How Paul Barringer won an upset election in the Triangle suburbs
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Photo: Courtesy of Paul Barringer
Democratic candidate Paul Barringer defeated Republican Rep. Brad Knott and will represent parts of Wake County in Congress next year.
- The Associated Press called the 13th Congressional District race on Thursday afternoon.
Why it matters: When Democrats take control of Congress in January, Barringer will be among several other newly elected North Carolinians.
What they're saying: Barringer, a Lee County native who is a health care consultant, said that his campaign strategy came down to "hustle" and meeting as many voters as possible.
- He said he attended more than 100 events across the district since July and even rode his bicycle around it, from Sanford to Wake Forest. "I was just hitting multiple events in a day and talking to many hundreds of people every weekend," he said.
- What he learned at those events, he said, is that voters were concerned about the cost of living, health care and political corruption. He believes the blue wave that happened Tuesday came down to Democrats' messaging.
Zoom in: The district — redrawn during the 2024 election cycle to give Republicans an advantage — includes parts of Wake County and towns including Wake Forest, Clayton and Sanford. Those are all some of the fastest-growing areas in the state.
By the numbers: He led by more than 7,600 votes with 99% of ballots counted, unofficial results show.
State of play: Barringer is preparing to attend orientation for new members of Congress in the next few days.
- When asked what he plans to focus on in Congress, Barringer said Congress needs to take back its authority and not let the administration wage war or pass tariffs without their consent. "Affordability for me means that Congress needs to step up and do a job around those items that [are] increasing the cost of living, in particular tariffs and the war."
- He also said Congress needs to send a bill back to the president to "reverse" cuts to Medicaid in the One Big Beautiful Bill and restoring Affordable Care Act subsidies.
What's next: Barringer added that Democrats need to keep listening to their constituents if they want to win in the same places in 2028.
- "There were a lot of [Democratic candidates] that got out there and did a lot of listening on what the what the voters wanted and then offered up ideas that aligns with those" things, he said. "I think whoever listens to the people and delivers solutions that will respond to their needs, I think you'll continue to have a good likelihood of success."