North Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Republican 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 1st 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: Lean Republican DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Lean Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean 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 1st 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

Laurie Buckhout (R) defeated Asa Buck (R), Robert Hanig (R), Eric Rouse (R), and Ashley-Nicole Russell (R) in the Republican primary for North Carolina's 1st Congressional District on March 3, 2026. Click here for detailed results.

The election took place in the context of redistricting that changed the district's boundaries from those used in 2024. The Assembly's Christa Dutton said the new lines "[made] the 1st District, which now spans the northeast part of the state from the Virginia border to the coast, more conservative." Buckhout will face incumbent Donald Davis (D), who was unopposed in the Democratic primary, in the general election.

Buckhout was a U.S. Army veteran, the founder of a consulting firm, and a former assistant national cyber director for policy in the second Trump administration. Buckhout was the Republican nominee in 2024, losing to Davis 50%–48% under the old district lines. Buckhout ran on her professional experience. Her campaign website said she had "extensive experience working with Federal and Congressional organizations on legal, budgetary and legislative matters."

Buck was, as of the primary, the sheriff of Carteret County. He was first elected in 2006. Buck's campaign website said he had spoken to voters across the district and "has found that his litmus test of Conservatism works well in almost every question of what the Federal Government should do, or NOT do, for the people."

Hanig was, as of the primary, a U.S. Army veteran and the owner and operator of a pool service company. Hanig was first elected to the North Carolina Senate in 2022 and also served in the North Carolina House of Representatives and on the Currituck County Commission. Hanig said he was running "to help make the system work for everyone...I'm America First and Constituent First with a record to prove it. I've been counted out, but I've never been outworked."

Rouse owned and operated six businesses, including a construction firm and a drilling service. Rouse was first elected to the Lenoir County Commission in 2010. Rouse said he was running "to fight for you -- the hardworking folks across North Carolina who get up early, bust their tails, and just want to be left alone to raise their families."

Russell was, as of the 2026 election, an attorney operating a family law practice. Russell's campaign website said she would "go to Washington as an outsider, not another career politician. She will fight alongside President Trump to drain the swamp, push for term limits, balance the budget, defend our constitutional rights, and rebuild an economy that finally puts American families first."

As of March 2026, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and Sabato's Crystal Ball rated the general election Lean Republican and Inside Elections rated it Tilt Republican.

Ashley-Nicole Russell (R) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.

This page focuses on North Carolina's 1st Congressional District Republican primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Democratic primary and the general election, see the following pages:

• North Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Democratic primary)
• North Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2026

Candidates and election results

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1

Laurie Buckhout defeated Asa Buck, Robert Hanig, Eric Rouse, and Ashley-Nicole Russell in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Laurie Buckhout	39.5	26,536
		Asa Buck	34.5	23,138
		Robert Hanig	16.2	10,904
		Eric Rouse	5.4	3,616
		Ashley-Nicole Russell	4.4	2,969

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. Source	Total votes: 67,163
= 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

• Sandy Roberson (R)

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. 28, 2026
• By mail: Postmarked by Feb. 6, 2026
• Online: Feb. 6, 2026

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

Yes

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

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

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

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

Was early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What were the early voting start and end dates?

Feb. 12, 2026 to Feb. 28, 2026

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

N/A

When were polls open on Election Day?

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

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.

Asa Buck

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• Carteret County Sheriff (Assumed office: 2006)

Biography:  Buck obtained a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from East Carolina University. Buck worked in the Carteret County law enforcement system, beginning as a bailiff. At the time he entered elected politics, Buck was the lieutenant of the county's Patrol Division.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Buck said his top priority was to support policies that he described as common sense. Buck's campaign website said his "litmus test of Conservatism works well in almost every question of what the Federal Government should do, or NOT do, for the people...Asa will always view proposed legislation through the lens of FREEDOM."

