Dan McCready

McCready is from Charlotte, North Carolina, and graduated from Myers Park High School in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools system. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Duke University in 2005.{{Cite news|url=http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2018/06/thirteen-duke-alumni-seek-congress-seats-this-year|title=Thirteen Duke alumni seek seats in Congress this year|work=The Chronicle|access-date=August 1, 2018}} He then served as a captain in the United States Marine Corps and was deployed to Iraq in 2007 and 2008, where he led two platoons.{{Cite news|url=https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article212479684.html|title=A Democrat who talks like a Republican could steal a major NC race from the GOP|work=mcclatchydc|access-date=August 1, 2018|language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Blatten |first1=Taylor |title=In Pittenger-McCready race, who would dish out the stress? |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/taylor-batten/article208187784.html |work=The Charlotte Observer |language=en}} Following his military service, he returned to university for graduate work, earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School.{{Cite web|url=https://www.alumni.hbs.edu/stories/Pages/story-bulletin.aspx?num=6436|title=Paving the Way for Veterans to Serve in Congress - Alumni - Harvard Business School|website=www.alumni.hbs.edu|language=en|access-date=August 1, 2018}}{{cite news| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/12/opinion/mccready-north-carolina-lamb.html| title = Renounce Nancy Pelosi, Ignore Donald Trump — and Win? | work = The New York Times| date = May 12, 2018| accessdate= July 31, 2018}}

After earning his MBA in 2011, McCready worked for a year as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company.{{cite web |last1=Mildenberg |first1=David |title=Solar investing, war experience spur McCready's political career |url=http://businessnc.com/solar-investing-war-experience-spur-mccreadys-political-career/ |website=Business North Carolina |publisher=Business North Carolina |accessdate=December 27, 2018 |date=March 30, 2018}} He left the company in 2013 to cofound Double Time Capital, a solar-focused clean energy fund, with partner Rye Barcott.{{cite web |last1=QUITTNER |first1=JEREMY |title=These Marines Beat the Odds to Build a Solar Energy Fund |url=http://fortune.com/2017/02/22/marines-solar-energy-fund/ |website=Fortune |publisher=Time Inc. |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=321382403&privcapId=321379719&previousCapId=321379719&previousTitle=Double%20Time%20Capital,%20LLC|title=Company Overview of Double Time Capital, LLC|website=Bloomberg.com|access-date=August 1, 2018}} As of February 2017, "Double Time has financed 36 solar energy projects, which collectively produce roughly 10% of North Carolina's solar power and power around 30,000 homes in the state."{{cite web|last1=Quittner|first1=Jeremy|title=These Marines Beat the Odds to Build a Solar Energy Fund|url=http://fortune.com/2017/02/22/marines-solar-energy-fund/|website=Fortune.com|accessdate=April 16, 2018}} At that time, North Carolina was the second ranked state in the United States based on the cumulative amount of solar electric capacity installed.{{cite web|title=North Carolina Solar|url=https://www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/north-carolina-solar|website=SEIA.org|accessdate=April 16, 2018}}

In 2014, McCready founded This Land, an online store for American crafts that highlighted the work of skilled craftspeople from economically depressed areas who otherwise do not have the means to market their products to broad audiences.{{cite news |last1=Bonvissuto |first1=Dominic |title=A Marine Still Fighting |url=http://www.jeansandties.com/dan-mccready-this-land/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150519034835/http://www.jeansandties.com/dan-mccready-this-land/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=May 19, 2015 |accessdate=December 27, 2018 |work=Jeans & Ties |publisher=The OHearn Group |date=July 2, 2014 }}{{cite news |last1=O'Daniel |first1=Adam |title=Made in the USA: Charlotte-based ThisLand.com celebrates American craftsmen |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2014/07/02/made-in-the-usa-charlotte-based-thisland-com.html |accessdate=December 27, 2018 |work=Charlotte Business Journal |publisher=American City Business Journals |date=July 2, 2014}} In 2017, McCready announced that he would be closing the site in order to focus on his campaign for US House of Representatives.{{cite web |last1=McCready |first1=Dan |title=Dear This Land Community |url=http://thisland.com/}}

