Don Davis Wins Rematch in North Carolina’s 1st District

Overview

• Don Davis was declared the winner after Republican Laurie Buckhout conceded on Nov. 4, securing a second term in the competitively redrawn 1st District.
• Republican state lawmakers had redrawn the district last year to make it more GOP‑leaning by removing inland counties and adding coastal areas, but that effort did not flip the seat.
• The rematch became the most expensive House contest on record with roughly $53 million in ad reservations and outside spending, and drew visits from President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
• More than 2.8 million North Carolina voters cast ballots by mail or early voting before Election Day, with Democratic early voting up about 29% from 2022, a factor local analysts say helped Davis.
• Davis’s hold matters for the chamber’s balance as Republicans entered the election with a slim majority and related competitive races, notably the 11th District, remain key to which party controls the House.