RALEIGH — Democrat Don Davis has won North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District race over Republican Sandy Smith.
The race was close all evening but the unofficial results show Davis receiving 52.5% of the vote over Smith’s 47.5%. Those results show Davis received a little over 12,500 more votes than Smith.
Smith won a crowded nine-person Republican Primary in May to face Davis this November. She managed to overcome domestic violence allegations to win the primary but continued to receive negative press. Following the primary, the Democratic committee spent $2.2 million in television ads opposing Smith.
Davis had been a member of the N.C. Senate representing District 5 since 2013.
The two candidates were competing for the seat vacated by Rep. G.K. Butterfield, who announced his retirement after 18 years following redistricting in the state. Butterfield, who was in his ninth term, had endorsed Davis for the seat.
Smith ran against Butterfield in 2020 and lost by approximately 30,000 votes.
The results are still unofficial and this story may be updated.
