The North Carolina General Assembly has given final approval to a redrawn Congressional district map that unites the Outer Banks counties while reshaping the state’s political landscape ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The Republican-controlled General Assembly completed on Wednesday the changes, which party leaders say is intended to strengthen the GOP’s hold on the U.S. House.
Critics are calling the redrawing of a historically Black congressional district “blatant discrimination”, and note that it only redraws two of the state’s 14 districts.
The redistricting bill passed on party line votes in the Senate on Tuesday and the House on Wednesday, and is exempt from veto by Gov. Josh Stein (D) under the North Carolina Constitution.
But the map will likely be headed to court, which may delay its implementation with only 40 days before candidates begin filing for next year’s election.
House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger announced an agreement last week to redraw district lines, following President Donald Trump’s call for Republicans nationwide to eliminate Democratic seats wherever possible.
North Carolina currently has 11 Republicans and 3 Democratic representatives in the U.S. House.
Under the new map, the 3rd Congressional District shrinks to encompass Greenville — home of Rep. Greg Murphy (R) — while Dare, Hyde, Beaufort, Craven, Carteret and part of Onslow counties move into the 1st District.
That district is currently represented by Rep. Don Davis (D-Greene), whose home county is now in the 3rd District.
The new configuration turns what was previously a Democratic-leaning district — one that favored President Joe Biden by just over 1% in 2020 — into a district that voted 55% Republican to 44% Democratic in the 2024 presidential election, putting Davis at a possible double-digit disadvantage.
This marks the second time in recent years that Republicans have redrawn Davis’ district to make it more competitive for the GOP.
A 2023 map tilted the district 52% Republican to 46% Democratic, yet Davis narrowly won reelection in 2024, 50% to 48%.
He could still seek reelection under the new boundaries, as North Carolina law requires only that congressional candidates live within the state, not necessarily within their district.
That would likley become a key negative point raised by opponents if Davis decides to run in 2026.
One Outer Banks Republican has already announced he will run for the 1st District seat, and restated his intentions when the map was released last week.
“It’s clear much of this district is already home to me,” said state Sen. Bobby Hanig of Powells Point in a statement.
Hanig currently represents or has represented 15 of the new 1st District counties either in the House or Senate, encompassing about 41% of the district’s total population and roughly one-third of all Republican primary voters, according to his campaign.
“These are the counties and communities I currently represent – and have represented,” Hanig said. “I know the people, the issues, and the values of Eastern North Carolina because I’ve lived them and fought for them.”
Two other Republicans — Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson and Lenoir County Commissioner Eric Rouse — have also announced plans to seek the GOP nomination in the 1st District.
However, under the new map, Rouse’s home county moves into Murphy’s 3rd District.
Roberson and Rouse have not issued comment on the new district line as of the time of publication of this story.
“Many from across eastern North Carolina, including both Democrats and Republicans, have reached out to me to make it clear they are not asking for a new congressional map,” Davis said in a statement issued Tuesday.
“They believe that this fundamentally goes against our core values, and would undermine everything we stand for,” Davis said.
He had also not addressed his future plans as of Wednesday afternoon.
Former Rep. Eva Clayton (D), the first Black woman from North Carolina in Congress whoe represented the 1st Congressional District from 1992 to 2003, criticized the move of Davis into Murphy’s district, and said it makes it “almost impossible” for voters in the 1st District to elect a Black representative again.
“If you cannot understand that as being blatant discrimination, then you don’t know what discrimination is,” Clayton said at a press conference Tuesday.
Protestors were removed from both House and Senate committee meetings and the chamber galleries, after some started chanting “Berger’s maps are racist maps!” among other slogans, while hundreds more gathered outside the Legislative Building over the last three days.
Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell), a chair of the Senate elections committee and who drew the map, has said multiple times that racial data wasn’t used to create the boundaries.
“The purpose of this map was to pick up a Republican seat. We’ve stated that over and over again,” Hise said.
He said they were careful not to use race in drawing the map to protect the state from lawsuits alleging illegal race-based gerrymandering.
“We’re here today because California and the radical left launched a full-fledged attack, not only on North Carolina, but on democracy itself,” said House Majority Leader Brenden Jones (R-Columbus) during Wednesday’s final debate.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he wants to redraw the state’s map, to gerrymander some Republicans out of power to counter maps already passed in Texas, Utah and Missouri to gerrymander Democrats out of power.
The California proposal must meet approval by voters in a special referendum, while other Democrat-majority states have also not acted yet to make changes.
“What started as a political power play in Texas has turned into a national redistricting war, and my home and my people have been drug into the middle of it,” said state Rep. Dante Pittman (D-Wilson), who represents part of the district. “This action is further dividing a deeply divided nation.”
“Today’s passage of the new congressional districts is about ensuring that North Carolina’s voters—not out-of-state activists or unelected judges—decide who represents them in Washington,” said state Rep. Ed Goodwin (R-Chowan), whose district includes Currituck and part of Dare counties.
“These new districts restore fairness, reflect the will of the people, and respect our state’s diverse communities,” Goodwin said. “I’m proud to support a process that keeps elections in the hands of the people and ensures our voice in Washington remains strong.”
Legal challenges of the maps could delay or alter their use in next year’s races, as has happened numerous times since Republicans took control of the legislature in 2011.
Democratic elections attorney Marc Elias, whose firm has spearheaded previous lawsuits over Congressional and legislative maps in North Carolina and other states, said Wednesday the map will be heading court.
“North Carolina will be sued,” Elias posted Wednesday afternoon on Bluesky.
Filing for the 2026 elections, including all General Assembly, congressional, sheriff, and many county offices, will take place Dec. 1–19, 2025, with primaries set for March 3, 2026.
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