Foushee leads Allam in NC-4, but it's recount territory
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Valerie Foushee (left) and Nida Allam ran in the Democratic primary for North Carolina's 4th congressional district. Photos: Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images
The race between incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee and progressive challenger Nida Allam was too close to call on election night.
- The candidates are within 1% of each other in unofficial Democratic primary results for central North Carolina's 4th congressional district, and that's recount territory.
Why it matters: Democrats nationwide have looked to the race as a pulse check on voter satisfaction with the party under President Trump — especially when it comes to immigration enforcement, support for Israel and reining in corporate power.
By the numbers: The unofficial results have Foushee leading with 49.18% of the votes, to Allam's 48.22%, with all precincts reporting.
- That's a margin of 1,202 votes.
- A third candidate, Mary Patterson, garnered 3,253 votes, or 2.60%.
Context: Foushee, 69, has long been a force in North Carolina politics, working her way from school board to Congress over the course of 25 years. She grew up in Chapel Hill and now lives in Hillsborough.
- Allam, 32, has been a county commissioner since 2020 in Durham, where she moved after college. She grew up in western Wake County, the child of Indian and Pakistani immigrants.
The intrigue: Foushee scooped up most of the endorsements, including from prominent political voices like U.S. Senate candidate and former governor Roy Cooper, Gov. Josh Stein, all the Democrats currently representing North Carolina in Congress, and the Democratic leadership in the state legislatures.
- Allam is an outspoken critic of Israel and has built her profile in recent months by putting herself on the frontlines when immigration agents surged into the state. She documented arrests and helped distribute warnings in multiple languages, and later called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
- The race saw millions in spending by outside groups on behalf of both candidates.
What they're saying: Foushee released a statement declaring victory after midnight, saying progressive change will remain her top priority in a third term, "no matter what narrative out-of-state groups attempt to cast about my voting record."
Zoom in: Most voters in Orange and Chatham counties voted for Foushee. The majority in Durham County went for Allam.
- Wake County was close — and the last to report, with the final precincts posting results near midnight — but narrowly broke for Allam.
Flashback: The women first ran against each other in 2022, in a more crowded field under a different map.
- Foushee won then by 9 points.
What's next: Depending on absentee and provisional ballots, Allam may be able to request a recount after the State Board of Elections certifies the results, which law requires to happen within 10 days.
- Allam says she will do so, per Spectrum News.
- No Republicans or third-party candidates are running, so the winner will take office after November's general election.
