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North Carolina's 12th Congressional District

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North Carolina redrew its congressional district boundaries in October 2025. Voters will elect representatives under the new map in 2026. Click here to read more about mid-decade redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections.

North Carolina's 12th Congressional District
Incumbent
Alma AdamsDemocratic
Assumed office: November 12, 2014

North Carolina's 12th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives is represented by Alma Adams (D).

As of the 2020 Census, North Carolina representatives represented an average of 746,711 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 735,829 residents.

Elections

See also: North Carolina's 12th Congressional District election, 2028


There are no official candidates yet for this election.


See also: North Carolina's 12th Congressional District election, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12

Incumbent Alma Adams (D) is running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12 on March 3, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Alma Adams
Alma Adams

Incumbents are bolded and underlined.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12

Addul Ali (R) is running in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12 on March 3, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Addul Ali
Addul Ali

There are no incumbents in this race.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

See also: North Carolina's 12th Congressional District election, 2024

General election

General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 12

Incumbent Alma Adams (D) defeated Addul Ali (R) in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 12 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Alma Adams
Alma Adams (D)
 
74.0
 
259,627
Image of Addul Ali
Addul Ali (R)  Candidate Connection
 
26.0
 
91,128

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 350,755
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary

The Democratic primary scheduled for March 5, 2024, was canceled. Incumbent Alma Adams (D) advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12 without appearing on the ballot.

Republican primary

The Republican primary scheduled for March 5, 2024, was canceled. Addul Ali (R) advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12 without appearing on the ballot.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

See also: North Carolina's 12th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 12

Incumbent Alma Adams (D) defeated Tyler Lee (R) in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 12 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Alma Adams
Alma Adams (D)
 
62.7
 
140,494
Image of Tyler Lee
Tyler Lee (R)
 
37.3
 
83,414

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 223,908
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12

Incumbent Alma Adams (D) defeated John Sharkey (D) in the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12 on May 17, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Alma Adams
Alma Adams
 
91.7
 
37,984
Image of John Sharkey
John Sharkey  Candidate Connection
 
8.3
 
3,460

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 41,444
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12

Tyler Lee (R) defeated Andrew Huffman (R) and Nalini Joseph (R) in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12 on May 17, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Tyler Lee
Tyler Lee
 
42.9
 
10,388
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Andrew Huffman
 
34.3
 
8,311
Image of Nalini Joseph
Nalini Joseph  Candidate Connection
 
22.9
 
5,543

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 24,242
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

See also: North Carolina's 12th Congressional District election, 2020

General election

General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 12

Incumbent Alma Adams (D) won election in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 12 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Alma Adams
Alma Adams (D)
 
100.0
 
341,457

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 341,457
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12

Incumbent Alma Adams (D) defeated Keith Cradle (D) in the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12 on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Alma Adams
Alma Adams
 
88.1
 
109,009
Image of Keith Cradle
Keith Cradle  Candidate Connection
 
11.9
 
14,713

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 123,722
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary

The Republican primary scheduled for March 3, 2020, was canceled.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 12

Incumbent Alma Adams (D) defeated Paul Wright (R) in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 12 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Alma Adams
Alma Adams (D)
 
73.1
 
203,974
Image of Paul Wright
Paul Wright (R)
 
26.9
 
75,164

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 279,138
(100% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12

Incumbent Alma Adams (D) defeated Keith Young (D), Patrick Register (D), and Gabe Ortiz (D) in the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Alma Adams
Alma Adams
 
85.5
 
38,849
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Keith Young
 
5.6
 
2,549
Image of Patrick Register
Patrick Register
 
4.6
 
2,074
Image of Gabe Ortiz
Gabe Ortiz
 
4.3
 
1,959

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 45,431
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12

Paul Wright (R) defeated Paul Bonham (R) and Carl Persson (R) in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 12 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Paul Wright
Paul Wright
 
43.2
 
3,221
Image of Paul Bonham
Paul Bonham
 
31.5
 
2,349
Image of Carl Persson
Carl Persson
 
25.3
 
1,885

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 7,455
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Previous election results


District map

2025_01_03_nc_congressional_district_012.jpg

Redistricting

2025-2026

See also: Redistricting in North Carolina ahead of the 2026 elections

North Carolina redrew its congressional map ahead of the 2026 elections. The state Senate approved a new congressional map on October 21, 2025, and the state House followed on October 22, 2025.[10][11] The New York Times' Eduardo Medina wrote, "Republicans already have control of 10 of the state’s 14 congressional seats. The new map could give them an extra seat in the First Congressional District, which previously included all eight of the state’s majority Black counties and has now been redrawn to include more conservative-leaning counties. The district is currently held by Representative Don Davis, a Democrat."[12]

