Now that NC has new districts and candidates have filed, who’s running for Congress?

As soon as North Carolina’s lawmakers approved a congressional map, incumbents began declaring their intentions for the 2024 elections.

And challengers began making clear who they would run against.

On Oct. 25, the General Assembly took the state’s 14 congressional districts that were evenly split between Republicans and Democrats and turned them into a map, based on past voting data, that will likely give Republicans 10 districts and Democrats three, with one district that could go to either party.

There are at least five open seats. Republican incumbent Reps. Patrick McHenry announced he would retire from Congress.

Both Reps. Dan Bishop and Jeff Jackson are leaving Washington to compete against one another for the state attorney general seat, left empty by Josh Stein, who is running for governor. Bishop, a Republican, had already decided to walk away from Congress. Jackson, a Democrat, was left with little choice after lawmakers drew him into a Republican-leaning district where House Speaker Tim Moore will now run for Congress.

Reps. Wiley Nickel and Kathy Manning, two Democrats, were also drawn into Republican-leaning districts and will forgo running for reelection.

A lawsuit challenged the legality of the congressional districts. But that hasn’t stopped people from declaring their candidacy and beginning their fundraising.

Candidate filing ended Dec. 15. The primary will be held on March 5.

Are we missing someone? Notify Danielle Battaglia at dbattaglia@mcclatchydc.com.

District 1

Counties: Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Edgecombe, Gates, Greene, Halifax, Hertford, Lenoir, Nash, Northampton, Martin, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, Vance, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wilson, parts of Granville.

Constituents’ political leaning: Swing district. Past data shows constituents in this area have voted for both major parties.

Incumbents: Don Davis, a Democrat, is running for reelection.

Democrats: Don Davis.

Libertarian: Tom Bailey.

Republicans: Laurie Buckhout and Sandy Smith.

District 2

Counties: Parts of Wake.

Constituents’ political leaning: Democrat.

Incumbents: Deborah Ross, a Democrat, who is running for reelection.

Democrats: Deborah Ross and Michael Camero.

Green: Michael Dublin.

Republicans: Eugene Douglass, Alan Swain and Robert Morales Vergara.

District 3

Counties: Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Dare, Duplin, Hyde, Jones, Onslow, Pamlico, Pitt and parts of Sampson.

Constituents’ political leaning: Republican.

Incumbents: Greg Murphy, a Republican, who is running for reelection.

Democrats: None.

Republicans: Greg Murphy.

Libertarian: Gheorghe Cormos.

District 4

Counties: Durham, Orange and part of Chatham and Wake.

Constituents’ political leaning: Democrat.

Incumbents: Valerie Foushee, a Democrat, who is running for reelection.

Democrats: Valerie Foushee.

Libertarian: Guy Meilleur.

Republicans: Eric Blankenburg and Max Ganorkar.

District 5

Counties: Alleghany, Alexander, Ashe, Caldwell, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes and part of Guilford.

Constituents’ political leaning: Republican.

Incumbents: Virginia Foxx, a Republican, who is running for reelection.

Democrats: Chuck Hubbard.

Republicans: Virginia Foxx and Ryan Mayberry.

District 6

Counties: Davie, Davidson, Rowan and parts of Cabarrus, Guilford and Forsyth.

Constituents’ political leaning: Republican.

Incumbents: Kathy Manning, a Democrat who announced she will not seek reelection.

Democrats: None.

Republicans: Christian Castelli, Mary Ann Contogiannis, Bo Hines, Addison McDowell, High Point Mayor Jay Wagner and Mark Walker, a former member of Congress.

District 7

Counties: Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, Pender and parts of Cumberland, Robeson and Sampson.

Constituents’ political leaning: Republican.

Incumbents: David Rouzer, a Republican, is running for reelection

Democrats: Marlando Pridgen.

Republicans: David Rouzer.

District 8

Counties: Anson, Montgomery, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly, Union and parts of Cabarrus, Mecklenburg and Robeson.

Constituents’ political leaning: Republican.

Incumbents: Dan Bishop, a Republican, who is running instead for state attorney general.

Democrats: Justin Dues.

Republicans: Allan Baucom, state Rep. John Bradford, Don Brown, Leigh Brown, Mark Harris and Chris Maples.

District 9

Counties: Alamance, Hoke, Moore, Randolph and parts of Chatham, Cumberland and Guilford.

Constituents’ political leaning: Republican.

Incumbents: Richard Hudson, a Republican, who is running for reelection.

Democrats: Nigel William Bristow.

Republicans: Richard Hudson and Troy Tarazon.

District 10

Counties: Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln, Yadkin and parts of Forsyth.

Constituents’ political leaning: Republican.

Incumbents: Patrick McHenry, a Republican who announced his retirement.

Democrats: Ralph Scott.

Libertarian: Steven Feldman

Republicans: Charles Eller, Pat Harrigan, Diana Jimison, Brooke McGowan and state Rep. Grey Mills.

District 11

Counties: Avery, Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Swain, Transylvania, Yancey and part of Polk.

Constituents’ political leaning: Republican.

Incumbents: Rep. Chuck Edwards, a Republican, is running for reelection.

Democrats: State Rep. Caleb Rudow.

Republicans: Rep. Chuck Edwards and Christian Reagan.

District 12

Counties: Parts of Mecklenburg.

Constituents’ political leaning: Democrat.

Incumbents: Alma Adams, a Democrat, who is running for reelection.

Democrats: Alma Adams.

Republicans: Addul Ali.

District 13

Counties: Caswell, Franklin, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Person and parts of Granville and Wake.

Constituents’ political leaning: Republican.

Incumbents: Wiley Nickel, a Democrat who announced he won’t run for reelection.

Democrats: Frank Pierce.

Republicans: Chris Baker, DeVan Barbour, Kelly Daughtry, Marcus Dellinger, David Dixon, Brad Knott, Steve Von Loor, Josh McConkey, James Phillips, Siddhanth Sharma, Matt Shoemaker, Eric Stevenson, Fred Von Canon and Kenny Xu.

District 14

Counties: Burke, Cleveland, Gaston, Rutherford and parts of Mecklenburg and Polk.

Constituents’ political leaning: Republican.

Incumbents: Jeff Jackson, a Democrat, who is not seeking reelection but running for state attorney general.

Democrats: Pamela Genant and Brendan Maginnis.

Republicans: Jeff Gregory, Lillian Joseph and state House Speaker Tim Moore.

This story was originally published November 2, 2023 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Now that NC has new districts and candidates have filed, who’s running for Congress?."

Danielle Battaglia

McClatchy DC

Danielle Battaglia is the congressional impact reporter for The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer, leading coverage of the impact of North Carolina’s congressional delegation and the White House. Her career has spanned three North Carolina newsrooms where she has covered crime, courts and local, state and national politics. She has won two McClatchy President’s awards and numerous national and state awards for her work.