North Carolina — 8th District

Colby Watson

Supports middle-class economic relief and housing reforms

Watson focuses on relieving high costs for working families by confronting corporate housing acquisitions and high healthcare expenses. He advocates for protecting small businesses, funding trade apprenticeships, and supporting domestic manufacturing.

• Prohibit large institutional investors and Wall Street firms from purchasing single-family homes.
• Provide support and programs for first-time homebuyers.
• Cut red tape for small businesses, skilled trades, and home construction.
• Invest in trade schools, apprenticeships, and local manufacturing jobs.

“The attempt by institutional investors to own the housing market has driven up prices and squeezed out first-time home buyers.”

Mark Harris

Supports tax cuts and reduced government spending

Harris blames excessive federal spending during the Biden administration for driving inflation and higher costs. He pledges to lower corporate and individual taxes, eliminate regulatory burdens, and balance the federal budget.

• Voted for H.R.1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025) and budget resolution H.Con.Res.14.
• Signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge with Americans for Tax Reform.
• Advocates for a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
• Proposes simplifying the tax code by eliminating unnecessary exemptions and regulations.

“He is determined to deliver legislation that will take the burden of higher costs off of American taxpayers, and is working to ensure the people of NC-08 have more take-home pay so that families can thrive again.”

Colby Watson

Supports border technology and legal immigration reform

Watson supports securing the southern border with technology, infrastructure, and increased personnel to curb drug and human trafficking. He simultaneously advocates for modernizing legal immigration pathways, efficient asylum processing, and holding employers accountable for exploiting undocumented workers.

• Deploy modern technology, infrastructure, and staffing at the southern border.
• Target law enforcement resources toward fentanyl trafficking and criminal organizations.
• Modernize legal immigration and expedite asylum case processing.
• Penalize employers who knowingly exploit undocumented labor.

“Secure our southern border with modern technology, infrastructure, and adequate staffing.”

Mark Harris

Supports strict enforcement, border wall, and ending sanctuary cities

Harris advocates for strong border security including building the border wall, strict enforcement of existing immigration laws, and penalizing sanctuary jurisdictions. He supported key congressional measures to mandate federal detention and deportation for noncitizens charged with certain offenses.

• Voted for the Laken Riley Act (S.5) requiring detention of noncitizens arrested for burglary or theft.
• Voted for the SAVE Act (H.R.22) requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections.
• Voted for H.R.875 making DUI offenses grounds for deportation or inadmissibility.
• Calls for building a physical wall along the southern border and defunding sanctuary cities.

“Mark asserts that the current state of our borders, exacerbated by Biden's weak border policies, has created unprecedented challenges for our nation.”

Colby Watson

Supports universal access, antitrust enforcement, and lower drug costs

Watson views healthcare as a right rather than a profit mechanism and aims to prevent medical debt bankruptcies. He supports lowering prescription drug prices, strengthening antitrust enforcement against health sector mergers, and protecting rural hospitals.

• Lower prescription drug costs and reduce administrative overhead.
• Enforce antitrust laws to prevent anti-competitive healthcare and pharmaceutical consolidations.
• Protect independent doctors, local clinics, and rural medical centers.

“Healthcare has become an absolute nightmare for many. Medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy in the US, causing financial ruin for millions.”

Mark Harris

Supports repealing Obamacare and expanding free-market choices

Harris supports repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act with a free-market, patient-centered system. He advocates for allowing health insurance purchases across state lines and expanding Health Savings Accounts.

• Repeal and replace Obamacare.
• Allow insurance sales across state lines to increase market competition.
• Expand Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to lower out-of-pocket costs.

“Repeal and Replace Obamacare. Congress has promised to fix this national disaster known as Obamacare.”

Colby Watson

Supports campaign finance reform and stock trading bans

Watson makes campaign finance reform and eliminating money in politics a central pillar of his platform. He supports banning stock trading by members of Congress, reversing Citizens United, and restricting corporate lobbying.

• Ban members of Congress from buying, selling, or trading stocks.
• Support a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.
• Reject contributions from corporate or foreign-interest lobbyists.
• Strengthen ethics laws, revolving-door restrictions, and whistleblower protections.

“End corruption and take money out of politics. Our democracy has been hijacked by big money and special interests.”

Mark Harris

Supports term limits and judicial authority limits

Harris focuses government reform efforts on enacting congressional term limits and curbing the power of federal district courts. He signed a pledge with U.S. Term Limits and voted for legislation limiting nationwide judicial injunctions.

• Signed the U.S. Term Limits candidate pledge and advocates for a constitutional term limits amendment.
• Voted for the No Rogue Rulings Act (NORRA of 2025) to restrict district court injunctions to immediate parties.
• Voted for the Epstein Files Transparency Act (H.R.4405) requiring DOJ document releases.

