North Carolina's 9th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Democratic primary)

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.

← 2024
North Carolina's 9th Congressional District
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: December 19, 2025
Primary: March 3, 2026 Primary runoff: May 12, 2026 General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voting in North Carolina
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Solid Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
North Carolina's 9th Congressional District U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th • 14th North Carolina elections, 2026 U.S. Congress elections, 2026 U.S. Senate elections, 2026 U.S. House elections, 2026 Alabama U.S. House racesAlaska U.S. House raceArizona U.S. House racesArkansas U.S. House racesCalifornia U.S. House racesColorado U.S. House racesConnecticut U.S. House racesDelaware U.S. House raceFlorida U.S. House racesGeorgia U.S. House racesHawaii U.S. House racesIdaho U.S. House racesIllinois U.S. House racesIndiana U.S. House racesIowa U.S. House racesKansas U.S. House racesKentucky U.S. House racesLouisiana U.S. House racesMaine U.S. House racesMaryland U.S. House racesMassachusetts U.S. House racesMichigan U.S. House racesMinnesota U.S. House racesMississippi U.S. House racesMissouri U.S. House racesMontana U.S. House racesNebraska U.S. House racesNevada U.S. House racesNew Hampshire U.S. House racesNew Jersey U.S. House racesNew Mexico U.S. House racesNew York U.S. House racesNorth Carolina U.S. House racesNorth Dakota U.S. House raceOhio U.S. House racesOklahoma U.S. House racesOregon U.S. House racesPennsylvania U.S. House racesRhode Island U.S. House racesSouth Carolina U.S. House racesSouth Dakota U.S. House raceTennessee U.S. House racesTexas U.S. House racesUtah U.S. House racesVermont U.S. House raceVirginia U.S. House racesWashington U.S. House racesWest Virginia U.S. House racesWisconsin U.S. House racesWyoming U.S. House raceSubmit

A Democratic Party primary takes place on March 3, 2026, in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District to determine which Democratic candidate will run in the district's general election on November 3, 2026.

Candidate filing deadline	Primary election	General election
December 19, 2025	March 3, 2026	November 3, 2026

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. North Carolina utilizes a semi-closed primary system. Parties decide who may vote in their respective primaries. Voters may choose a primary ballot without impacting their unaffiliated status.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

This page focuses on North Carolina's 9th Congressional District Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:

• North Carolina's 9th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)
• North Carolina's 9th Congressional District election, 2026

Candidates and election results

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 9

Loren Bibler, Nigel Bristow, Lent Carr II, and Richard Ojeda are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 9 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Loren Bibler
		Nigel Bristow
		Lent Carr II
		Richard Ojeda

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Loren Bibler

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

---

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

---

Rebuild & Strengthen Middle Class: Building an economy that works for more North Carolinians. Focused on strengthening local supply chains, supporting small business growth, and competitive wages.

---

Enshrine Healthcare as a constitutional right: Our current healthcare system is both inadequate and inefficient. Holding healthcare or medical treatment for ransom is killing hard‑working Americans for pennies on the dollar.

---

Artificial Intelligence & Large‑Language‑Model regulations Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. We must protect jobs, ensure accountability, and direct AI to augment human work rather than replace it.

Nigel Bristow

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I am a married father who has committed my entire adult life to public service. I have 35 years of law enforcement experience which includes 20 years with the NYPD where I retired as a Homicide Detective. I am a Chief Probation/Parole Officer with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction and have been employed with them for approximately 15 years. I am a Deacon in my family church. I chair several community-based organizations. Those organizations include the Ashley Chapel Community Center, the Richmond County Reentry Council, the Community Center Coalition of Richmond County, and the New Horizons Life and Family Services. In 2023 I received the Governor's Award for Excellence in the field of Public Service. In 2023 and 2024 I was named man of the year by the Pee Dee Baptist Educational Organization."

---

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

---

As your Representative I will provide a moral agenda of fair and equal treatment for all people.

---

As your Representative I have one job. That job is to make your life better. I intend to make your life better by enacting Legislation and providing funding that will enhance your quality of life.

---

Congress was enacted to be the voice of the people. That voice has been silenced. I am running to return the people's voice to Congress. The Capitol is the People's House. Therefore, they should be represented by someone who has their best interests at heart and who listens to them. The people need a representative that identifies their needs and works together with other representatives regardless of their political affiliation in order to provide for all people.

