Dan McCready withdraws concession to Mark Harris in District 9 race

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Democrat Dan McCready has taken back his concession to Republican Mark Harris in the U.S. House District 9 election.

McCready and Harris went head-to-head in the tight congressional race Nov. 6. McCready conceded the race a day later.

[SPECIAL SECTION: District 9 investigation]

[US House District 9 race investigation: How we got here]

McCready came to the Channel 9 studios Thursday and told political reporter Joe Bruno that he is withdrawing his concession

>> McCready spoke only with Channel 9's political reporter Joe Bruno about his decision to re-enter the race and the shocking allegations that have surfaced over the last week. Watch more from the exclusive interview in the video at the top of this page.

His announcement comes amid a state investigation into possible election fraud in Bladen and Robeson counties.

Channel 9 found a photograph showing Harris and McRae Dowless, the man at the center of the investigation into absentee ballots in Bladen County, in the same room a year before the election.

Channel 9 anchor Paul Boyd followed the trail of hundreds of other questionable ballots in Robeson County. There are now calls for Gov. Roy Cooper to step in and create a task force dedicated to the investigation.

Channel 9 reached out to Harris repeatedly but has not heard back.

Channel 9 did contact Dallas Woodhouse, the executive director of the North Carolina Republican party.

"There is no possible way that (Harris) knew about this potential illegal behavior,” Woodhouse said. “If there are people that worked for him that did, they would have had to hide it."

A spokesperson for NCSBE told Bruno that announcements are planned Friday for the date of the evidentiary hearing. The NCSBE is still trying to determine where the hearing, which has to be before Dec. 21, will be. The announcement was expected to come on Friday, per sources.

"Over the last week, we have seen the criminal activity come to light, and we have seen that my opponent Mark Harris has bankrolled this activity," McCready said. "As of today, I am withdrawing my concession to Mark Harris and, furthermore, I call on Mark Harris to tell the people exactly what he knew and when he knew it."

Unofficial totals have Harris leading McCready by 905 votes. But the state elections board refused to certify the results last week because of allegations of "irregularities and concerted fraudulent activities" involving mail-in ballots in the district. The board is meeting later this month to hear evidence, but it's unclear whether the race will be settled then. The board could order a new election.

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