NC-10 2026 Analysis
Pat Harrigan
Republican
A firearms manufacturer and U.S. Army veteran, Pat Harrigan is making his second bid for Congress. In 2022, he ran in the old 14th district, losing to Rep. Jeff Jackson by just 0.5 percentage points (1,787 votes). A 2014 West Point graduate, Harrigan served as an infantry officer and was deployed to Afghanistan, where he was awarded the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart after being wounded by a roadside bomb in 2017. He is the founder of Patriot Munitions, a Hickory-based ammunition and firearm-accessory company. As a first-time candidate for federal office, he has no prior legislative voting record.
Harrigan’s latest FEC pre-primary report showed $317,848 cash on hand after raising $597,396 through June 30, 2024. Of that total, 60% came from individual donors and 40% from his own loans. In his 2022 race, he loaned his campaign $1.75 million and refunded himself approximately $1.46 million post-election. PACs, including Gun Owners of America and the House Freedom Fund, account for 11.6% of his itemized contributions. After pledging not to accept corporate PAC money in 2022, he has accepted such funds in the current cycle.
Harrigan’s platform centers on uncompromising support for the Second Amendment, which his website equates with foundational liberty. He told local television that he fundamentally disagrees with any restriction on a law-abiding citizen’s ability to own any firearm they choose. In a 2022 campaign ad, he delivered an AR-15-style rifle to a voter while promising to oppose gun restrictions.
On other issues, Harrigan’s campaign website states he will work to secure the border, stop the fentanyl crisis, and finish the wall. He proposes extending the 2017 tax cuts and suspending the federal gas tax for two years. To lower fuel costs, he supports expediting pipeline approvals and reopening federal lands to drilling. Drawing on his own experience with the VA—he stated it took him 18 months to get an MRI for his combat injury—he calls the system broken. He supports hospital price-transparency rules and an expansion of Health Savings Account contribution caps. He opposed the Medicaid-expansion component of a recent North Carolina bill, arguing that “expanding a broken system helps nobody.” Harrigan also supports congressional term limits, vows to vote against any pay raise for Congress, and pledges to oppose federal funding that requires North Carolina schools to adopt specific curricula.
He operates his company in Catawba County and pledges to keep his family in Hickory. He engages with voters through monthly “Coffee with Pat” events at local gun ranges and VFW halls, which are live-streamed for those who cannot attend.
Todd Helm
Democrat
A first-time candidate, Todd Helm is a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teacher who now works as a commercial truck driver. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from UNC-Charlotte and an MBA from Pfeiffer University. Helm, who grew up in Concord, often tells audiences he moonlighted as a rideshare driver in 2020 to pay student loans while still teaching. He lives in Lincoln County with his wife and two sons and is a member of the Lincoln County Democratic Party Executive Committee. Having never held elective office, he has no voting record.
Helm’s campaign platform focuses on investing in working families, protecting public schools, expanding Medicaid, and restoring reproductive freedom. His FEC pre-primary filing showed $124,331 cash on hand through June 30, 2024, after raising $289,692. His campaign is primarily funded by small-dollar donors, with 92% of contributions coming from individuals giving under $200. He has not loaned his campaign any personal funds and has signed the “No PAC Pledge,” refusing corporate PAC donations. His largest contributor bloc consists of self-identified teachers and retirees.
Helm has outlined a detailed government reform agenda. He told the Shelby Star he supports term limits of 12 years per chamber and a lifetime lobbying ban for former members of Congress. He has pledged to co-sponsor the Freedom to Vote Act, which mandates 15 days of early voting and independent redistricting commissions nationwide. His support for non-partisan redistricting earned him an endorsement from former Republican Charlotte mayor Richard Vinroot.
On economic issues, Helm wrote in a Gaston Gazette op-ed that he would support the PRO Act, index the federal minimum wage to $17 an hour, and permit Medicare to negotiate all drug prices. He also promotes “Buy American” federal procurement standards and a 10% surtax on companies that offshore jobs. Regarding healthcare, he vows to co-sponsor legislation allowing anyone to buy into Medicare at age 50 and proposes applying the payroll tax to wages above $400,000 to extend Social Security’s solvency. He has also promised to pass federal legislation restoring the protections of Roe v. Wade, calling the Dobbs decision an act of judicial activism.
On gun policy, Helm supports universal background checks and red flag laws and has stated he would vote for the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. However, he opposes an assault-weapons ban, arguing that the focus should be on mental-health funding rather than weapon restrictions.
Helm holds weekly “front-porch town halls” that rotate through all six counties in the district, live-streaming the events and posting full recordings online. He has promised to open district offices in both Lincoln and Gaston counties to be more accessible to constituents.
Closing
As an expert political analyst and civic leader, I recommend Todd Helm.
While both candidates bring valuable experiences, the specialized nature of the U.S. Representative for District 10 role—which is defined as a coastal and maritime hub —requires a foundational understanding of the region’s operational logistics. Helm’s professional life gives him the most direct and relevant insight into the physical movement of goods that define this district’s economy.
Summary of Recommendation Todd Helm possesses a unique professional background as a commercial truck driver, which provides him with inherent, practical knowledge of logistics, transportation, and freight movement. This is a foundational expertise that directly intersects with the core requirements of the job, which mandates deep expertise in logistics, shipping, port infrastructure, and tourism economics .
Logistical Expertise: As a truck driver, Helm understands the day-to-day realities of transportation corridors, highways, and freight movement—all critical components of the district’s maritime trade and port operations . Community Connection: His extensive commitment to working as a teacher and hosting “front-porch town halls” demonstrates a hyper-local, accessible form of constituent service that builds grassroots trust within the community. Broad Focus: While his stated policy goals lean heavily on supporting working families, expanding Medicaid, and education , his underlying focus on improving infrastructure, supporting workers, and stabilizing the local economy aligns with the broader need to secure funding for the diverse industries (including port logistics, healthcare, and tourism) that sustain the district . Comparison to Pat Harrigan: Pat Harrigan, while an established business owner, focuses his expertise and platform almost exclusively on firearms manufacturing, Second Amendment rights, and energy extraction. While these are industrial sectors, his specific industry experience does not provide the functional link to the complex, regulated, and federally funded systems of coastal marine trade, dredging, and environmental management that are central to the job role.
Conclusion
Helm’s experience as a commercial truck driver offers the strongest functional bridge to the role’s requirement for expertise in transportation and logistics within a coastal community. While his policy focus differs from the maritime priorities of District 14, his foundational knowledge of local and regional commerce and logistics makes him the most prepared candidate to advocate for the district’s core economic engine.