Republican voters in North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District chose Laurie Buckhout as their nominee on March 3. Buckhout is set for a November showdown with incumbent Rep. Don Davis (D-NC).
Buckhout, a retired Army colonel and former Pentagon official, defeated four other Republican candidates in the primary. With most of the vote counted, she secured roughly 39 percent of the vote, ahead of former Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck, who received about 35 percent.
The win sets up a rematch between Buckhout and Davis after their close race in 2024. Davis narrowly defeated Buckhout in that election, winning by less than two percentage points.
Buckhout previously served 26 years in the U.S. Army and worked as acting assistant secretary of defense for cyber policy last year. After retiring from the military in 2010, she founded a consulting firm specializing in electronic warfare and cyberspace operations.
During the campaign, Buckhout described herself as an “America First conservative and a proven leader.” Her platform focused on border security, protecting Second Amendment rights, strengthening the economy, supporting military service members and veterans, and promoting American leadership in technology and artificial intelligence.
The primary field also included state Sen. Bobby Hanig, Lenoir County Commissioner Eric Rouse, and attorney Ashley-Nicole Russell.
Hanig, an Army veteran and state lawmaker, campaigned on fiscal responsibility, economic growth, and public safety. Rouse focused on support for former President Donald Trump’s policies, stronger border enforcement, and opposition to what he described as “wokeness.” Russell ran on lowering inflation, balancing the federal budget, cutting government spending, imposing term limits, and defending gun rights.
Buck, who has served as sheriff since 2006, centered his campaign on lower taxes, limited government, and protecting constitutional freedoms.
Under North Carolina election rules, candidates must receive at least 30 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff. Buckhout cleared that threshold, allowing her to win the nomination outright.
The general election race could be highly competitive. North Carolina lawmakers redrew the state’s congressional map last year, reshaping the 1st District in a way that analysts say now favors Republicans.
The new map moved several counties into the district, including Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Dare, Hyde, and Pamlico. Other counties that were previously part of the district were shifted elsewhere. Political analysts have since rated the district as leaning Republican.
Davis, a retired Air Force captain and moderate Democrat, is seeking a third term in Congress. He did not face a primary challenger.
The race is expected to draw national attention because of the narrow margin in 2024 and the district’s new boundaries. Republicans currently hold a slim majority in the House of Representatives, and both parties are targeting competitive districts as they try to shape control of the chamber after the 2026 elections.