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Buck said he had lived in Carteret County all his life and that he understood the diversity of the district: "Fishermen to farmers; industrial manufacturing to small businesses. And of course, our fine military bases that are such a vital part of our national security and our economy." Buck said he would represent the entire district.

---

Buck's campaign website described him as "a legendary campaigner, knocking on over 5000 doors in 18 months." Buck's website said he won his first election against six other candidates without advancing to a runoff.

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Show sources

Sources: Asa Buck campaign website, "Home page," accessed February 9, 2026; Asa Buck campaign website, "Home page," accessed February 9, 2026; Carteret County official website, "Sheriff Buck," accessed February 9, 2026

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 in 2026.

Laurie Buckhout

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Buckhout obtained a bachelor's degree from James Madison University and a master's degree from Webster University. Buckhout served 26 years in the U.S. Army. After leaving the Army, Buckhout founded Corvus Consulting, a consulting firm specializing in electronic warfare and cyberspace. During President Trump's second term, Buckhout served as assistant national cyber director for policy.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Buckhout said her military and consulting experience made her qualified to represent the district. Her campaign website said she had "extensive experience working with Federal and Congressional organizations on legal, budgetary and legislative matters."

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Buckhout said she was running because "as a mom and a citizen, as a soldier for life, I can't step away and just watch our country burn." Buckhout's campaign website said that "North Carolina families deserve a proven conservative fighter who will put an end to the radical left's dangerous agenda."

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Buckhout described herself as "a committed constitutional conservative who proudly cast her first vote for Ronald Reagan in 1980," with her campaign website saying her policy priorities included border security, the economy, and opposing restrictions on firearms.

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Show sources

Sources: Laurie Buckhout campaign website, "About," accessed February 9, 2026; Laurie Buckhout campaign website, "Home page," accessed February 9, 2026; Laurie Buckhout campaign website, "Issues & Priorities," accessed February 9, 2026; Laurie Buckhout campaign website, "About," accessed February 9, 2026; The Assembly, "This Competitive Race for U.S. House Could Be a Rematch," December 17, 2025

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 in 2026.

Robert Hanig

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• North Carolina Senate (Assumed office: 2022)
• North Carolina House of Representatives District 6 (2019–2022)
• Currituck County Commission (2016–2018)

Biography:  Hanig served in the U.S. Army. After leaving the Army, Hanig worked as a train mechanic. As of the 2026 elections, Hanig was the owner and operator of The Pool Guy, a local pool and spa maintenance service.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Hanig said he had a proven conservative record from his time in the North Carolina Senate. Hanig's campaign website said he "has worked to protect taxpayers, strengthen families, and put our state on the path to growth and security...Bobby’s leadership reflects his commitment to fiscal responsibility, economic growth, public safety, and preserving the values that make North Carolina strong."

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Hanig said his military and entrepreneurial experience had taught him the value of hard work. His campaign website said his "real-world experience fuels his fight against government overreach and his promise to stand firm for veterans, taxpayers, and American values."

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Hanig said his top policy priority was enacting policies he described as strengthening families. Hanig's campaign website said he believed "serving in Washington is about safeguarding the future for families across the 1st Congressional District."

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Show sources

Sources: Robert Hanig campaign website, "Meet Bobby," accessed February 9, 2026; Robert Hanig campaign website, "Meet Bobby," accessed February 9, 2026; Island Free Press, "State Sen. Bobby Hanig announces run for Congress," September 3, 2025

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 in 2026.

Eric Rouse

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• Lenoir County Commission (Assumed office: 2010)

Biography:  Rouse obtained a bachelor's degree from East Carolina University. As of the 2026 elections, Rouse was the owner and operator of six small businesses, including construction and drilling firms.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Rouse said he was running "to fight for you -- the hardworking folks across North Carolina who get up early, bust their tails and just want to be left alone to raise their families." Rouse's campaign website said, "in the House, Rouse will have Trump’s back, and yours."

