WASHINGTON — Decisions, decisions.

That’s what candidates in Eastern North Carolina are having to make after Republicans in the General Assembly redrew the state’s congressional districts to give their party an extra seat in the U.S. House.

State lawmakers openly explained that they targeted the 1st Congressional District as a potential Republican pickup that would help them keep the House majority, which they currently hold by just six seats.

“The 1st District has gone from the only toss-up district in the entire Southeast to a safe Republican seat overnight,” said Chris Cooper, political science professor at Western Carolina University.

A label from The Cook Political Report matches Cooper’s analysis. Overnight, Cook moved the 1st district out of a toss-up rating to one of “Likely Republican” and noted that under the new map President Donald Trump would have won the district by 12 points in 2024.

The 1st district has been represented by a Democrat since 1883. Rep. Don Davis currently represents the district.

“There is no Democrat in Congress currently who represents a district that went as much to Donald Trump as the redrawn 1st did in the last election,” Cooper said.

Despite its history as a Democratic stronghold, House Republicans have been targeting Davis’ seat for years. Under the old map, it was a 50-50 district in which voters could elect someone from either major party. Even before the redistricting took place, three Republicans had challenged Davis for his seat: state Sen. Bobby Hanig, Lenoir County Commissioner Eric Rouse and Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson.

But state lawmakers shook up the campaign Wednesday when, under Trump’s orders, they drew four of Davis’ counties into Rep. Greg Murphy’s district to the south, diluting both the Black and Democratic vote. They also moved six of Murphy’s counties into Davis’, giving Davis 25 of North Carolina’s 100 counties to represent.

Murphy, a Republican, represents the 3rd Congressional District and was facing two Democrats in the 2026 election: George Papastrat and Christopher Schulte, as well as one Libertarian, Austin Ayers.

“The 3rd District has moved slightly in the Democratic direction, but is still a safe Republican seat by almost any metric,” Cooper said.

The Cook Political Report labeled the 3rd Congressional District “likely Republican,” a change from “solid Republican,” saying Trump would have won it by 14 points in 2024.

Cooper said the changes to Davis’ district don’t take away his ability to win. Midterm elections are notoriously difficult for the party of the sitting president.

“He has a shot,” Cooper said. “But this isn’t just an uphill battle. This is like climbing Mount Mitchell with a weight on your back.”

Cooper also points out that Davis still needs to decide which district he plans to run in.

Lawmakers didn’t just change Davis’ district — they drew his home into Murphy’s district.

Davis lives in Snow Hill, a town in Greene County. Under the new map, Greene, Lenoir, Wayne and Wilson counties move into the 3rd Congressional District.

Since the map’s passage, Davis has not yet said where he plans to run, but a member of Congress is not required to live in their district, only in their state. Davis did call the changes to the map “one of the darkest moments in our state’s history” and “morally wrong.”

From Murphy’s district, lawmakers relocated Beaufort, Craven, Carteret, Pamlico, Hyde and Dare counties into the 1st Congressional District.

And Cooper said it’s a toss-up where Davis would want to run.

The 1st District contains more of his current constituents, but the 3rd is home.

Murphy had a choice, too.

He’s been a strong advocate in Congress for coastal issues, and the way lawmakers redrew his district, he would represent little of North Carolina’s coastline. He could instead run in the 1st district, but Punchbowl News reported that the White House told him to stay in the 3rd — reporting he denied (and falsely attributed to The News & Observer) during a radio interview Thursday morning.

Murphy announced during that interview, and in a follow-up news release, that he plans to continue his run in District 3.

“These new counties will further strengthen my commitment to our beloved veterans and active-duty military, local manufacturing interests as well as North Carolina’s cherished and vital agriculture economy,” Murphy said. “While the new district lines no longer include many of our beloved coastal communities, I will continue to nourish and cherish the friendships, partnerships, and shared accomplishments forged over these years as I continue the important work on behalf of North Carolina in Congress. The work we have done together to support and protect our coast and waterways will continue.”

Candidates for the 3rd Congressional District have been quiet since the maps were redrawn. Papastrat and Schulte live in Onslow County, which remains in the 3rd Congressional District. McClatchy could not find a voter record for Ayers.

As for the 1st Congressional District, all three Republicans say they will remain.

Hanig and Roberson live in District 1.

Roberson confirmed to McClatchy Wednesday morning his continued plans to run in District 1, as did Hanig’s campaign adviser.

Hanig also sent out a news release stating: “From the very beginning, I said I would run in North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District — because it’s my home,” Hanig said. “These are my people, my neighbors, and my values. The new map doesn’t change that — it only strengthens it.”

Hanig continued, saying that these are some of the same counties he represents in the General Assembly.

“I’ve been fighting for their values ever since I first entered public service, and no one will work harder than I for the citizens of District 1,” Hanig said.

Rouse, who entered the race a week before lawmakers announced their plans to redraw the congressional map, now lives in the 3rd district. His campaign adviser, Jonathan Felts, confirmed Thursday morning he will continue to campaign in the 1st district.

Filing for North Carolina’s 2026 election begins Dec. 1, and candidates have until Dec. 19 to make a final decision about where they will run.

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