{{Main|2018 North Carolina's 9th congressional district election}}

In May 2017, McCready announced his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in {{ushr|NC|9}}.{{cite news |last1=Pathé |first1=Simone |title=Pittenger Draws Democratic Challenger in North Carolina |url=https://www.rollcall.com/politics/robert-pittenger-dan-mccready-challenger |accessdate=December 27, 2018 |work=Roll Call |publisher=FiscalNote |date=May 24, 2017 |language=en |archive-date=November 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106235815/https://www.rollcall.com/politics/robert-pittenger-dan-mccready-challenger |url-status=dead }} On May 8, 2018, McCready easily won the Democratic Party primary election{{Cite news|url=http://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2018/05/09/dan-mccready-wins-democratic-primary|title=Dan McCready on winning Democratic Primary|access-date=August 1, 2018|language=en}} while former pastor Mark Harris unseated incumbent representative Robert Pittenger in the Republican primary.{{cite news |last=Morrill |first=Jim |date=May 8, 2018 |title=Challenger Mark Harris stuns U.S. Rep. Pittenger of NC in GOP primary upset |url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article210238329.html |work=Charlotte Observer |location=Charlotte, N.C. |access-date=May 12, 2018 }} The New York Times described the race between Harris and McCready as a "top-tier contest".{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/upshot/elections-poll-nc09-1.html|title=We polled voters in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District|work=The New York Times|accessdate=October 23, 2018}} A CBS News story called the race "one of the most competitive".{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/north-carolina-congressional-race-could-be-key-in-battle-for-the-house/|title=North Carolina congressional race could be key in battle for the House|last=Segers|first=Grace|work=CBS News|date=October 19, 2018|accessdate=October 24, 2018}} On election day, unofficial vote tallies showed Harris defeating McCready by 905 votes, but on November 27, 2018, the North Carolina State Board of Elections and Ethics Reform declined to certify the election results, citing voting irregularities involving absentee ballots in the eastern part of the district.{{cite news| last=Morrill| first=Jim| date=November 29, 2018| title='Tangled web' in Bladen County has questions swirling about votes in the 9th District| url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article222363510.html| work=The Charlotte Observer| location=Charlotte, North Carolina| access-date=November 30, 2018}}{{cite news| last1=Gardner| first1=Amy| last2=Ross| first2=Kirk| date=November 29, 2018| title=Certification in limbo in N.C. House race as fraud investigation continues| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/certification-in-limbo-in-nc-house-race-as-fraud-investigation-continues/2018/11/29/109209f6-f406-11e8-80d0-f7e1948d55f4_story.html| newspaper=The Washington Post| location=Washington, D.C.| access-date=November 30, 2018}} The irregularities became the subject of a criminal investigation into an alleged ballot harvesting scheme to elect the Republican Harris. It was orchestrated by Republican political operative McCrae Dowless in Bladen and Robeson Counties.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/dec/05/north-carolina-election-still-undecided-amid-absentee-ballot-inquiry|title=North Carolina election still undecided amid absentee ballot fraud inquiry|first=Erin|last=Durkin|date=December 5, 2018|via=www.theguardian.com|newspaper=The Guardian}}

The Associated Press subsequently retracted calling the race, pending the ultimate decision of the state board of elections. On November 30, the election board of the district decided to hear evidence about "claims of numerous irregularities and concerted fraudulent activities" at a meeting to be held by December 21, which was subsequently delayed to January 10, 2019, after the new Congress was scheduled to be seated.{{cite news| date=November 30, 2018|author= | title=The Latest: AP Retracts call in North Carolina Congress race| url=https://apnews.com/16671b61ebc24e51afe63372d39f7bd4| work=AP| accessdate=December 1, 2018}}{{cite web |last1=SPECHT |first1=PAUL |last2=MURPHY |first2=BRIAN |title=NC elections board delays hearing on 9th Congressional District irregularities |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article223128390.html |website=The News & Observer |accessdate=December 27, 2018 |language=en}}{{cite magazine| last=Bock Clark| first=Doug| date=December 2, 2018| title=Allegations of G.O.P. Election Fraud Shake North Carolina's Ninth District| url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/allegations-of-gop-election-fraud-shake-north-carolinas-ninth-district| magazine=The New Yorker| location=New York| access-date=December 9, 2018}} McCready withdrew his earlier submitted concession on December 6.{{cite news|date=December 7, 2018| title=North Carolina: Democrat withdraws concession in congressional race| url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/dec/06/north-carolina-democrat-withdraws-concession-congress| agency=Associated Press| work=The Guardian|access-date=December 9, 2018}} In February 2019, the bipartisan election board unanimously determined they would not certify the results because of ballot fraud by Republican operatives. They called for a special election to be held. The state legislature passed a law requiring new party primaries.

