Carson's college roommate: He has the dedication to be president

"In fact just before the election stuff started (Carson) gave me a call," Harris said.

The retired pediatrician, who shares Carson’s faith in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, said the candidate is going to need his belief in the Lord to get through recent increased media scrutiny.

When Carson claimed front-runner status recently, CNN began digging into some of the claims in his autobiography. So far, reporters have been unable to find anyone to corroborate Carson’s claim that he attempted to stab a close friend when he was a teenager.

Carson also deflected claims that his account of receiving a scholarship offer to attend West Point was inaccurate.

"I hope he doesn't let these news people get him down about his past history," Harris said. "That is past history ... you learn from past history."

Harris said the stabbing incident is something the two men discussed after it was revealed in Carson's book.

"After that he said, 'I changed,'" Harris said. "He said he went to the bathroom and sat in there by himself for several hours praying and said 'I have got to change. I could have killed that boy,'" Harris said.

On Sunday, during CBS' Face the Nation, Carson said he has received unfair and critical media attention and strongly disputed that there was any dishonesty intended.

"There is no question I am getting special scrutiny because there are a lot of people who are very threatened, and they have seen the recent head-to-head polling against Hillary (Clinton)," he said.

Harris told WRAL News he thinks Carson could put up a good fight but knows it would be a difficult race.

"I think he has the dedication to be a good president and he also has the faith in God. I think that is the most important thing," he said.

Carson is one of a smaller cast of candidates who will face off Tuesday night in the Republicans' fourth presidential debate.

His campaign manager, Barry Bennett, said Carson is prepared to be far more aggressive in the prime-time debate and is "a lot more fired up."