Lent Carr II

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "My name is Dr. Lent Christopher Carr II, and I am running for Congress not out of ambition, but out of duty—to serve, to uplift, and to restore dignity to the forgotten communities of our district and nation. But I haven’t forgotten where I came from. And I know you haven’t forgotten either. I was raised in Greenville, North Carolina, by hardworking parents who taught me the value of labor, truth, and community. At the age of nine, I was already in the tobacco fields—learning, through sweat and callouses, what too many in Washington have forgotten: the dignity of work and the worth of those who do it. For over a decade, I’ve called Raeford in Hoke County home. I currently serve as National President of the National Congressional Voting Caucus for Human Rights, and I am honored to hold the office of Chancellor and Professor at ECEI University, My academic journey includes a Doctorate in History (focused on American and Middle Eastern studies), a Civil Christian Canon Law J.D., and additional doctoral credentials in Theology, Public Policy, Political Science, and Legal Research. I serve as Senior Pastor of Emmaus Cathedral. I have been awarded the “We The People” Global Humanitarian Award (2023) and the U.S. President’s Lifetime Achievement Award four times—by Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joseph Biden. These honors are not just personal achievements; they are symbols of the tireless advocacy I bring to every community I serve. Visit: www.lentcarrforuscongress.com"

---

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

---

I will fight for: Working families, not corporate tax loopholes. Farmers and rural communities, not billionaire land speculators. Veterans and service members, not defense contractors enriching themselves. Teachers and students, not culture wars and political theater. Healthcare as a Human Right and housing justice, not broken promises. Protecting democracy, not enabling authoritarianism. This campaign isn’t a performance—it’s a people’s movement. And I invite you to be a part of it. We are done being ignored. We are done being divided. And we are done being lied to by those who value power more than people. My campaign is built on one core principle: “We’re Putting The Welfare of the People 1st and Politics Last.”

---

Lent ascribe to the moral, and so-called American Dream notion that ownership should mean freedom, not lifelong financial obligation. Reforming property taxation will empower Americans, uphold constitutional values, and strengthen our communities. This is not a giveaway — it is a restoration of what is rightfully yours. For years now, under current federal, state, and local government practices to force hardworking Americans who've secured their properties through grueling backbreaking work to essentially be enslaved under a tax system that paid not one dime towards the purchase of their respective property, is an illegal taxing scheme that has hurt so many Americans for reasons of double tax theft. Lent intends to champion this Bill.

---

Carr’s Economic Inclusion Empowerment Bill proposed agenda, a transformative legislative proposal designed to uplift every American—particularly the middle class and marginalized poor left behind since the conception of this Nation—through direct investment, progressive taxation, and robust safety nets. Rejecting the failed Republican “trickle-down,” "PROJECT 2025" adoptive model and exposing its “Reverse Robin Hood” reality, this Bill demonstrates a practicable, sweeping framework that genuinely empowers 99% of Americans. I call it the 99% "PROJECT 2026" Democracy Initiative. It contrasts sharply with Representative Richard Hudson’s unwavering loyalty to Donald Trump’s “Big Ugly Bill,” which slashes vital programs, and widens inequality.

Voting information

See also: Voting in North Carolina

Election information in North Carolina: March 3, 2026, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: Feb. 6, 2026
• By mail: Postmarked by Feb. 6, 2026
• Online: Feb. 6, 2026

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

Yes

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

• In-person: Feb. 17, 2026
• By mail: Received by Feb. 17, 2026
• Online: Feb. 17, 2026

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

• In-person: March 3, 2026
• By mail: Received by March 3, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

Feb. 12, 2026 to Feb. 28, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. (ET)

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Loren Bibler	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Nigel Bristow	Democratic Party	$688	$0	$688	As of December 31, 2025
Lent Carr II	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Richard Ojeda	Democratic Party	$1,413,490	$1,312,650	$100,840	As of December 31, 2025
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). * According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." ** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election. *** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

District analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.

• District map - A map of the district before and after redistricting ahead of the 2026 election.
• Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2026 U.S. House elections in the state.
• Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
• State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.

• District map
• Competitiveness
• Presidential elections
• State party control

Below is the district map used in the 2024 election next to the map in place for the 2026 election. Click on a map below to enlarge it. Error: One or both images not found for the specified years.

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2026

This section contains data on U.S. House primary election competitiveness in North Carolina.

Post-filing deadline analysis

The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in North Carolina in 2026. Information below was calculated on December 19, 2025., and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.

Sixty-seven candidates — 40 Democrats and 27 Republicans — ran for North Carolina’s 14 U.S. House districts. That’s 4.8 candidates per district. There were 4.6 candidates per district in 2024 and 7.14 in 2022. In 2020, when the state had 13 U.S. House districts, there were 4.9 candidates per district. There were 4.3 candidates in 2018, 5.7 in 2016, and 4.6 in 2014.

These were the first elections to take place since the General Assembly of North Carolina passed a new congressional map. The North Carolina Senate passed it on Oct. 21, 2025, and the North Carolina House of Representatives passed it Oct. 22, 2025.

No districts were open in 2026, meaning all incumbents — four Democrats and 10 Republicans — ran for re-election. The only other year since 2014 with no open districts was 2018.

Nineteen primaries — 11 Democratic and eight Republican — were contested in 2026. In total, there were 13 contested primaries in 2024, 22 in 2022, 13 in 2020, 17 in 2018, 16 in 2016, and 17 in 2014.

