Former Meck County commissioner announces candidacy in new election for NC-09

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Matthew Ridenhour, the former Mecklenburg County Commissioner who lost his re-election bid last November, has announced that he will be running for the NC-09 Congressional seat.

The announcement came during an interview on Wednesday morning with Pat McRory on WBT and Ridenhour is now expected to begin campaigning across the region.

Ridenhour says he plans “to beat” Dan McCready in the special election.

“I’m disgusted by what I see in DC - politicians who can’t get results and hard-working Americans who are subservient to monied lobbyists,” Ridenhour said.

Ridenhour was elected to the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners for District 5 in 2012.

The NC-09 seat was left vacant after the State Board of Elections discovered fraud in the original race between Republican candidate Mark Harris and Democratic candidate Dan McCready.

Ridenhour is the third Republican candidate to official join the race, following the announcements by Stony Rushing and David Blackwelder declaring their candidacy as well.

Primaries for the new election will be held on May 14 and a general election for the seat has been scheduled for September 10.

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On the fourth day of the North Carolina State Board of Elections hearing, the board voted unanimously to hold a new election in the 9th District.

Prior to the vote, Republican Mark Harris called for a new election.

The hearing disclosed evidence into a months-long investigation into alleged election fraud in the 9th District.

The investigation began in late November after the NCSBE voted to not certify the results of the 9th Congressional District race where Republican Mark Harris led Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes after the November general election.

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