RALEIGH, NC (LOOTPRESS) – North Carolina Republicans are moving quickly to redraw the state’s congressional districts in a bid to gain an additional Republican seat in Congress.
On Monday, the state Senate voted 25-20 along party lines to give preliminary approval to a new map that would make the 1st Congressional District more favorable to Republicans, a change that could flip the seat currently held by Democrat Don Davis.
Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell), who presented the plan to the Senate Elections Committee, said the goal is to maintain Republican control of the U.S. House of Representatives. “If Democrats flip four seats in the upcoming midterm elections, they will take control of the House and torpedo President Trump’s agenda,” Hise said.
President Donald Trump expressed support for the plan on social media, calling it an opportunity for North Carolina to elect “another MAGA Republican” and saying he was “watching, and strongly supporting” the effort.
Mid-decade redistricting is not unusual in North Carolina, which has had multiple maps struck down by courts. But experts note this may be the first instance of redistricting designed specifically to help a sitting president avoid a midterm setback.
Currently, the 1st District is considered a toss-up for 2026. Davis, one of the House’s most conservative Democrats, narrowly won re-election last year by less than two points after Republicans redrew the district in 2023. The new plan has drawn criticism for potentially diluting the Black vote, a concern Hise dismissed, saying the map would withstand legal challenges.
Democratic lawmakers strongly opposed the plan. Sen. Terence Everitt (D-Wake) called it a “bow to Trump” and described the move as a step toward authoritarianism. Senate Democrats submitted multiple constitutional protests following Monday’s vote. Sen. Natalie Murdock (D-Durham) pledged continued opposition despite the party’s lack of influence over the GOP-majority legislature.
The proposal would shift North Carolina’s congressional delegation to 11 Republicans and 3 Democrats, up from the current 10-4 split. The map does not require the governor’s approval under state law. Gov. Josh Stein (D) criticized the plan as a “cynical power grab” aimed at undermining voter choice, particularly in Davis’s district.
SL 2023-145 Congress – 11 x 17 Map
Public opposition was visible during committee meetings and floor debates. Citizens attending the sessions expressed anger, chanting slogans and holding signs calling the map racist. Critics say the redistricting would undermine historically Black communities in northeastern North Carolina, where the 1st District has elected Black representatives since 1992.
Former U.S. Reps. Eva Clayton and G.K. Butterfield released a statement condemning the plan, saying it would “silence communities that have long been the backbone of northeastern North Carolina” and fracture counties with shared history and economic ties.
Democrats warned that the proposed map threatens to weaken Black representation and criticized the process as lacking sufficient public input. Hise countered that racial data was not used to draw the lines.
The map now moves to a final Senate vote and will subsequently face consideration in the state House. With Republicans controlling both chambers, the plan is expected to pass, reshaping North Carolina politics in advance of the 2026 midterm elections.
