Text VICTORY to 21818 to help DEFEND our conservative majority!

Don Davis Among Most Vulnerable Democrats as Laurie Buckhout Builds Momentum

May 21, 2026

North Carolina Democrat Don Davis is once again being recognized as one of the most vulnerable members of Congress as Republicans ramp up efforts to flip North Carolina’s First Congressional District in 2026. Political observers and recent polling continue to show Davis in serious political trouble in a district President Trump carried comfortably.

Republican retired Army Colonel Laurie Buckhout, a top-tier recruit and member of the NRCC’s MAGA Majority program, has quickly emerged as one of the strongest challengers in the country after narrowly losing to Davis last cycle.

“Don Davis has spent his time in Washington voting with the radical left while Eastern North Carolina moves further and further away from the Democrat Party. Meanwhile, Laurie Buckhout is a battle-tested Army Colonel who understands service, leadership, and what it takes to fight for North Carolina families. That’s why Don Davis is once again one of the most vulnerable Democrats in America.” – NRCC Spokesman Reilly Richardson

BACKGROUND
Davis is in trouble for a number of reasons:

  • New NRCC polling shows:
    • Don Davis with exceptionally low name ID for an incumbent.
    • Republicans ahead on the generic ballot.
    • The Democrat party’s image is 18 points underwater.
  • President Trump enjoys broad support in Eastern North Carolina, winning Davis’s district by double digits in 2024.
  • Laurie Buckhout’s campaign is continuing to gain momentum and has more than $1.4 million on hand.
  • Buckhout was also recently added to the NRCC’s MAGA Majority program, which is focused on supporting and elevating the next wave of America First candidates who will help expand the Republican House majority in 2026.
  • Despite his district’s support for the President, Davis has tried to obstruct the America First agenda by voting to hike North Carolina families’ taxes and block critical support for North Carolina farmers.
  • Davis was also recently exposed for taking thousands of taxpayer dollars to skip work.