NC Republicans unveil new congressional map that could pick up a seat for GOP
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Republicans unveiled a new congressional map aimed at flipping one district.
- Map redraw shifts several coastal and inland counties, diluting current Democratic base.
- Legislative data shows new district voted 55% for Trump in the 2024 election.
North Carolina Republicans unveiled a new congressional map Thursday, officially entering the national redistricting battle as President Donald Trump pushes GOP-controlled states to redraw their maps in his party’s favor ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
If enacted, the map could flip the 1st Congressional District in Republicans’ favor, ousting U.S. Rep. Don Davis, a moderate Democrat.
Republicans, who have substantial majorities in both chambers of the legislature, are expected to vote on the map next week. Democratic Gov. Josh Stein is prohibited from vetoing it due to a provision in the state constitution.
North Carolina’s congressional map, which was redrawn in 2023, already heavily favors the GOP, electing 10 Republicans and four Democrats last year.
The new map is an even more aggressive attempt to maneuver districts in Republicans’ favor and is likely to face legal challenges for racial gerrymandering, given that it affects the state’s historic “Black belt.”
The 1st district, which is currently located in northeastern North Carolina, would be redrawn to include several Republican-leaning counties along the coast, including Hyde, Dare and Pamlico.
Other counties like Pitt, Lenoir and Greene (where Davis lives) would be moved into the 3rd Congressional District, which is currently represented by Republican Rep. Greg Murphy.
According to data provided by the legislature, 55% of voters in the proposed 1st district voted for Trump in the 2024 election. The current 1st district is far more competitive, with Davis winning his seat by less than 2 points.
Legislative leaders announced their plans to redraw the map earlier this week, explicitly stating their intention to safeguard Republican control of Congress and “protect President Trump’s agenda.”
Senate leader Phil Berger has denied rumors that he would redraw the map in order to secure an endorsement from Trump in his contentious primary campaign against Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page.
The new map, if enacted, is likely to face legal challenges, but the pathways for doing so have narrowed in recent years.
A 2023 ruling from the North Carolina Supreme Court effectively legalized partisan gerrymandering, allowing lawmakers to brazenly draw maps in their own party’s favor.
The current congressional map, however, is already facing a federal lawsuit for alleged racial gerrymandering. Plaintiffs argue that the map illegally dilutes the votes of Black residents by “cracking” communities across districts.
A federal judge recently rejected a similar racial gerrymandering challenge to the state Senate districts, writing that there was a lack of “contemporary evidence of intentional discrimination concerning the right to vote against Black voters.”
And the U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering a case that could gut a section of the Voting Rights Act that has limited racial gerrymandering.
The legislature is accepting public comment on the new map online.
This story was originally published October 16, 2025 at 4:03 PM.