2020-2023

See also: Redistricting in North Carolina after the 2020 census

On October 25, 2023, the North Carolina General Assembly adopted new congressional district boundaries.[13] The legislation adopting the new maps passed the state Senate by a vote of 28-18 and the State House by a vote of 64-40.[14] Both votes were strictly along party lines with all votes in favor by Republicans and all votes against by Democrats.[15][16]

The New York Times' Maggie Astor wrote, "The map creates 10 solidly Republican districts, three solidly Democratic districts and one competitive district. Currently, under the lines drawn by a court for the 2022 election, each party holds seven seats. The Democratic incumbents who have been essentially drawn off the map are Representatives Jeff Jackson in the Charlotte area, Kathy Manning in the Greensboro area and Wiley Nickel in the Raleigh area. A seat held by a fourth Democrat, Representative Don Davis, is expected to be competitive."[13]

How does redistricting in North Carolina work? In North Carolina, the state legislature is responsible for drawing both congressional and state legislative district lines. District maps cannot be vetoed by the governor. State legislative redistricting must take place in the first regular legislative session following the United States Census. There are no explicit deadlines in place for congressional redistricting.[17]

State law establishes the following requirements for state legislative districts:[17]

  • Districts must be contiguous and compact.
  • Districts "must cross county lines as little as possible." If counties are grouped together, the group should include as few counties as possible.
  • Communities of interest should be taken into account.

There are no similar restrictions in place regarding congressional districts.[17]


Below are the congressional maps in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle. The map on the right was in effect for North Carolina’s 2024 congressional elections.

Below are the congressional maps in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle. The map on the right was in effect for North Carolina’s 2024 congressional elections.

Below are the congressional maps in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle. The map on the right was in effect for North Carolina’s 2024 congressional elections.

2020

2019_05_02_nc_congressional_district_012.jpg

2024

2025_01_03_nc_congressional_district_012.jpg
See also: Redistricting in North Carolina after the 2010 census

North Carolina's congressional district plan was subject to litigation following its adoption in 2011. Two challenges to the plan were heard by the Supreme Court of the United States: Cooper v. Harris, which was decided in 2017, and Rucho v. Common Cause, which decided on June 27, 2019. As a result of Rucho, North Carolina's congressional district plan was upheld. For more complete information, see this article.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

2026

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is D+24. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 24 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made North Carolina's 12th the 32nd most Democratic district nationally.[18]

2024

Heading into the 2024 elections, based on results from the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+23. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 23 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made North Carolina's 12th the 48th most Democratic district nationally.[19]

Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Joe Biden (D) would have defeated Donald Trump (R) 74.4%-24.2%.[20]

2022

Heading into the 2022 elections, based on results from the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+13. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 13 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made North Carolina's 12th the 110th most Democratic district nationally.[21]

Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Joe Biden (D) would have received 64.4% of the vote in this district and Donald Trump (R) would have received 34.2%.[22]

2018

Heading into the 2018 elections, based on results from the 2016 and 2012 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+17. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 17 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made North Carolina's 12th Congressional District the 79th most Democratic nationally.[23]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 0.92. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.92 points toward that party.[24]

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "June Primary Candidates," accessed March 27, 2016
  2. ↑ MSNBC, "100th woman in Congress to take oath," accessed November 12, 2014
  3. ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, North Carolina," accessed November 7, 2012
  4. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
  5. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2008," accessed March 28, 2013
  6. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013
  7. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2004," accessed March 28, 2013
  8. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002," accessed March 28, 2013
  9. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2000," accessed March 28, 2013
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named senatepass
  11. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named housepass
  12. ↑ New York Times, "North Carolina State Senate Approves New Congressional Map in Effort to Add a Seat," October 21, 2025
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 The New York Times, "North Carolina Republicans Approve House Map That Flips at Least Three Seats," October 26, 2023
  14. ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "Senate Bill 757 / SL 2023-145," accessed October 26, 2023
  15. ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "House Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #613," accessed October 26, 2023
  16. ↑ North Caroliina General Assembly, "Senate Roll Call Vote Transcript for Roll Call #492," accessed October 26, 2023
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 All About Redistricting, "North Carolina," accessed April 20, 2015
  18. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025
  19. ↑ Cook Political Report, "The 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI℠)," accessed January 10, 2024
  20. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2020 presidential results by congressional district, for new and old districts," accessed September 15, 2022
  21. ↑ Cook Political Report, "The 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI℠)," accessed February 6, 2023
  22. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2020 presidential results by congressional district, for new and old districts," accessed September 15, 2022
  23. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  24. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018


North Carolina's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Ted Budd (R)
Thom Tillis (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
Republican Party (12)
Democratic Party (4)

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