Democratic primary includes Foushee-Allam rematch. How do the opponents differ?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Primary rematch is between Foushee and Allam; Patterson also runs.
- Foushee stresses holding Trump accountable, housing and defending health care.
- Allam centers on labor rights, higher wages, unions and anti-corruption.
To help voters learn which candidates are on their ballot and where they stand on important policy issues, The News & Observer is publishing candidate questionnaires in all state and federal races in North Carolina on the March 3, 2026, ballot.
Rep. Valerie Foushee and Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam faced off for the second time for Congress. Both want to represent Orange and Durham counties and portions of Chatham and Wake counties in the U.S. House.
So does Mary Patterson, a retired human resources director and educator who is running against them both.
The 4th Congressional District race in 202, the first time Allam and Foushee ran against each other, was contentious and expensive.
Below are the candidates running for U.S. House District 4 who responded to our questionnaire, in order by the date their responses were received. Some candidates did not provide a photo.
Mary Patterson
Age as of March 3, 2026: 63
Political party: Democrat
Campaign website: I do not have one yet.
Current occupation: Retired human resources director consultant and educator.
Professional experience: Thirty-year human resources director consultant and 15-year educator.
Education: Master’s degree in computer science and business.
Please list any notable government or civic involvement.: N/A
What would be your top priority if elected? Affordable housing, clean and fair housing with mold inspections, equal employment and fair wages, terminating the “at will” clause for employment.
Republican and Democratic candidates often explain the state of the economy differently. How do you see it and what, if anything, would you do that you believe would improve it? Fair wages for educators and public school employees, free health care, more funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
In 2025, Congress caused the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. What should members of Congress do to prevent this in the future and how important is it for Congress to pass a budget? Maintain the programs already in place for the poor; eliminate unnecessary politician raises; review and revise the budget as needed according to pertinent itemized programs running according to change.
Lawmakers have been at odds on Capitol Hill over health care coverage for Americans. Where do you stand on Medicaid coverage and Affordable Care Act subsidies? I support keeping Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies because without them many people and families could not afford to be seen by providers for medical emergencies improving health care.
Should the president go before Congress before taking military action in foreign countries? Yes. As a checks and balance decision across the North Atlantic Treaty Organization board.
Do you support the tactics that the Trump administration has used in immigration enforcement? Do you believe the immigration crackdown has had collateral effects for residents with legal status? Yes. To remove illegal criminals and persons in America unlawfully. No, when ICE agents kill people unmercifully.
Do you believe oversight of public education should be left up to individual states? No. When the state makes a budget cut it is almost always to reduce the teacher’s paycheck. Unacceptable.
Is there an issue on which you disagree with your party? What is your position on that issue? No comment at this time. N/A
Nida Allam
Age as of March 3, 2026: 33
Political party: Democrat
Campaign website: nidaallam.com
Current occupation: Vice chair of the Durham County commissioners.
Professional experience: See below.
Education: Bachelor of science from N.C. State.
Please list any notable government or civic involvement: Vice chair of the Board of Commissioners; Planned Parenthood South Atlantic Votes board of directors; former chair of the Durham Mayor’s Council for Women; former vice chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party; former political director, Bernie Sanders 2016.
What would be your top priority if elected? Across the district, families are being squeezed by low wages, rising prices and corporate greed. My top priority is making sure working people can afford to live with dignity. That means raising the federal minimum wage, strengthening the right to unionize through the PRO (Protecting the Right to Organize) Act, taking on price gouging by corporations and reining in the outsized influence of billionaires who rig the economy in their favor.
Republican and Democratic candidates often explain the state of the economy differently. How do you see it and what, if anything, would you do that you believe would improve it? We are staring down one of the worst economic crises for working families since the 2008 financial crisis, and Trump’s MAGA agenda is only exacerbating its severity. Unfortunately, many folks in my own party fail to offer a compelling solution to the American people because they remain beholden to corporate interests, lobbyists and their own stock portfolios, leaving working people out to dry. We need to address the crisis from the ground up, with improved services and debt relief.
In 2025, Congress caused the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. What should members of Congress do to prevent this in the future and how important is it for Congress to pass a budget? This past year, Congress caved to the catastrophic Trump agenda, threatening millions of children who rely on SNAP to eat every day, and effectively skyrocketing health care premiums via the end of ACA subsidies. The longest government shutdown in history became a pointless show of helplessness. It’s time to show political savvy. Because I have a labor background, I think of it like union negotiations. If we are actually prepared to hold the line, then future negotiations get stronger.
Lawmakers have been at odds on Capitol Hill over health care coverage for Americans. Where do you stand on Medicaid coverage and Affordable Care Act subsidies? It’s time to finally pass Medicare for All — a promise that too many politicians have broken and turned on over the past two decades. What’s more, Medicare for All is one of the most popular policies in America across party lines, with two-thirds of Americans saying they’re in favor.
Should the president go before Congress before taking military action in foreign countries? President Trump has flagrantly defied the Constitution countless times — one of the most dangerous cases being in Venezuela. Only Congress has the power to declare war — and the War Powers Act of 1973 legislates that every president go before Congress to alert them of military action of any kind. In violation of these laws, President Trump has escalated conflict in Venezuela, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Congress must restrain him — millions of lives are at stake.
Do you support the tactics that the Trump administration has used in immigration enforcement? Do you believe the immigration crackdown has had collateral effects for residents with legal status? I am the daughter of Indian and Pakistani immigrants and an immigrant myself — nothing could be closer to my heart than making sure that every immigrant has a place in North Carolina. I know the immigration crackdown has had collateral effects for those with legal status, including naturalized citizens, because it’s had collateral effects on me — the hateful rhetoric that fills my notifications and direct messages gets worse every day. It’s time to stand against the Trump agenda wherever it rears its ugly head.