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Rouse said his experience as a small business owner informed his policy decisions. His campaign website said he "understands that small businesses are the backbone of our economy and is running to fight for the America First Agenda and to roll back the regulations that stifle growth and opportunity."

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Rouse said he had a record of conservative policymaking in local government. His campaign website said he "has been a stalwart champion for taxpayers, always voting against all tax and fee increases."

---

Show sources

Sources: YouTube, "GODS COUNTRY | Eric Rouse for U.S. House," October 16, 2025; Eric Rouse campaign website, "Home page," accessed February 9, 2026; Eric Rouse campaign website, "Home page," accessed February 9, 2026

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 in 2026.

Ashley-Nicole Russell

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "Ashley Nicole Russell is running for Congress to put America First and to serve the people of North Carolina with courage, conviction, and leadership. She grew up in this state with very little, learning early the values of hard work, faith, personal responsibility, and perseverance. Like so many North Carolinians, she knows what it means to build a life through grit and determination. Those values shaped her career as an attorney, small business owner, and national advocate for families. She founded North Carolina’s first Collaborative Family Law firm because she believes strong families are the foundation of a strong nation. In Congress, Ashley Nicole will fight to secure the border, enforce our laws, and protect American sovereignty. She will work to lower taxes, restore energy independence, cut job-killing regulations, and bring good-paying jobs back home. She believes in an economy that rewards work, not bureaucracy. She will defend parents’ rights, expand school choice, and return control of education to local communities. She will stand for life, protect free speech, defend religious liberty, and support law enforcement. She believes in this country, in its people, and in the promise of the American Dream. She will bring strength, clarity, and conviction to Congress, and she will never stop fighting for the values that make America great."

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Key Messages

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

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Faith

---

Family

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Freedom

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 in 2026.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Ashley-Nicole Russell (R)

Faith

Family

Freedom

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Ashley-Nicole Russell (R)

I am passionate about policies that put America First. That starts with border security, lawful immigration, and protecting our national sovereignty. I believe in a strong, pro-worker economy with lower taxes, less regulation, energy independence, and American manufacturing brought back home. I am committed to fiscal discipline that ends wasteful spending and inflation. I will defend the Constitution, free speech, and religious liberty, protect life and the family, and fully support law enforcement. I believe in peace through strength, a powerful military, and leadership that keeps America safe without endless foreign wars. My priority is freedom, opportunity, and the American Dream.

Campaign ads

This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.

Asa Buck

"Asa Buck for Congress and the Truth about Laurie Buckhout" – Buck campaign ad, released February 4, 2026

"You won't believe how far Asa Buck will go to be your Congressman!" – Buck campaign ad, released December 2, 2025

"Asa Buck is taking a day off. You should too." – Buck campaign ad, released November 26, 2025

View more ads here:

• YouTube

Laurie Buckhout

"Laurie Buckhout for Congress

View more ads here:

• YouTube

Robert Hanig

"Welcome to the official YouTube channel of Bobby Hanig for Congress!" – Hanig campaign ad, released October 11, 2025

View more ads here:

• YouTube

Eric Rouse

"GODS COUNTRY" – Rouse campaign ad, released October 16, 2025

View more ads here:

• YouTube

Ashley-Nicole Russell

Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Ashley-Nicole Russell while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.

Endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

Ballotpedia researchers did not identify any candidate websites that provide endorsement information. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

We provide results for polls from a wide variety of sources, including media outlets, social media, campaigns, and aggregation websites, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

• Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
• Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
• Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.
• Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.

Race ratings: North Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2026
Race tracker	Race ratings
	3/17/2026	3/10/2026	3/3/2026	2/24/2026
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican
Decision Desk HQ and The Hill	Pending	Pending	Pending	Pending
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Lean Republican	Tilt Republican	Tilt Republican	Tilt Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week.

