Share

Former Pastor Unseats Sitting US Congressman

Share

In a stunning upset Tuesday night, Mark Harris — a former Charlotte megachurch pastor — defeated U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger in a North Carolina Republican primary.

Harris is running to represent the 9th Congressional District, which includes southeastern Charlotte and extends east to Fayetteville.

In Tuesday’s primary, Harris took 48.5 percent of the vote to Pittenger’s 46.2 percent. The election was a rematch from 2016, when Harris lost to the congressman by 134 votes, The Charlotte Observer reported.

Pittenger — elected to the seat in 2012 — became the first sitting member of Congress to be voted out of office in 2018.

In his victory speech on Tuesday night, Harris said, “I invite the congressman and his supporters to join our journey as we focus on keeping the 9th District red in November, ensuring the hard-working people of the 9th District have a congressman who is focused on representing them and their values.”

Trending:
Federal Judge Has Bad News for Hunter Biden, Says There's Zero Evidence His Charges Are Politically Motivated

The Republican candidate will face Democrat Dan McCready in what is expected to be a close race.

Harris told CBN News that he believes it is important for Christians, and especially pastors, to be involved in politics.

“There is no realm that God has made an exception for that he doesn’t intend for believers to be salt and light,” he said. “Every arena God expects us to be engaged.”

David Lane, founder of the American Renewal Project, strongly backed Harris’ candidacy.

Do you support ministers running for public office?

His organization aims to encourage and equip pastors to run for office, according to CBN News. Lane said he personally knows of at least 300 pastors running for office at the local level.

“A grassroots, precinct-level explosion is occurring across the country by evangelical and pro-life Catholic Christians,” Lane said.

The leader hopes the trend will continue into the 2020 elections, with even more pastors throwing their hats in the ring.

“Imagine in 2020 a thousand evangelical pastors running for local office: city council, school board, parks and recreation,” he said. “If they averaged 500 volunteers per campaign, that would be a 500,000 grassroots, precinct-level explosion in the public square on November 3, 2020.”

The Pew Research Center noted the very first speaker of the House of Representatives, Frederick Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania, was an ordained Lutheran preacher.

Related:
DeSantis Declares 'We Have Been Vindicated' as Disney Concedes Defeat in Long-Running Legal Battle


Muhlenberg’s signature as speaker can be seen prominently on the Bill of Rights.

His brother Peter Muhlenberg, also a Lutheran minister, won a seat in the first Congress too. Prior to that, he served simultaneously as a pastor and member of the Virginia legislature.

During the Revolutionary War, Peter Muhlenberg raised a regiment of soldiers among the members of his congregation in Northern Virginia.

He reputedly concluded his last sermon to his flock by borrowing from the wisdom of the Bible’s King Solomon: “(I)n the language of holy writ, there is a time for all things. There is a time to preach and a time to pray, but those times have passed away. And there is a time to fight, and that time has now come!”

The parson then took off his clerical gown to reveal a Virginia colonel’s uniform underneath. A statue depicting the moment stands in the U.S. Capitol.


According to Pew, six of the 91 total members of the first Congress were ministers.

Additionally, at least nine ministers served in the Continental Congress, with John Witherspoon, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, perhaps the most well known.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, , , , , ,
Share
Randy DeSoto has written more than 2,000 articles for The Western Journal since he joined the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."
Randy DeSoto is the senior staff writer for The Western Journal. He wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.

Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean's list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Professional Memberships
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment, Faith




Conversation