(The Center Square) – Announcing his retirement in early December, U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry threw curveballs into multiple congressional races in western North Carolina.

When the filing period closed, the U.S. House District 10 race was left with Democrat Ralph Scott Jr. and Libertarian Steven Feldman getting advances to the general election and a Republican primary ballot of Diana Jimison, Pat Harrigan, Greg Mills, Charles Eller and Brooke McGowan.

Jimison’s campaign Facebook page has thrown support to McGowan. She is not listed on the Federal Election Commission campaign finance reports. McGowan is listed but with zero cash on hand, like Eller.

Campaign finance reports for cash on hand beginning in January showed Harrigan ($503,000) with more than Mills ($250,000). Each has talking points that align with rival bases inside the party.

Harrigan’s campaign pledges to curb inflation, cut wasteful spending, decrease taxes and lower energy prices. He’s seeking energy independence; reinvestment in the military; reestablishment of the border; protection of Second Amendment rights; and “election laws that make it easier to vote, and harder to cheat.”

Harrigan said he “fights to protect the unborn, stands firm with parental rights, defends women’s sports, and safeguards religious freedom.” He seeks to “crack down on violent crime” and is opposed to casinos and gambling.

Harrigan is a graduate of West Point, a Green Beret, and has been a businessman making American-made defense products after his service in the Army.

Mills is in his fourth term in Raleigh, representing District 95 in the state House of Representatives. His campaign website says he’s “fighting for fiscal responsibility, never voting to raise taxes, and leading the charge to bring election integrity to North Carolina.”

The lawmaker’s social media page, in a Jan. 30 post, says, “Our border is under attack, and securing it is my number one priority. I refuse to sit back and allow Joe Biden’s failed border policies to continue to contribute to an all-out invasion at our southern border. As your congressman, we will finish building the wall, hire more Border Patrol agents, use military force against drug cartels, oppose a pathway to citizenship for illegals.”

Mills earned degrees from Appalachian State (social science) and Regent University School of Law. He was an educator and prosecutor before opening his practice.

Eller says he’s campaigning on a stronger economy; fighting indoctrination; standing up to China; strengthening the southern border; fighting against the weaponization of government; and defending what he calls “Carolina values.”

The solar energy consultant was previously an automotive franchise entrepreneur.

McGowan has a 17-point list of “major issues” to address. Included are the border; repealing the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare; balancing the federal budget; divestiture from China; big tech censorship; and protecting children from indoctrination.

Also on McGowan’s campaign website is a section known as “Stolen 2020 election & J6.” The website says COVID-19 “led to the stolen election. We watched it with our own eyes.” As for Jan. 6, 2021, the campaign says, “We also know the ‘J6 was an insurrection’ message was forced onto the American people by media corruption so deep, it will take a tsunami to clean it up.”

McGowan is a graduate of what is now known as Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary.

As for Jimison, her candidate survey responses remain posted to Ballotpedia. She campaigned on holding “government officials, media, and Congress accountable for their part in the crimes against humanity”; wants to repeal the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 and have “the IRS pay the people back every dime they stole from us”; and says “immigrants have no right crossing the borders.” She says President Joe Biden “should be arrested for treason.”

She’s a registered nurse and graduated from Catawba Valley Community College.

The district has voted solidly Republican in past elections. The location is known as the foothills, stretching across most of Forsyth County and to Yadkin, Iredell, Catawba and Lincoln counties. Registered Republicans can vote in the primary, and those unaffiliated can choose to vote in it.

The mail-in absentee ballot process began Jan. 19, in-person early voting starts next Thursday and Primary Election Day is March 5. North Carolina is one of 14 states with both Democrat and Republican primaries on Super Tuesday.