Do you believe oversight of public education should be left up to individual states? As a lifelong product of North Carolina public schools, I could not be more committed to their growth, development and sustained success. With that in mind, I support policies like strong funding for the Department of Education, which has suffered baseless attacks and cuts under the Trump administration. It means opposing the unchecked expansion of charter schools and voucher systems that drain public education of funds. And it means raises and debt relief for our teachers, who deserve so much more support.
Is there an issue on which you disagree with your party? What is your position on that issue? Campaign finance and anti-corruption reforms are among the most important issues facing our country today, and not enough Democrats — including my opponent — are willing to face them head-on. When I went up against Rep. (Valerie) Foushee in 2022, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee dumped over $2 million into our district — making it the most expensive primary in state history. I am determined to end this corrupt system once and for all, even as others in the party choose complacency.
Valerie Foushee
Age as of March 3, 2026: 69
Political party: Democrat
Campaign website: https://valeriefoushee.com
Current occupation: U.S. representative (N.C.-04)
Professional experience: Congresswoman N.C.-04 (2023-present). North Carolina General Assembly (2012-2022). Orange County Board of Commissioners (2004-2012). Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education (1997-2004). Chapel Hill Police Department administrator.
Education: Bachelor of arts from UNC-Chapel Hill in political science and Afro-American studies.
Please list any notable government or civic involvement: Member of the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus, chair of the North Carolina Black Alliance, chair of the Board of Directors of the Marian Cheek Jackson Center for Saving and Making History, member of First Baptist Church of Chapel Hill, member of The Links Incorporated, Triangle Park Chapter, member of Chapel Hill-Carrboro Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; member of Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP, Order of the Eastern Star, Randolph Chapter #185, PWM.
What would be your top priority if elected? Donald Trump is the biggest threat to democracy our nation has ever faced. He is taking away rights, weaponizing the government against his enemies and lining his own pockets and no one is holding him accountable. I have signed on to nine amicus briefs challenging Trump’s policies in court, supported impeachment legislation, and exposed his illegal access to confidential data. I will continue to fight to hold Trump responsible and do everything in my power to stop his attack on our democracy.
Republican and Democratic candidates often explain the state of the economy differently. How do you see it and what, if anything, would you do that you believe would improve it? I believe that residents of N.C. 04 are currently facing an affordability crisis. The price of groceries, housing, utilities and property taxes have gotten out of control. In Congress, I am standing up to Trump’s tariffs and taking on corporate price gouging that drives up costs. I am also pushing for legislation that would force developers to build housing people can actually afford and stop hedge fund speculators from buying up housing in our area that increases prices.
In 2025, Congress caused the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. What should members of Congress do to prevent this in the future and how important is it for Congress to pass a budget? Passing a budget every year is one of the most important things Congress must do. The effects of a government shutdown are catastrophic, as we witnessed first hand in 2025, but continuing resolutions are also harmful. Members of Congress must work to pass all 12 appropriations bills before the end of the fiscal year so government agencies and critical programs can continue to operate without interruption. People’s lives are not a political bargaining chip, which is why Congress must pass a budget.
Lawmakers have been at odds on Capitol Hill over health care coverage for Americans. Where do you stand on Medicaid coverage and Affordable Care Act subsidies? One of my top priorities in Congress is to defend health care. In the state Senate, I helped expand Medicaid. In Congress, I am fighting to defend it from Republican cuts. The Republican Big, Ugly Bill caused health care costs to skyrocket for millions of Americans. The House Democrats’ bill to extend the ACA tax credits passed the House, but now the Senate needs to get this legislation to the president’s desk immediately. I do support a single-payer health care system, Medicare for All.
Should the president go before Congress before taking military action in foreign countries? The president does not have the authority to unilaterally launch military actions without congressional approval. I do not support Trump’s illegal war in Venezuela, and I am a cosponsor of the War Powers Resolution to end these illegal hostilities. I was proud to vote to stop the war and will continue to hold the Trump administration accountable and to stop him from putting service members in harm’s way for his illegal regime-change war.
Do you support the tactics that the Trump administration has used in immigration enforcement? Do you believe the immigration crackdown has had collateral effects for residents with legal status? The deployment of ICE in our community is a deliberate effort by the Trump administration to target Black, Brown, and immigrant residents. I have introduced legislation to prevent local law enforcement from collaborating with ICE and co-sponsored bills that would ban ICE agents from wearing masks and crack down on agents who violate people’s rights. I have also introduced articles of impeachment against Secretary Kristi Noem and voted against the Department of Homeland Security funding bill that included funding for ICE.
Do you believe oversight of public education should be left up to individual states? I believe that the federal government must lead the oversight of public education to ensure all students are receiving a quality education. Reducing federal involvement would lead to unequal education opportunities and funding cuts. The U.S. Department of Education provides accountability by creating systems for student performance and acts as a crucial safety net for vulnerable students. I will oppose any efforts to dismantle this crucial federal agency.
Is there an issue on which you disagree with your party? What is your position on that issue? In March 2025, I boycotted Trump’s joint address to Congress. A very small number of members of Congress joined me in the boycott. I knew Trump and House Republicans had no plan to address the real concerns of the American people but were instead focused on passing their extreme budget that leaves working families behind. I thought the speech was an insult to the American people and I knew in my heart of hearts I could not be there in support of it.
This story was originally published February 15, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
