARLOTTE — Progress NC Action is announcing a six-figure television and digital ad buy starting on Wednesday, calling for a new election in the 9th Congressional District in light of mounting evidence of a Republican vote-theft scheme in Bladen County and potentially Robeson County as well.

The 30-second TV ad will air on stations in the Charlotte market, as well as in Robeson and Scotland counties, and on select cable networks starting on Wednesday. Click here to watch the full ad.

“A new election is the only way to ensure that democracy is upheld in the Ninth District,” said Gerrick Brenner, executive director of Progress NC Action. “Potentially thousands of absentee ballots appear to have been illegally manipulated, while Mark Harris leads by just 905 votes. There’s no way of knowing how many McCready votes were thrown out by the Harris campaign, and a new election is necessary to ensure everyone’s vote is counted.”

GOP operative McCrae Dowless — himself a convicted felon — is accused of paying self-described drug users in cash on behalf of the Harris campaign to illegally collect absentee ballots from voters in the 9th District. While it is unknown exactly how many ballots were altered or thrown out, about 3,400 absentee ballots in Bladen and Robeson counties were requested but not returned. In other cases, voters were told when they went to the polls on election day that they had already voted absentee.

But regardless how many ballots were tampered with, this election fraud has tainted the results of the entire election and cast doubt on its fairness.  A new election is the only way to make sure justice is truly served and faith in democracy is maintained in the Ninth Congressional District.

“A new election is absolutely necessary given that the NCGOP ignored warnings about Bladen County election fraud as early as May,” added Brenner. “Instead of investigating these reports, the NCGOP gave $17,000 to Dowless’s company while this apparent criminal scheme was taking place. In addition to a new election, the State Board of Elections, state and federal prosecutors must get to the bottom of this conspiracy to steal votes. And investigators must determine – what did Mark Harris know about this election fraud? And when did he know it?”