In September 2025, lawmakers in the U.S. state of North Carolina began considering a legislative redistricting plan ahead of the 2026 United States House of Representatives elections.
On October 13, 2025, North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate leader Phil Berger released a joint statement announcing a planned vote on new congressional districts, making the competitive 1st congressional district more Republican leaning. [1]
In early 2025, the Trump administration urged Republican Party leadership in states with Republican controlled state legislatures to redistrict in order to draw more Republican seats and benefit Republicans. Along with redistricting in other red states, the proposal began amid concern from Trump and his allies that a Republican loss in the 2026 United States House of Representatives elections could damage Trump's legislative agenda and lead to investigations. [2]
The North Carolina legislature already redrew the state’s congressional districts in 2023 to be beneficial to the Republican Party, allowing them to pick up 3 seats in the 2024 elections. [3] In September 2025 it was reported that Senate leader Phil Berger would redraw the state's congressional districts in order to gain Trump's endorsement, which he denied. [4] However, Berger said he was open to redrawing the congressional lines once again in order to match potential gains from California's Proposition 50. [5] This statement received backlash from Governor Josh Stein (who cannot veto a potential map), who stated such a redraw would be "ridiculous to do so". [6]
A proposed redistricting map intends to give Republicans one additional seat in the 2026 United States House of Representatives elections likely in the 1st congressional district making it harder for representative Don Davis to be re-elected in 2026. [7]