Democratic incumbent Don Davis wins reelection in North Carolina’s only toss-up congressional race

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Democratic freshman Rep. Don Davis has won reelection, defending his seat from a challenge by Republican opponent Laurie Buckhout in North Carolina’s only toss-up congressional race.

Davis faced an uphill battle this year compared to 2022, when he first won the 1st Congressional District, largely because redistricting by the GOP-controlled state legislature last year left the district less blue than it once was. The race attracted millions of advertising dollars from both parties.

Davis’ seat was a crucial one for Democrats to keep in order to have a chance of controlling the U.S. House.

The freshman representative, who serves on the Agriculture and House Armed Services committees, has earned a reputation as one of the more moderate House Democrats, which may have won favor with some unaffiliated voters in his district. He has voted with Republicans a few times during his first term, including to condemn Vice President Kamala Harris’ work at the U.S.-Mexico border. The day after that vote in July, however, he endorsed her presidential run. And last month, he spoke at a rally for Harris in Greenville.

Buckhout called Davis to concede and congratulate him, she said in a post on X Wednesday, a day before The Associated Press called the race. Davis ran a “spirited campaign,” Buckhout said, and it “is obvious to everyone he cares about this district.”

Davis issued a separate statement on Wednesday declaring victory. “My deep passion lies in fighting for the families of eastern North Carolina,” he said. “I’m wholeheartedly dedicated to understanding and addressing the challenges and aspirations of everyday citizens in our community.”

Buckhout’s campaign worked hard to tie Davis to the policies of President Joe Biden’s administration, which she also linked to Harris — primarily economic and immigration strategies. Despite Davis’ narrow win, President-elect Donald Trump won the state for the third time — and expanded his margin of victory from 2020.

Democratic groups, meanwhile, tried to connect Buckhout to Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, whose gubernatorial campaign was thrown into disarray after CNN reported that he made graphic sexual and racist comments on a pornography website’s message board about a decade ago. Robinson denied those claims, and The Associated Press has not independently verified them. Robinson lost his gubernatorial bid to his Democratic opponent Josh Stein.

Groups supporting Davis, such as the Democratic Legislative Congressional Committee, ran ads in the district also tying Buckhout to Robinson’s shifting stance on abortion. The group used photos in which Buckhout and Robinson appeared together to draw the connection.

Both candidates touted their military experience throughout the campaign. Veterans make up about 7% of the district’s population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Davis spent several years in the Air Force, while Buckhout served in the U.S. Army for over 25 years before retiring in 2010.

Makiya Seminera, The Associated Press