A spokesman for a Republican House candidate in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District on Thursday accused his Democratic opponent Dan McCready of suspending his campaign as a “gimmick,” and not over fears of the impending landfall of Hurricane Florence.
“It’s a transparent gimmick designed to score political points by taking advantage of a dangerous situation,” spokesman for Mark Harris’ campaign Jordan Shaw said on Thursday, the News & Observer reported.
McCready announced he would be suspending his campaign on Wednesday ahead of Hurricane Florence making landfall in the Carolinas.
“I am ordering the suspension of the campaign. This is not a time to focus on politics, it’s a time to focus on the safety of the people of North Carolina,” McCready said in a statement Wednesday. “That’s why we have directed all TV stations to suspend our campaign ads.”
McCready’s spokesman said the move to suspend the campaign ahead of November’s midterm elections was solely due to the threat North Carolinians were facing with the impending hurricane.
“Dan suspended his campaign because North Carolinians’ lives and homes are under threat, and we are not going to engage in a petty political back and forth,” McCready spokesman Aaron Simpson said. “We said we’re suspending our campaign, and we meant it.”
In contrast, the Republican candidate took out additional ads as the hurricane approached, which appeared on the Weather Channel’s website.
Shaw said Harris would not be suspending his campaign, but that they would be monitoring the storm.
“Please put safety first, and please reach out with a helping hand to anyone suffering as a result of this storm,” Harris said in the email to supporters on Thursday.
