CONCORD, N.C. -- Candidates in North Carolina's 9th congressional district race have starkly different views on what to do about guns and birthright citizenship.

As part of Spectrum News' across-the-state barnstorm ahead of election day, both Dan McCready and Mark Harris had a chance weigh in on the latest news out of Washington. Election watchers consider the race to replace outgoing Republican Congressman Robert Pittenger to be a "toss-up."

 

Birthright citizenship

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump called for an end to birthright citizenship, which grants citizenship to those born in the United States regardless of who their parents are. The president suggested he could overturn the practice with an executive order.

Harris, a Republican and former Baptist preacher, appeared to endorse the president's idea. "It's no question that the 14th amendment was based around the issue of slavery and making sure the children of slaves were citizens. Not necessarily to protect illegal aliens who come into this country and give birth," he said.

McCready, a Democrat and businessman, raised concerns about whether the president can use an executive order to end the practice. "I agree with Speaker Ryan that that's something that needs to be handled through a constitutional amendment," he said. "I think this points to the need for comprehensive immigration reform."

If the president does take action to reverse birthright citizenship, legal experts believe he will likely face challenges in court. The policy stems from the 14th amendment to the Constitution.

 

Guns

After the deadly synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, the national conversation has once again returned to how to end the cycle of violence and mass shootings.

Asked about gun control, Harris suggested that is not the answer. "The guns themselves are not necessarily the problem, it is the people behind the use of those guns and it is the things that have lead to those moments that I think we’ve got to be able to get a grip on," he said.

McCready questioned whether armed guards were the best answer to end mass casualty events, siting how several law enforcement officials were injured responding to Saturday morning incident. The president said if there was an armed guard guard at the synagogue, it may have reduced the number of casualties

McCready instead pointed to background checks. "Law abiding gun owners like myself need to go through a background check. Someone who would do harm should have to go through a background check as well, and I think that’s something that 90 percent of law abiding gun owners - Republicans and Democrats - could understand," he said.



 

The President

After a series of pipe bombs were sent in the mail to prominent Democrats and critics of the president -- individuals that the president also frequently criticizes on Twitter and rallies -- some Democrats have suggested the president should do more to lower the temperature of the country by changing his rhetoric.

Harris defended the president. 

"There's no question we have to be conscious of our rhetoric, but we can't just stop campaigning and cannot stop pointing out differences between the sides," he said. "I think that's an important distinction that the president has tried to make, and that I have made on the campaign trail."

McCready - without naming the president directly - criticized the state of national discourse.

"I think this is a time where we need to come together as Americans, we need to condemn the violence that is happening. We need to condemn the racism ad fear. We need much better rhetoric and that starts at the top," he said.