{{Main|2019 North Carolina's 9th congressional district special election}}

The election board called a special election to be held for this congressional seat.{{cite web |last1=Caldwell |first1=Leigh Ann |title=New election ordered in North Carolina House district after possible illegal activities |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republican-candidate-mark-harris-calls-new-election-north-carolina-disputed-n974176?cid=public-rss_20190221 |website=NBC News |accessdate=February 21, 2019}} A newly passed law by the North Carolina General Assembly requires such a do-over to include the holding of new preceding primaries for the parties.{{cite news| last=Williams| first=Timothy| date=December 12, 2018| title=North Carolina Legislature Calls for New Primary if New Election Is Held in Disputed District| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/12/us/politics/north-carolina-election-primary.html| work=The New York Times| location=New York| access-date=December 13, 2018}}{{cite news| last=Bruno| first=Joe| date=December 13, 2018| title=Amid fraud probe, an election redo might require new primary for 9th District| url=https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/primary-possible-for-9th-congressional-district/887952535| work=WSOC-TV| location=Charlotte, N.C.| access-date=December 13, 2018}}{{cite news| last=Harrison| first=Steve| date=December 13, 2018| title=Latest On 9th Congressional District Fraud Allegations| url=http://www.wfae.org/post/latest-9th-congressional-district-fraud-allegations#stream/0| work=WFAE 90.7 Charlotte's NPR News Source| location=Charlotte, N.C.| access-date=December 13, 2018}} McCready filed to run in the special election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fayobserver.com/news/20190312/democrat-dan-mccready-files-for-9th-district-congressional-race|title=Democrat Dan McCready files for 9th District Congressional race|last=Woolverton|first=Paul|website=The Fayetteville Observer|language=en|access-date=2019-06-02}} McCready's major party opposition was Republican state senator Dan Bishop. The election was held on September 10.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/14/us/politics/north-carolina-republican-primary.html|title=Dan Bishop Wins North Carolina's Republican Primary for New Congressional Vote|last=Blinder|first=Alan|date=2019-05-14|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-06-02|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}

During the election, President Donald Trump claimed that McCready "wants to take away your guns", "raise your taxes", "likes open borders", and "really admires socialism."{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/18/politics/trump-false-claims-in-greenville-north-carolina-rally/index.html|title=Trump made 20 false claims at his North Carolina rally|author=Daniel Dale and Tara Subramaniam|website=CNN|date=July 18, 2019|access-date=2019-07-22}} CNN described Trump's claims as comprehensively inaccurate, as McCready advocates for tax cuts for the middle class, does not advocate for taking guns away, and supports physical barriers on the border.

On September 10, 2019, Bishop won the 2019 special election to Congress with 50.7% of the vote to McCready's 48.7%.[https://www.politico.com/election-results/2019/north-carolina/special-election/sept-10/ Live results: North Carolina elections], Politico, September 10, 2019.

McCready is married to Laura Thornhill McCready, an attorney.{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina%27s_9th_Congressional_District_election,_2018|title=North Carolina's 9th Congressional District election, 2018|website=Ballotpedia}} They met while students at Duke. They have five children.{{Cite web|url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article218945310.html|title=A former Marine, Dan McCready finds his latest mission in a bid for Congress|last=By|website=charlotteobserver|language=en|access-date=2019-06-02}}

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• [https://www.danmccready.com/ Dan McCready for Congress] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024151531/https://www.danmccready.com/ |date=October 24, 2018 }}

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Category:1983 births

Category:Businesspeople from North Carolina

Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections

Category:Candidates in the 2019 United States elections

Category:Duke University Trinity College of Arts and Sciences alumni

Category:Harvard Business School alumni

Category:Living people

Category:North Carolina Democrats

Category:Politicians from Charlotte, North Carolina