Mark Everette Harris

Mark Everette Harris is the incumbent Republican U.S. Representative for North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District, seeking a second term in the 2026 general election on November 3, 2026. Members of the U.S. House must be at least 25 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for seven years, and reside in the state they represent, duties Harris fulfills as a resident of Monroe, NC, and a longtime North Carolina citizen ¹¹².

Born on April 24, 1966, in Winston‑Salem, North Carolina, Harris graduated from R.J. Reynolds High School before earning a B.A. in political science from Appalachian State University in 1987. He later received a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry in Christian Leadership from the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary ¹²¹⁴.

Harris’s professional life has been rooted in ministry. He served as senior pastor of Curtis Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia (2000-2005), then led First Baptist Church in Charlotte, before becoming lead pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Mooresville, North Carolina, a position he has held since February 2020 ¹². He also served as president of the North Carolina Baptist Convention (2011‑2013) and sat on the board of the Biblical Recorder and as a trustee of his seminary alma mater ¹²¹⁴.

His political career began with a 2014 run for the U.S. Senate, where he placed third in the Republican primary. He pursued a seat in the U.S. House from the 9th District in 2016 and 2018, winning the 2018 Republican primary and initially appearing to win the general election before the race was invalidated due to ballot‑fraud allegations involving a campaign operative; Harris himself was never charged ¹²¹⁹. After the 9th‑District seat was reassigned, Harris announced a bid for the newly drawn 8th District in 2024, won a crowded Republican primary, and defeated Democrat Justin Dues in the November 2024 general election, becoming the district’s representative on January 3, 2025 ^1121920.

In Congress, Harris serves on the Agriculture Committee (including subcommittees on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, and Risk Management) and the Judiciary Committee (Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, Antitrust; Constitution and Limited Government) as well as the Education and Workforce Committee. He has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump and the House Freedom Caucus, and he emphasizes pro‑family values, strong national defense, border security, and local control of education ¹¹⁹.

Harris’s 2026 campaign is being run through the “Mark Harris for Congress” committee, which reported $749,385 in receipts and $457,380 in expenditures for the 2024‑25 cycle, reflecting a well‑funded operation for a district that leans heavily Republican ¹¹. He continues to promote constituent services through his Washington and Monroe offices, offering assistance with federal agencies and community outreach ¹⁸.

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