North Carolina GOP's proposed map seeks to thwart Democratic incumbent's reelection

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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Republican legislators offered a redrawn U.S. House district map for North Carolina on Thursday, seeking to help President Donald Trump retain GOP control of Congress by attempting to thwart the reelection of the Democrat now in the state's only swing seat.

State House and Senate GOP leaders unveiled the proposed boundaries in advance of next week's General Assembly session, stepping into the national fray over mid-decade redistricting that has Democrats and Republicans battling to secure electoral advantages from coast to coast, including Texas and California. The Republicans announced earlier this week that legislators would return to Raleigh to debate and vote on a plan provided in response to Trump’s call to secure more GOP seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

An intensely competitive midterm election looms in which Democrats need to gain just three seats to take control of the House. The president’s party historically has lost seats in midterm elections, something Trump is trying to avoid.

Republicans already approved a North Carolina map in 2023 that resulted in GOP candidates winning 10 of the state’s 14 U.S. House seats in 2024. That compared to a 7-7 seat split between Democrats and the GOP under the map used in 2022.

As anticipated, Thursday's boundaries appear, based on past election results, to focus on helping the GOP win the 1st District seat in northeastern North Carolina currently held by Democratic Rep. Don Davis. He won a second term in 2024 by less than 2 percentage points.

The retooled 1st District boundaries would take in several coastal counties and remove others inland — including Greene County, Davis' home county — to create a little more right-leaning 1st District. Greene and others would be placed in a reworked 3rd District currently represented by Republican Rep. Greg Murphy, which based on election results would appear to become a little less GOP friendly.

Other districts to the west would remain intact. Based on results of several past statewide elections attached to the map, Republicans would stand a decent chance to win 11 of North Carolina's 14 seats.

Republican legislators provided no formal comment on the proposal while inviting online comment from the public. But with an image of the new map, Senate leader Phil Berger wrote Thursday on X that the General Assembly “is ready to help Republicans secure Congress and move @realDonaldTrump’s agenda forward!”

The GOP holds majorities in both the state House and Senate. The state constitution prevents Democratic Gov. Josh Stein from using his veto stamp on redistricting plans.

The national redistricting battle began over the summer when Trump urged Republican-led Texas to reshape its U.S. House districts. After Texas lawmakers acted, California Democrats reciprocated by passing their own plan that still needs voter approval in November.

Other North Carolina Democrats have blasted Republicans for trying to help Trump, accusing the GOP of trying to steal a seat won by Davis, who is one of North Carolina's three Black representatives. The current 1st District contains a few majority-Black counties. A retooled 1st District could lead to litigation alleging unlawful racial bias.

Redistricting action would happen even while North Carolina GOP legislators are more than three months late on passing a state budget and unable to finalize how to boost Medicaid spending.

“Instead, we’re coming back to talk about redistricting because Republicans believe if they can’t win fair, they’re going to change things and cheat and win that away,” state Democratic state Rep. Sarah Crawford said Thursday at a state Democratic Party news conference.

Davis, a former state legislator and Air Force veteran, mentioned regional concerns in a social media post Thursday evening.

Eastern North Carolina families “are struggling and feel that Washington, D.C., is broken. I understand these concerns all too well," Davis wrote on X. "As we look at new congressional districts, I am considering every option, drawing on my local roots, experience in the military, and commitment to education.”