A federal three-judge panel has permitted North Carolina to use a newly redrawn congressional map, designed to give Republicans a better chance of winning a swing seat currently held by a Democrat. The map targets the state's only competitive district, represented by Democrat Don Davis, who is Black and serves over 20 counties in the north-east. The decision denied preliminary injunctions sought by plaintiffs.
Two lawsuits challenged the map on constitutional grounds. One, filed by the state NAACP and others, argued that Republican lawmakers unconstitutionally targeted the state's 'Black belt' in violation of the First Amendment. The other claimed the use of five-year-old census data for mid-decade redistricting violated the 14th Amendment's one-person, one-vote guarantee and that race was improperly used in map drawing.
North Carolina is one of several states where Donald Trump has pushed for mid-decade redistricting to strengthen Republican House chances. Similar efforts have occurred in Texas, Missouri, and Ohio, while California and Virginia have taken steps to improve Democratic prospects. Many lower courts have blocked these initiatives, but the conservative-majority US Supreme Court has placed rulings on hold.
North Carolina's Republican-controlled legislature approved the map in October without Democratic Governor Josh Stein's consent. Republican Senate leader Phil Berger stated the decision 'thwarts the radical left’s latest attempt to circumvent the will of the people' in a state that voted for Trump in 2024. Republicans currently hold 10 of 14 House seats and hope to gain an 11th. Candidate filing begins on 1 December.
