North Carolina Democrat seeks to flip House seat in defiance of GOP redistricting effort

North Carolina Democrat Allison Jaslow announced a bid to flip a House seat blue on Thursday, as she seeks to capitalize on the state’s recently passed political map. 

“This time demands that every American who’s willing to step up and lead in this moment does,” she said in a statement posted to X.

“That’s one of the many reasons why I’m launching my campaign for Congress today, and I hope you’ll join me as I look to give the people of NC-03 the representation they deserve,” Jaslow added. 

The redistricting effort was designed to give the GOP a boost in the 1st Congressional District. However, Democrats believe that redrawing the boundaries inadvertently advanced their interests in the 3rd Congressional District, which Republicans have controlled for decades. 

Jaslow is a U.S. military veteran who served as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s executive director. She was reportedly forced out in 2019 due to complaints that management did not push for a more “diverse” team.

The district is represented by Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC), who is endorsed by President Donald Trump. 

Murphy is seeking to win reelection in 2026 after the boundaries of his seat were changed earlier this year, transferring a swath of the eastern portion of his district to the 1st District, which is held by Rep. Don Davis (D-NC). 

While the change made the seat more competitive by taking some Republican voters out of Murphy’s district, it will likely remain firmly in the GOP’s grip.  

NORTH CAROLINA SENATE APPROVES NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP TARGETING DON DAVIS

Murphy’s district is now 43% Democratic, up from 39% Democratic before it was redrawn, whereas Davis’s seat went from being 48% to 44% Democratic, according to a CBS News analysis.

The North Carolina legislature passed the redistricting plan in October. The new map recently survived several legal challenges, as a panel of federal judges upheld the changes in a ruling last month.