Valerie Foushee wins US House District 4 Democratic primary election
State Sen. Valerie Foushee has won the Democratic primary in the U.S. House District 4 race. The Democratic primary for the U.S. House District 4 race virtually guarantees the winner will become the next member of Congress representing the safe blue district.
The Associated Press called Foushee the winner shortly after 9 p.m. Foushee led with more than 45% of the vote most of the night.
“From the bottom of my heart, I am truly honored and humbled that the voters of this district have chosen to put their faith in me,” Foushee said in a statement to The News & Observer. “I am grateful that they have recognized my service to this community and that they trust me to continue serving them, in Congress.
“We face major challenges,” she continued. “From an attack on voting rights and reproductive rights to the climate crisis and much more. We cannot afford to fight each other in these desperate times. That is why I refused to engage in the divisiveness during this campaign.”
Foushee had been one of the front-runners during the campaign, along with Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam and singer Clay Aiken. Throughout the evening, Allam trailed Foushee in second place with Aiken a distant third.
As of 10 p.m., Foushee had nearly 40,000 votes, or 46% after early voting and with 157 of 162 precincts reporting; followed by Allam with 36% and Aiken with 7%.
If a candidate didn’t receive more than 30% of the vote, the second place finisher could request a runoff election.
Foushee will succeed retiring Congressman David Price, who served the district for 30 years. Foushee, like Price, is from Orange County. She served on the Orange County Board of Commissioners before running for state Senate, where she holds leadership positions in the Legislative Black Caucus and Senate Democratic Caucus. She was seen as the party establishment’s preferred candidate.
Foushee received millions of dollars in super PAC money from pro-Israel AIPAC and Protect Our Future, the super PAC mostly funded by a crypto-billionaire. The money went to a flood of broadcast, digital and print advertisements in the last few weeks before the primary. Foushee also received several endorsements including from retiring U.S. Congressman G.K. Butterfield, the Congressional Black Caucus and several other lawmakers and elected officials.
Allam, who is the first Muslim woman to be elected to any office in North Carolina, previously worked for the Bernie Sanders campaign and received his endorsement as well as U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Allam, at 28, has been one of the youngest candidates for federal office and is also pregnant with a daughter. She represents the most progressive wing of the Democratic Party, receiving endorsements from “The Squad,” a group of Congress members that includes Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, who have both endorsed Allam.
In a Twitter thread Tuesday night, Allam noted the PAC spending against her, thanked supporters and said it had “been a joy and an honor to organize with the hundreds of young people who are fighting for a better future.”
Aiken grew up in the Triangle, started off as a special education teacher and became known for his time on “American Idol” and “Celebrity Apprentice.” He had also criticized the amount of outside spending in the election that benefits Foushee.
Five other candidates who ran were Ashley Ward, who received 5% of the vote with most precincts reporting, and Richard Watkins, Matt Grooms, Crystal Cavalier and Stephen J. Valentine, who each received less than 2%.
“I hope that my victory tonight will start a larger conversation about who we are as Democrats and send a signal to others that you can be both progressive and pragmatic,” Foushee said after her win. “We, as a party, must embrace that. I am eager to serve and deliver for the people of the Fourth district and address the big challenges we face as a country.”
Republican primary
Republican candidates for the 4th district primary were Courtney Geels and Robert Thomas. After early voting and with 157 of 162 precincts reporting, Geels had 64% of the vote to Thomas’ 35%. Foushee will face off with Geels in the general election in November.
For more North Carolina government and politics news, listen to the Under the Dome politics podcast from The News & Observer and the NC Insider. You can find it at https://campsite.bio/underthedome or wherever you get your podcasts.
This story was originally published May 17, 2022 at 7:46 PM.
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