A conservative political action committee based in Virginia is throwing its support behind Republican State Representative Grey Mills from Iredell in North Carolina’s 10th Congressional District primary, airing an advertisement that accuses his opponent, Pat Harrigan, of adopting a lenient stance on immigration.
The congressional seat, currently held by Representative Patrick McHenry, a notable Republican and former interim House Speaker, will be vacant as McHenry has opted not to seek reelection.
Encompassing Lincoln, Catawba, and Iredell counties, the 10th District extends northeastward to include Winston-Salem.
In the commercial aired by the GOPAC Election Fund, Mills is portrayed as staunchly opposed to illegal immigration, while Harrigan is depicted as aligned with President Biden, allegedly advocating for granting citizenship to four million undocumented immigrants.
The ad references a statement attributed to Harrigan from a 2022 interview with WFAE, where Harrigan, a firearms manufacturer, expressed openness to facilitating citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children. However, Harrigan emphasized the importance of first securing the southern border and reforming the immigration system.
Asserting that “there has to be a pathway to citizenship,” Harrigan drew a comparison between the United States and countries like Russia, North Korea, China, and Nazi Germany, emphasizing the importance of not adopting similar deportation practices.
Harrigan’s comments were made during his previous bid for the 14th Congressional District against Democrat Jeff Jackson, a seat that has since been redrawn and was historically Democratic-leaning.
With border security concerns escalating, particularly among Republicans, the issue has taken center stage nationally, notably emphasized by the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump.
The winner of the GOP primary scheduled for March 5 is expected to hold a significant advantage in the November election in the 10th District.
While Mills and Harrigan are perceived as frontrunners in the primary race, Charles Eller, Diana Jimison, and Angelynn McGowan are also vying for the nomination.
The GOPAC Election Fund, which is endorsing seven Republicans across the country, is not only supporting Mills but also backing House Speaker Tim Moore in the 14th District.
