Internet divided over former Green Beret Pat Harrigan's bid for Rep Patrick McHenry's North Carolina seat

HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA: Republican Pat Harrigan, a former Green Beret and businessman, has announced his candidacy for the seat of Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC).

McHenry, who previously served as Speaker pro tempore, and has declared his intention to retire at the end of his current term.

Harrigan's announcement comes as the race for McHenry's seat begins to take shape, with several other candidates expected to enter the race in the coming weeks.

Harrigan's military background and business experience are likely to be key selling points for his campaign, as he seeks to win over voters in what is expected to be a closely contested race.

After Congressman McHenry announced that he would not run for re-election in 2024, Harrigan declared his candidacy for Congress in North Carolina's 10th District.

“Following Congressman McHenrys retirement, I’m running for Congress in North Carolina’s 10th District,” Harrigan said in a post on X on Tuesday, December 5.

Harrigan is currently making his second attempt to secure a position in the United States House of Representatives.

His previous bid was for the 14th District seat, which was ultimately claimed by Democratic Representative Jeff Jackson.

What did Pat Harrigan say in his post on X?

“Faced with President Biden’s disastrous policies at home and abroad, our country needs experienced, battle-tested leadership,” Harrigan stated in another post on X. 

The Republican added, “I’m ready to step up in Congress to lead the charge for a better, stronger America.”

According to Axios, Harrigan had initially planned to contest against Rep Tom Moore (R), a North Carolina state representative, in the state's 14th District in the coming year.

However, with the state's maps being redrawn in favor of Republicans, Harrigan’s previous opponent, Democrat Jeff Jackson, has now shifted his focus to Washington and is running for the position of Attorney General, per The Hill.

Harrigan noted in his post on Tuesday, “God has placed a calling on our lives to enter the political arena,” and accepted the calling “has come at a cost,” alluding to an incident last year in which gunshots were fired that were directed at his home in Hickory, North Carolina. 

McHenry, who served as Speaker pro tempore after previous Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif) was removed earlier this year, announced his retirement on Tuesday after nearly two decades in Congress.

McHenry said, “This is not a decision I come to lightly, but I believe there is a season for everything and—for me—this season has come to an end.”

Internet welcomed Harrigan’s bid for candidacy with mixed reactions

People on X from either side of the political spectrum reacted to Harrigan’s announcement with a mixed bag of reactions.

One X user said, "Carpet bagger. wont get my vote in Catawba County."

Another user asked: "Who is this "we", and exactly what kind of America do you believe in? Tell me about these "values" too. Signed, One of your possible constituents..."

Another user remarked, "Isn’t there a word for people who move just to shop for a district."

One user tweeted, "What values exactly? From all I can tell, the GOP threw every value they ever claimed to have on the fire to worship Trump."

Another X user quipped, "Sometimes God says NO"

Another user wrote, "The real question is whether or not you support Trump?"

One user tweeted, "Yeah so do you like trump or not. You won’t get my vote unless trump endorses you, done with feckless cowardice RINOS".

Finally, this X user wrote, "Yall look Generic and untrustworthy."