US Rep. Don Davis launches campaign in redrawn district

U.S. Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.) is running for re-election in the 1st congressional district, which has been redrawn to favor Republicans for the third straight election cycle.

U.S. Rep. Don Davis isn’t running away from a gerrymander.

Davis, a North Carolina Democrat whose 1st Congressional District has been redrawn to favor Republicans for the third time in as many election cycles, has officially filed to run for a third term. The mid-decade redistricting replaced Democratic-leaning Greene, Lenoir, Wayne, and Wilson counties for GOP-favoring Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Dare, Hyde, Onslow, and Pamlico.

“From the northeast to the coast, costs are too high, making it harder for families living day-to-day. I’m running to keep fighting for eastern North Carolina — lowering costs, bringing jobs home, strengthening our communities, and standing up for our families,” Davis said in a statement. “Our hardworking families deserve nothing less. If you grew up in eastern North Carolina, you know about agriculture, hunting, fishing, and good barbecue. I will not stray away from our proud heritage and will always put the people of eastern North Carolina first.”

A federal court on Nov. 26 upheld North Carolina’s new map, which gives Republicans a chance at holding 11 of 14 seats. The panel voted to allow the redrawn lines, which changes congressional districts 1 and 3 and improves the chances of bouncing Davis by adding more Republican voters.

A lawsuit filed in October sought to block the changes by arguing the remap disproportionately impacts Black voters. Davis, who is Black, introduced the Restoring Electoral Stability to Enhance Trust, or RESET, Act of 2025, a bill that would prohibit statewide mid-decade redistricting legislation unless mandated by a state independent redistricting commission created through a state constitution, a court order on constitutional grounds, or state referenda.

The previous 1st District was 40% Black, 47% white and skewed slightly Republican.

Individual voters and pro-democracy advocacy groups challenged the redraw, arguing lawmakers intended to nullify Black voting power, especially in the northeast, where District 1 has elected Black Democrats to Congress since 1992. The federal court cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Alexander v. South Carolina NAACP, which raised the standard to show racial bias in voting rights. 

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