CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Republican Mark Harris and Democrat Dan McCready are set to square off this week in a debate.

• A 9th District Congressional Debate is being hosted by Spectrum News this week.
• The event is free and open to the public.
• Sign up to attend here.

Spectrum News is hosting the 9th Congressional District Debate Wednesday, October 17. The free debate is set to get underway at 7:30 p.m. at the McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square in Charlotte.

This congressional race is one of the most-closely watched races in the country.

Harris defeated incumbent Robert Pittenger in May’s primary, which was one of the biggest congressional primaries of the year after Pittenger only defeated Harris by around 134 votes in 2016. McCready handily defeated Christian Cano in the Democratic primary.

The 9th District includes southern Mecklenburg County, all of Union, Anson, Richmond, Scotland, and Robeson counties and large amounts of Cumberland and Bladen counties.

This isn't the first time the two met for a debate. Susan Roberts, a political science professor at Davidson College, says both candidates were criticized previously for not giving specific answers.

"What you want to do if you're Harris or McCready is get your votes in the bank and get people out to vote," she said.

Follow @NCCapTonight on Twitter for the latest from the debate as it takes place from 7:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 17.

About Mark Harris

Rev. Mark Harris is a native of Winston-Salem and has been in ministry since the late 1980s serving in different leadership roles. He graduated from Appalachian State University with a bachelor's degree in political science. He later earned his Master of Divinity and doctor or ministry degree in Christian leadership from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest. He resides in Charlotte with his wife and kids.

To learn more about Mark Harris and his plans for District 9, click here.

About Dan McCready

Dan McCready is a native of Charlotte. After serving in Iraq via the U.S. Marines Corps, he graduated from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. He also graduated from the Harvard Business School with a Master of Business Administration degree. After graduating for Harvard and working at McKinsey & Company, he started a small business that helped build solar farms and an online retailer. He lives in Charlotte with his wife and kids.

To learn more about Dan McCready and his plans for District 9, click here.