MATTHEWS, N.C. -- With just days left in the campaign, both candidates in the 9th Congressional District race are making their last push.

  • Republican Dan Bishop is facing off against Democrat Dan McCready
  • The race is set to be a nail-biter
  • Early voting is currently underway, and continues through next week

Republican Dan Bishop is facing off against Democrat Dan McCready in a special election on September 10. The new race was called after last fall’s general election became the subject of an absentee ballot fraud investigation.

Special elections are traditionally low turnout events. Both candidates say they are working to motivate voters to go to the polls, relying on phone banks and community canvassing in these final days.

Bishop, who has been out-fundraised by his Democratic rival, is getting a boost from national conservative groups like the National Republican Congressional Committee to help spread his message. They are spending millions on ad buys in this traditionally Republican district.

“They’ve been active in the campaign to help us even up a playing field which was otherwise horribly tilted,” Bishop said.

Special guests are also dropping by to voice their support for Bishop, including President Donald Trump, who is scheduled to hold a rally in Fayetteville the night before election day.

“I think it will be a great opportunity for people to see the president and hear from the president, because the president believes this race is important,” Bishop said.

Asked how he can counter the presidential visit, McCready said his campaign is going to "keep doing our thing" and talking to voters.

McCready points to his ground game, noting that more than 2,000 people have already volunteered for his campaign.

“In the face of all of these negative attack ads, if we actually have somebody talking with [voters] at the doors or on the phone about needing to work together, bring this country together to lower healthcare costs and strengthen our public schools, I think that can really cut through,” he said.

McCready, who has been effectively campaigning for two years now, has also received support from outside spending groups, like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

The race is set to be a nail-biter. Internal polling from both sides suggests this race is going to be neck-and-neck.

Early voting is currently underway, and continues through next week.