WASHINGTON, D.C. -- It is an election cycle that has lasted for nearly two years and soon there will be some answers in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District.

• Steven Billet, a political expert at The George Washington University, says the race is serving as a sort-of “test ground” for the parties as they try out political messages that could be replicated nationwide in 2020
• Billet also notes that the race and the results could provide a reminder to Democrats, as they try to figure out how to balance the divide between the moderate and left flanks of their party
• One of the big questions is how much the cases of election fraud from last fall will impact voter choices, especially now that the Republicans have a new candidate

But beyond the election day results, the matchup between Democrat Dan McCeady and Republican Dan Bishop could offer some lessons as well.

Steven Billet, a political expert at The George Washington University, says the race is serving as a sort-of “test ground” for the parties as they try out political messages that could be replicated nationwide in 2020.

McCready is airing ads focused on health care, as he works to frame himself as a moderate in a district the president carried by roughly a dozen points in 2016.

“I’ll work with Democrats and Republicans - to make healthcare affordable,” McCready says, staring straight into the camera, in a recent advertisement.

Bishop meanwhile has launched an ad going after Democrats on Capitol Hill, including the so-called “squad” of more liberal lawmakers who have been a favorite target of the president recently.

“I’ll go to Congress and fight these clowns for you,” Bishop says in an ad, before an announcer describes congressional Democrats as “liberals” and “socialists.”

“I think they probably are finding that some of their appeals related to socialism and far left posture-taking by other people in the party are being pretty well-received by elements of the population,” Billet said.

Billet also notes that the race and the results could provide a reminder to Democrats, as they try to figure out how to balance the divide between the moderate and left flanks of their party.

“If McCready won, I think that’d reinforce for the party the fact that there’s a place in the party for a candidate running on a moderate, more centrist posture,” he said.

Of course, the 9th District is also a special case. One of the big questions is how much the cases of election fraud from last fall will impact voter choices, especially now that the Republicans have a new candidate.

Election day is Tuesday, Sept. 10.