Campaign finance

Candidate spending

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Asa Buck	Republican Party	$314,520	$199,406	$115,114	As of February 11, 2026
Laurie Buckhout	Republican Party	$2,273,362	$634,148	$1,665,518	As of February 11, 2026
Robert Hanig	Republican Party	$344,686	$204,180	$140,506	As of February 11, 2026
Eric Rouse	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Ashley-Nicole Russell	Republican Party	$211,900	$120,125	$91,775	As of February 11, 2026
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.

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.

If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.

By candidate	By election
Asa Buck Laurie Buckhout Robert Hanig Ashley-Nicole Russell	OpenSecrets Federal Election Commission

Note: As of February 6, 2026, Eric Rouse (R) had not registered as a candidate with the Federal Election Commission.

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.

2024

2026

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+1. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 1 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made North Carolina's 1st the 215th 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 1st Congressional District

Kamala Harris	Donald Trump
45.9%	53.4%

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

District election history

2024

See also: North Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2024

North Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 Republican primary)

North Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 1

Incumbent Donald Davis defeated Laurie Buckhout and Tom Bailey in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Donald Davis (D)	49.5	186,341
		Laurie Buckhout (R)	47.8	180,034
		Tom Bailey (L)	2.6	9,949

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 376,324
= 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

• John Schaffer (Independent)

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Donald Davis advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Brian Moutoux (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1

Laurie Buckhout defeated Sandy Smith in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Laurie Buckhout	53.5	33,893
		Sandy Smith	46.5	29,471

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 63,364
= 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

• Christine Villaverde (R)
• Fred Von Canon (R)

Libertarian primary election

The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Tom Bailey advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1.

2022

See also: North Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 1

Donald Davis defeated Sandy Smith in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Donald Davis (D)	52.4	134,996
		Sandy Smith (R)	47.6	122,780

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 257,776
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Eshan Patel (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1

Donald Davis defeated Erica Smith, Jason Spriggs, and Jullian Bishop Sr. in the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Donald Davis	63.2	42,693
		Erica Smith	31.1	21,012
		Jason Spriggs	3.1	2,123
		Jullian Bishop Sr.	2.6	1,752

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 67,580
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sandy Smith	31.4	13,621
		Sandy Roberson	26.7	11,603
		Billy Strickland	13.9	6,050
		Brent Roberson	13.8	5,992
		Brad Murphy	9.5	4,128
		Will Aiken	3.0	1,285
		Ernest Reeves	1.2	523
	Submit photo	Henry Williams	0.5	202

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 43,404
= 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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2020

See also: North Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2020

General election

General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 1

Incumbent G.K. Butterfield defeated Sandy Smith in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		G.K. Butterfield (D)	54.2	188,870
		Sandy Smith (R)	45.8	159,748

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 348,618
= 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 election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent G.K. Butterfield advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Deandre Carter (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1

Sandy Smith defeated Michele Nix, James Glisson (Unofficially withdrew), and Ethan Baca in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sandy Smith	77.3	31,490
		Michele Nix	9.9	4,030
	Submit photo	James Glisson (Unofficially withdrew)	7.4	3,031
		Ethan Baca	5.4	2,206

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 40,757
= 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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Earlier results

To view the electoral history dating back to 2000 for the office of North Carolina's 1st Congressional District, click [show] to expand the section.