Eight candidates — six Democrats and two Republicans — ran for the 10th district, the most candidates who ran for a district in 2026.

Eight incumbents — two Democrats and six Republicans — faced a primary challenger in 2026. There were four incumbents in a contested primary in 2024, seven in 2022, three in 2020, eight in 2018, nine in 2016, and six in 2014.

Candidates filed to run in the Republican and Democratic primaries in all 14 districts, meaning no districts were guaranteed to either party.

Partisan Voter Index

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

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is R+8. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 8 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made North Carolina's 9th the 156th most Republican district nationally.

2020 presidential election results

The table below shows what the vote in the 2024 presidential election was in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by The Downballot.

2024 presidential results in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District

Kamala Harris	Donald Trump
43.5%	54.4%

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in North Carolina, 2024

North Carolina presidential election results (1900-2024)

• 18 Democratic wins
• 14 Republican wins

Year	1900	1904	1908	1912	1916	1920	1924	1928	1932	1936	1940	1944	1948	1952	1956	1960	1964	1968	1972	1976	1980	1984	1988	1992	1996	2000	2004	2008	2012	2016	2020	2024
Winning Party	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	R	R	R	R

See also: Party control of North Carolina state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of North Carolina's congressional delegation as of October 2025.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from North Carolina
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	0	4	4
Republican	2	10	12
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	0	0
Total	2	14	16

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in North Carolina's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.

State executive officials in North Carolina, October 2025

Office	Officeholder
Governor	Josh Stein
Lieutenant Governor	Rachel Hunt
Secretary of State	Elaine Marshall
Attorney General	Jeff Jackson

State legislature

North Carolina State Senate

Party		As of October 2025
	Democratic Party	20
	Republican Party	30
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		50

North Carolina House of Representatives

Party		As of October 2025
	Democratic Party	49
	Republican Party	71
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		120

Trifecta control

North Carolina Party Control: 1992-2025
Fourteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Governor	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
Senate	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in North Carolina in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in North Carolina, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
North Carolina	U.S. House	Ballot-qualified party	5% of registered voters in the same party or 200, whichever is greater	$1,740	12/19/2025	Source
North Carolina	U.S. House	Unaffiliated	1.5% of all registered N.C. voters in the district, as of January 1 of the election year.	$1,740	12/19/2025	Source

See also

• North Carolina's 9th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)
• North Carolina's 9th Congressional District election, 2026
• United States House elections in North Carolina, 2026 (March 3 Democratic primaries)
• United States House elections in North Carolina, 2026 (March 3 Republican primaries)
• United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2026
• United States House Republican Party primaries, 2026
• United States House of Representatives elections, 2026
• U.S. House battlegrounds, 2026

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

North Carolina's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Ted Budd (R)

Thom Tillis (R)

Representatives

District 1

Donald Davis (D)

District 2

Deborah Ross (D)

District 3

Gregory Murphy (R)

District 4

Valerie Foushee (D)

District 5

Virginia Foxx (R)

District 6

Addison McDowell (R)

District 7

David Rouzer (R)

District 8

Mark Harris (R)

District 9

Richard Hudson (R)

District 10

Pat Harrigan (R)

District 11

Chuck Edwards (R)

District 12

Alma Adams (D)

District 13

Brad Knott (R)

District 14

Timothy Moore (R)

Republican Party (12)

Democratic Party (4)

2025-2026 Elections to the United States Congress

Senate by State

Alabama • Alaska • Arkansas • Colorado • Delaware • Florida (special) • Georgia • Idaho • Illinois • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Montana • Nebraska • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • North Carolina • Ohio (special) • Oklahoma • Oregon • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Virginia • West Virginia • Wyoming

---

House by State

Alabama • Alaska • American Samoa • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Guam • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Northern Mariana Islands • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • U.S. Virgin Islands • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

---

Election information

Ballot access for major and minor party candidates • List of candidates running for election • List of congressional challengers • Retiring senators • Retiring representatives

---

Super PACs/Organizations

American Bridge 21st Century • American Crossroads • American Unity PAC • Campaign for Primary Accountability • Club for Growth Action • Congressional Leadership Fund • Cooperative of American Physicians IE Committee• Crossroads Generation • Ending Spending Action Fund • Endorse Liberty • Fair Share Action • FreedomWorks for America • Government Integrity Fund • House Majority PAC • Independence USA Fund • League of Conservation Voters • Liberty for All PAC • Majority PAC • National Association of Realtors • NEA Advocacy Fund • Now or Never PAC • Planned Parenthood Votes • Ready for Hillary • Republicans for a Prosperous America • Restore America's Voice PAC • SEIU Pea-Federal • Women Vote!

Ballotpedia

About

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

---

Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

---

Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams, Managing Editor of Events • Joseph Greaney, Managing Editor of Policy • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Victoria Edwards • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Thomas Grobben • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Andrew McNair • Ellie Mikus • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox