Donald G. Davis

In the 2024 House race for NC-1, Don Davis (D) won with 49.5% of the vote, defeating Laurie Buckhout (R) who received 47.8%. A third candidate also appeared on the ballot. The 1.7-point margin made this one of the more competitive races of the cycle.

As the incumbent, Don Davis benefited from name recognition, established constituent services, and the roughly 2-3 point advantage that sitting members typically enjoy. The 2024 presidential election drove higher voter turnout, which can help or hurt down-ballot candidates depending on the top of the ticket. Given the narrow margin, this seat is likely to remain competitive and attract heavy investment in the next cycle.

In the 2022 House race for NC-1, Don Davis (D) defeated Sandy Smith (R) 52.4% to 47.6%. Don Davis received 134,996 votes compared to 122,780 for Sandy Smith, a narrow 4.7-point margin that would have flipped with a small shift in turnout or persuasion.

This was an open-seat race with no incumbent running — G.K. Butterfield (D) previously held the seat. Open seats typically attract stronger candidates and heavier spending from both parties. As a Democrat, Don Davis won despite the historical midterm penalty against the president's party (Democrat Biden was in office). This seat will likely stay on party watch lists as potentially competitive in future cycles.