2018 See also: North Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2018 General election General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 Incumbent G.K. Butterfield defeated Roger Allison in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 on November 6, 2018. Candidate % Votes ✔ G.K. Butterfield (D)   69.8   190,457 Roger Allison (R)    30.2   82,218 Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source Total votes: 272,675 (100.00% precincts reporting) = 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 election Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 Incumbent G.K. Butterfield advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 on May 8, 2018. Candidate ✔ G.K. Butterfield Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. = 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 election Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 Roger Allison advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 1 on May 8, 2018. Candidate ✔ Roger Allison  There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. = 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. 2016 See also: North Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2016 Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Incumbent G.K. Butterfield (D) defeated H. Powell Dew Jr. (R) and J. J. Summerell (L) in the general election on November 8, 2016. No candidate faced a primary opponent on June 7, 2016. U.S. House, North Carolina District 1 General Election, 2016 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic G.K. Butterfield Incumbent 68.6% 240,661      Republican H. Powell Dew Jr. 29% 101,567      Libertarian J. J. Summerell 2.4% 8,471 Total Votes 350,699 Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections 2014 See also: North Carolina's 1st Congressional District elections, 2014 The 1st Congressional District of North Carolina held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent G.K. Butterfield (D) defeated Arthur Rich (R) in the general election. U.S. House, North Carolina District 1 General Election, 2014 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic G.K. Butterfield Incumbent 73.4% 154,333      Republican Arthur Rich 26.6% 55,990 Total Votes 210,323 Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections 2012 See also: North Carolina's 1st Congressional District elections, 2012 The 1st Congressional District of North Carolina held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012, in which incumbent G.K. Butterfield (D) won re-election. He defeated Pete DiLauro (R) and Darryl Holloman (L) in the general election. U.S. House, North Carolina District 1 General Election, 2012 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic G.K. Butterfield Incumbent 75.3% 254,644      Republican Pete DiLauro 22.9% 77,288      Libertarian Darryl Holloman 1.8% 6,134 Total Votes 338,066 Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" 2010 On November 2, 2010, G.K. Butterfield won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Ashley Woolard in the general election. United States House, North Carolina General Election, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic G.K. Butterfield incumbent 59.3% 103,294      Republican Ashley Woolard 40.7% 70,867 Total Votes 174,161 2008 On November 4, 2008, G.K. Butterfield won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Dean Stephens in the general election. United States House, North Carolina General Election, 2008 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic G.K. Butterfield incumbent 70.3% 192,765      Republican Dean Stephens 29.7% 81,506 Total Votes 274,271 2006 G.K. Butterfield (D) ran unopposed for re-election in 2006. 2004 On November 2, 2004, G.K. Butterfield won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Greg Dority in the general election. United States House, North Carolina General Election, 2004 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic G.K. Butterfield incumbent 64% 137,667      Republican Greg Dority 36% 77,508 Total Votes 215,175 2004 special On July 20, 2004, G.K. Butterfield won election to the United States House. He defeated two candidates in the special general election. U.S. House, North Carolina District 1 Special election, 2004 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic G.K. Butterfield 71.2% 48,567      Republican Greg Dority 27.1% 18,491      Libertarian Thomas I. Eisenmenger 1.8% 1,201 Total Votes 68,259 Source: Results via North Carolina State Board of Elections 2002 On November 5, 2002, Frank W. Wallance, Jr. won election to the United States House. He defeated Greg Dority (R) and Mike Ruff (L) in the general election. U.S. House, North Carolina District 1 General Election, 2002 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Frank W. Wallace, Jr. 63.7% 93,157      Republican Greg Dority 34.8% 50,907      Libertarian Mike Ruff 1.4% 2,093 Total Votes 146,157 2000 On November 7, 2000, Eva M. Clayton won re-election to the United States House. She defeated Duane E. Kratzer, Jr. (R) and Christopher Sean Delaney (L) in the general election. U.S. House, North Carolina District 1 General Election, 2000 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Eva M. Clayton incumbent 65.6% 124,171      Republican Duane E. Kratzer, Jr. 32.9% 62,198      Libertarian Christopher Sean Delaney 1.5% 2,799 Total Votes 189,168

Ballot access requirements

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

2026 battleground elections

See also: Battlegrounds

This is a battleground election. Other 2026 battleground elections include:

• Texas' 21st Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)
• New York's 4th Congressional District election, 2026
• Texas' 34th Congressional District election, 2026

See also

• North Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Democratic primary)
• North Carolina's 1st 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

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