“I am a firm supporter of term limits. I believe that this is the only way to truly DRAIN THE SWAMP and break the backs of the special interests and lobbyists that control DC.”

Colby Watson

Supports public school funding, teacher pay raises, and career education

Watson, a homeschooling father, respects parents' rights while advocating for increased investment in public education and higher pay for teachers. He emphasizes career and technical training alongside special education funding.

• Increase public school teacher salaries.
• Expand vocational, career, technical, and trade apprenticeship programs.
• Fully fund special education and Title I support for high-need schools.
• Prohibit social media companies from harvesting data from minors under 18.

“As a homeschooling father of two children, I support parents’ rights to educate their children how they see fit.”

Mark Harris

Supports school choice and local control of education

Harris advocates for school choice empowering parents to choose public, private, charter, or homeschool education. He supports decentralizing federal authority over education and transferring control back to states and local boards.

• Support parent choice among public, private, charter, and homeschool options.
• Decentralize federal control by scaling back the U.S. Department of Education.
• Voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (H.R.28) restricting female athletic participation to biological females.

“While Mark firmly supports a strong public education system, he believes parents, not the Federal Government, should have the final say in how to educate their children.”

Colby Watson

Supports funding police, combating fentanyl, and expanding mental health care

Watson calls for adequately funding and training police officers while taking direct action against violent crime and drug trafficking. He supports treating addiction as a public health issue, expanding domestic violence shelters, and strengthening crisis intervention.

• Provide funding, training, and community partnerships for local police departments.
• Target illicit fentanyl traffickers while expanding addiction treatment.
• Expand emergency services, domestic violence shelters, and community mental health resources.

“Our police are neighbors who run toward danger. Fund them, train them, and stand with them.”

Mark Harris

Supports law enforcement and strict criminal accountability

Harris emphasizes law and order, arguing that firm law enforcement and strict criminal prosecution are essential for community safety. He has supported federal legislation creating strict penalties for noncitizens convicted or charged with crimes.

• Champion law enforcement and hold criminals strictly accountable.
• Voted for the Laken Riley Act (S.5) mandating detention for theft suspects.
• Voted for DUI deportation legislation (H.R.875).

“A society that fails to uphold its laws emboldens those who break them.”

Colby Watson

Opposes endless foreign interventions and supports diplomatic accountability

Watson opposes foreign entanglements lacking clear national objectives and calls an end to endless wars. He advocates for diplomacy, international accountability, and foreign policy centered on American interests and human rights.

• Oppose prolonged military conflicts lacking defined exit strategies.
• Pursue national security through diplomacy, trade, and rule of law.
• Ensure foreign policy and alliances benefit American workers and human rights.

“No more forever wars.”

Mark Harris

Supports military expansion and strong defense of Israel

Harris advocates for strong military spending to deter foreign adversaries and support international allies. He emphasizes strong support for Israel and proactive defense against radical terrorism.

• Increase military funding and bolster defense capabilities.
• Provide strong support for Israel.
• Proactively combat radical Islamic extremism.

“Our country should continue its unwavering support for the nation of Israel, and should absolutely continue to be pro-active in our defense against radical Muslims that would seek to cause us harm.”

Colby Watson

Supports VA reform, mental health care, and PACT Act fulfillment

Watson focuses on improving VA efficiency and expanding localized healthcare for veterans. He emphasizes mental health treatment, suicide prevention, and fully implementing benefits for toxic exposures under the PACT Act.

• Reduce wait times and bureaucracy across the VA health system.
• Expand community-based and in-home care options.
• Fully honor toxic exposure benefits provided under the PACT Act.
• Enhance suicide prevention and transition programs for veteran employment.

“Fully honor the PACT Act and ensure veterans exposed to toxic substances receive the care and benefits they have earned.”

Mark Harris

Supports honoring veterans and fulfilling military commitments

Harris, whose father was a World War II POW, pledges unwavering support for active military service members and veterans. He emphasizes providing veterans with full care and benefits after their service.

• Honor commitments to military service members during and after active duty.
• Ensure veterans receive full benefits and healthcare support.

“We owe them a debt of gratitude and all the tools they need while service as well as honoring our commitment to our veterans after their service.”

Mark Harris

Opposes abortion and supports traditional family structure

Harris is an outspoken pro-life leader who believes human life begins at conception and advocates for restricting abortion. He also defends traditional marriage, having supported North Carolina's 2012 marriage amendment.

• Supports legal protections for the unborn from conception onward.
• Supports judicial appointments aimed at reversing federal abortion mandates.
• Defends traditional marriage between one man and one woman.

“Mark fervently believes in the sanctity of all human life, from conception to natural end.”