Don Davis

Don Davis is a Democrat from Snow Hill and a former Air Force officer who has represented eastern North Carolina in Congress since 2023. Republicans redrew his district in their favor, and Cook Political Report has moved the race from lean Republican to toss-up, with early polling showing Davis slightly ahead of Republican Laurie Buckhout.

On the ballot against Laurie Buckhout (R)

Why it matters: Republicans redrew this eastern North Carolina district to favor their party, and Cook Political Report once called Davis the most vulnerable House Democrat in the country, so the seat could help decide House control.

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The race at a glance

Race ratingToss-upCook Political Report, Oct 26 source

Latest poll Davis 42% 43% Buckhout 15% undecided or other co/efficient (R), ending Oct 8, 2026, 623 LV. source

Money raised (through Oct 14) Davis$5,805,482 Buckhout$4,663,052 $825,818 cash on hand. source

In Don's own words

**Don Davis**, Davis on his independence, in WUNC's coverage of the NC-1 race, Oct 20 source

Where Don stands

Cost of living: Davis says the concern is no longer just affordability or inflation but 'survivability,' and he is sponsoring legislation to pause the federal diesel tax. source
Rural hospitals and the 'Big, Beautiful Bill': Davis voted against the bill but says he supported parts of it, such as tax relief on tips and overtime, and says he pushed for reopening Martin General Hospital. source
Transgender athletes: Davis supports a North Carolina law barring transgender athletes from girls' and women's teams. source
Health care, Social Security and veterans: Davis's campaign site says he has worked to expand health care access, protect Social Security and support veterans across the aisle. source

The record

U.S. Representative for NC-1 since 2023; earlier served in the North Carolina Senate (2009–2011 and 2013–2023) and as mayor of Snow Hill (2001–2008)
U.S. Air Force Academy graduate who served in the Air Force from 1994 to 2001 and left as a captain; he coordinated Air Force One operations at Joint Base Andrews
Taught at East Carolina University before Congress; lives in eastern North Carolina with his wife, Yuvonka, and their three sons

ConfidentialThe GOP File

The file on Laurie Buckhout

Buckhout is a retired Army colonel who ended a 26-year career as chief of electronic warfare for the Army, and she founded and led Corvus Consulting until selling it in 2019. source
Buckhout served in the Trump administration as acting secretary of defense for cyber policy from March to September 2025. source
Buckhout lost to Davis in 2024 by about one to two points, 47.9% to 49.46%. Democratic ads say she is not from the area and say she backs a national abortion ban. WUNC reports she moved to Edenton about five years ago. source

Voting in NC

Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3
Register by: Oct. 9, 5 p.m. has passed; same-day registration is available during early voting (Oct. 15–31)
Early voting: In-person one-stop early voting runs Oct. 15 to Oct. 31 and ends at 3 p.m. on Oct. 31
Mail ballots: The deadline to request an absentee ballot was Oct. 20 at 5 p.m.; returned ballots must arrive by 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3
Your state's official election site

Rules change. Check the official site before you go.

Also on the North Carolina ballot

Every Senate, governor and House race in North Carolina →

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In the files

Midterms

GOP-redrawn House districts turn competitive as Cook rates several seats toss-ups

Republicans redrew maps in Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas to protect their House majority. Eight days before the election, many of those seats are close races.

Yesterday, 2:43 PM ET

Social Security · Analysis

Social Security touts 5.6-minute phone waits; watchdog found that count skips callbacks

Eleven days before the midterm, the Social Security Administration called fiscal 2026 its best year ever. The phone number it highlights is the same measure the agency's inspector general found leaves out callback waits, and the claim comes after the agency lost thousands of workers.

Oct 25, 1:15 AM ET

Don Davis. Photo: Library of Congress, Public domain

Profile sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

Race data checked Monday, October 26, 2026. Quotes on this page were matched word for word against their sources.