GOP plan to redraw NC congressional districts brings opposition from Democrats

President Donald Trump on Friday called newly proposed congressional maps in North Carolina "new, fair and improved."

"I encourage all of my Republican friends in the North Carolina Legislature to work as hard as they can to pass this new Map," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

The Republican-led redistricting plan unveiled Thursday could turn North Carolina's first congressional district, often considered the only competitive one in the state, into one more likely to elect a Republican.

The district, which encompasses the northeast corner of North Carolina, is represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Don Davis.

"Families across eastern North Carolina are struggling and feel that Washington, D.C., is broken," Davis told WRAL News. "I understand these concerns all too well. As we look at new congressional districts, I am considering every option, drawing on my local roots, experience in the military, and commitment to education."

Former U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel, D-North Carolina, knows the impacts of redrawn congressional maps.

The Democrat chose not to run for re-election last year after GOP-led redistricting changed his seat.

"I talked to Don Davis [on Thursday] night, so I can tell you what I told him," Nickel told WRAL News. "He needs to do everything he can to fight back, to speak up, to make his voice heard on this.

"The fact is, if you gerrymander a district a certain way, you can guarantee an outcome. That's what is happening here in North Carolina. These are maps that are designed only to elect Republicans. They take the choice away from voters."

NC lawmakers unveil proposed congressional map in effort to maintain GOP control

Under the current map, 10 Republicans and four Democrats represent North Carolina in the U.S. House.

The proposed map could favor more GOP candidates, creating an 11-3 split instead.

It's a move state Republicans believe will help their party maintain or gain more control in the U.S. House. 

"The [North Carolina General Assembly] is ready to help Republicans secure Congress and move [Trump's] agenda forward," said North Carolina Senate Leader Phil Berger in a post on X.

State lawmakers are expected to vote on the proposed maps next week. 

The North Carolina Democratic Party is set to hold a rally in protest at the State Capitol on Tuesday.

"The legislature is proposing to abuse [its] power, to take away the people's," Democratic Gov. Josh Stein said. "The people of North Carolina should choose their representatives, not the representatives choosing their voters.

"We have a General Assembly that has failed to pass a budget, maybe the only one in the entire country. They failed to fully pay our Medicaid needs. They failed to pay teachers and law enforcement the salaries that they deserve. They need to focus on what matters to people, and not taking away people's power."

The redistricting plan has also drawn criticism from Democrats in the General Assembly, with some saying GOP state lawmakers have put Trump's priorities over their constituents’.

"They have prioritized his needs over passing a comprehensive state budget for our ... state employees or making sure we fully fund the Medicaid rebates," said State Rep. Rodney Pierce, who has been involved in legal battles over redrawn senate maps in North Carolina. "I definitely foresee litigation. That definitely seems to be the trend now."

U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy, R-North Carolina, whose third congressional district would see significant changes including the loss of some coastal communities under the redistricting plan, says he still intends to run in 2026.