North Carolina Democrats Take Five House Seats From GOP-Drawn Districts

North Carolina Democrats have won five U.S. House races in districts designed to favor Republican candidates. The Associated Press called four of those seats as flips from Republican control. This result stands in sharp contrast to the 2024 election, when those same districts produced lopsided victories for the GOP.

In the 6th Congressional District, High Point Mayor Cyril Jefferson defeated first-term incumbent Rep. Addison McDowell. McDowell had won that Triad district by more than 38% in 2024. In the 9th District, former West Virginia State Senator Richard Ojeda unseated Rep. Richard Hudson. Hudson served as the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. The 13th District, which includes areas around Raleigh, went to Paul Barringer. He defeated first-term Rep. Brad Knott. LaKesha Womack won the 14th District, taking the seat from Rep. Tim Moore. Moore had previously served as speaker of the North Carolina House.

The state’s congressional map was redrawn in 2023 to benefit Republican candidates. In the 2024 election, the 14th District was the closest of the four, with Moore winning by about 16%. The 6th District was the safest for Republicans, with McDowell winning by a wide margin. The 2026 results show that these advantages no longer held.

As of Thursday, the AP had called nine of the state’s 14 House seats for Democrats. No Republican seats had been called. Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper won the open U.S. Senate race by nearly 20%. U.S. Rep. Brian Jack, a Georgia Republican and candidate for NRCC chair, suggested the Senate result affected House races. He wrote in a letter to House Republicans that Senate Republicans withdrawing support from the state created a cascade that likely swept away many colleagues.

In the 1st Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Rep. Don Davis is leading Republican challenger Laurie Buckhout by more than 10,000 votes. Legislative Republicans redrew that district last year to make it easier for GOP candidates to win. They pulled Republican-leaning counties from the 3rd District to create the new map. Davis won by a smaller margin in 2024.

Five races in the state remain uncalled. In the 3rd District, incumbent Republican Greg Murphy leads Democrat Raymond Smith by 233 votes. That race is likely headed for a recount. In the 5th District, Democrat Chuck Hubbard leads 11-term incumbent Virginia Foxx by 99 votes. That race may also go to a recount. If current results hold, the state’s congressional delegation will consist of 10 Democrats and 4 Republicans.