Tuesday's primaries in North Carolina are expected to bring significant changes to the composition of the U.S. House delegation in the state. The Republican-controlled General Assembly redrew districts previously drawn by judges, likely resulting in a shift from a delegation of seven Democrats and seven Republicans to one with 10 Republicans and four Democrats.
Five out of the 14 incumbents are not seeking reelection, including Democratic Reps. Jeff Jackson, Kathy Manning, and Wiley Nickel, as well as Republican Reps. Dan Bishop and Patrick McHenry. The redistricting changes have made some districts more heavily tilted towards Republicans.
Two seats that are likely to flip from Democratic to Republican have attracted numerous candidates. The 14th District is expected to send North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore to Congress, while the 13th District and 6th District have also seen competitive races.
In the open 8th District seat, Rev. Mark Harris is running for the Republican nomination, alongside state Rep. John Bradford and Democrat Justin Dues. The 10th District, left open by McHenry, has five Republicans vying for the nomination.
There is one likely swing district in North Carolina, the 1st District, where Democratic Rep. Don Davis is running for reelection and may face a rematch with Republican Sandy Smith.
Several Republican incumbents are seeking reelection, including Rep. Virginia Foxx, Rep. Greg Murphy, Rep. David Rouzer, Rep. Chuck Edwards, and Rep. Richard Hudson. Democratic Reps. Deborah Ross, Valerie Foushee, and Alma Adams are also running for reelection.
North Carolina law allows for a runoff if a candidate does not receive more than 30% of the vote, with the second-place candidate having to request another election. The primaries will set the stage for the November general election, where the final composition of the U.S. House delegation from North Carolina will be determined.
