FILE - In this May 8, 2018 file photo Ninth Congressional district Democratic candidate Dan McCready smiles as he speaks with U.S. Rep. Alma Adams outside Eastover Elementary School in Charlotte, N.C. State Sen. Dan Bishop on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, topped nine other GOP candidates seeking the 9th Congressional District nomination with almost half of the ballots cast. He will face Democrat McCready, as well as Libertarian and Green candidates, on Sept. 10. (Jeff Siner/The Charlotte Observer via AP, File)

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Latest on the upcoming election for a still-vacant North Carolina congressional seat. (all times local):

3:45 p.m.

The North Carolina Democrat running for Congress in a redo election prompted by ballot fraud says he learned in the Marine Corps to work for solutions across the country's political divide.

Dan McCready said Wednesday that if he's elected in September's special election he'll focus on making health care affordable and public schools better.

McCready said he doesn't support expanding the taxpayer-supported Medicare program to all Americans, as some Democrats propose. McCready said it is feasible to fix the cost and coverage problems affecting millions of people by updating the federal health care law passed under former President Barack Obama.

McCready refused to pledge not to run for U.S. Senate next year. Republican challenger Dan Bishop said McCready is using the congressional election to angle for a shot against Republican Senate incumbent Thom Tillis.

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2:30 p.m.

The candidates in an election that merges North Carolina's most infamous political issues of recent years are launching their campaigns on an aggressive note.

GOP State Sen. Dan Bishop appeared Wednesday outside his Democratic rival's headquarters in Charlotte to slam Dan McCready for refusing to be pinned down on issues. McCready held his own news conference shortly afterward to respond.

The September special election for the still-vacant 9th Congressional District seat was ordered after last year's election was deemed tainted by ballot fraud.

Bishop says he's clear on where he stands on issues, while McCready is a closet liberal hiding his real views.

Bishop wouldn't discuss sponsoring a headline-grabbing "bathroom bill" that cost the state billions in projected economic activity. Bishop says voters are tired of hearing about the 2016 law and he wants to tackle newer issues.

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12:05 a.m.

Republicans want the sponsor of a headline-grabbing "bathroom bill" that voided anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people to represent them in a special congressional election needed after last year's contest was deemed too tainted to stand.

State Sen. Dan Bishop on Tuesday topped nine other GOP candidates seeking the 9th Congressional District nomination. He won almost half of the ballots cast in an election that drew less than 10% of eligible voters.

Bishop will face Democrat Dan McCready on Sept. 10, as well as Libertarian and Green candidates.

McCready is a former Marine and Harvard MBA who seemed to narrowly lose last year's race to Republican Mark Harris. An investigation then found Harris ignored warnings and paid a political operative who illegally collected mail-in ballots.

Harris opted not to run again.

News from © The Associated Press, 2019