RALEIGH — Incumbent freshman Democrat Don Davis and Republican Laurie Buckhout are headed for a recount in North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District.
Results, while unofficial are tight but right now are outside the 1% or less margin needed to trigger a recount.
Davis stands at 49.46% to Buckhout’s 47.90%. Just 5,826 votes separate the two candidates and Buckhout did not concede on election night.
“Thank you to the voters of North Carolina’s First Congressional District. I’ve spent my life fighting for our country, fighting to defend our Constitution, and yes, fighting for extraordinary great Americans just like all of you! And it looks like we are going to continue fighting!” said Buckhout in a statement. “Like all of you, we are reviewing all the results as they come in. Once the votes have been counted, we will look at all options for getting this over and done with. If a recount is required, we will be ready.”
Cook Political Report had the race listed as a “toss up.”
Prior to being elected to Congress in 2022, Davis had been a member of the N.C. Senate representing the 5th District since 2013. The seat had been 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 at the time, had endorsed Davis for the seat.
Davis is a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate (1994) and was a commissioned officer in the Air Force for eight years. He has been a past assistant professor of aerospace studies at East Carolina University Air Force ROTC Detachment 600, during which time he taught “national security affairs, military history, and leadership courses.”
Davis’ bio says he was born and raised in Snow Hill, but unearthed records show he spent his high school years in Texas.
Davis currently resides in Greene County with his wife and three sons.
Buckhout, a retired U.S. Army colonel and consulting business owner, had defeated Sandy Smith in the March 5 primary to advance to the general election. Smith had unsuccessfully challenged Davis for the seat in 2022.
She attended James Madison University while on an ROTC scholarship where she received a bachelor’s degree. She also holds a master’s degree in military arts and science in national military strategy, and also a master’s degree in information management from Webster University.
Following college, she was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army Signal Corps (1984) and retired after 26 years in 2010.
After retiring from the military, Buckhout started Corvus Consulting, a consulting and services group “specializing in Electronic Warfare and Cyberspace Operations.” She sold that business in 2019 but remained the new company’s board for three years.
Buckhout and her husband, Paul, have been married for 29 years and have two sons. The family lives in Edenton.
