North Carolina Election Committee Approves GOP Redistricting Map

The North Carolina Elections Committee has approved a proposed redistricting map put forward by the Republican Party, setting the stage for a vote in the state Senate later today. The decision, made on Monday morning, reflects a strong likelihood of passage given the GOP majority in both the state House of Representatives and the Senate.

Phil Berger, the North Carolina Senate Leader, and Destin Hall, the House Speaker, announced the proposed map last week. They indicated that the changes aim to bolster support for former President Donald Trump‘s agenda in the state. Hall emphasized the mandate received by Trump from North Carolina voters, stating, “President Trump earned a clear mandate from the voters of North Carolina and the rest of the country, and we intend to defend it by drawing an additional Republican congressional seat.”

Rumors have circulated regarding a potential endorsement from Trump for Berger in his upcoming primary election, supposedly in exchange for these redistricting efforts. However, Berger has denied any such arrangement and clarified that he has not discussed the matter with Trump.

The proposed map includes significant changes to North Carolina’s 1st congressional district, currently represented by Democrat Don Davis. It removes the east-central counties of Wayne, Wilson, Greene, and Lenoir, replacing them with several coastal counties, including Carteret and Craven.

Should the General Assembly approve the map, it will bypass a veto from the governor. North Carolina currently has 14 congressional districts, with 10 held by Republicans and four by Democrats. Prior to this year, the distribution was evenly split. A redrawing in 2023 enabled Republicans to gain three additional U.S. House seats for the 2024 elections.

The 1st congressional district remains the only competitive district in North Carolina, with Davis winning re-election in 2024 by a narrow margin of 1.5%. As the Senate prepares to vote, the implications of this redistricting could have significant effects on the political landscape in the state moving forward.