Democrats Flip North Carolina House Delegation 10-4 in Stunning Midterm Reversal

Democrats have flipped North Carolina's House delegation, turning a 10-4 Republican advantage into a 10-4 Democratic majority in one of the most startling results of the 2026 midterm elections. The Associated Press called five North Carolina US House races for Democrats on Thursday, November 5, 2026, all in districts drawn to favour Republicans, and by the end of the day had called nine of the state's 14 seats for Democrats and none for Republicans. Complete but unofficial State Board of Elections totals reported on Friday, November 6, confirmed the reversal: Democrats won 10 of 14 seats, Republicans four.

Key Points

• Democrats flipped four Republican-held North Carolina House seats on Thursday, November 5, 2026; the AP had called nine of the state's 14 seats for Democrats by day's end.
• NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson lost his 9th District seat to former West Virginia state senator Richard Ojeda.
• Cyril Jefferson beat Addison McDowell in the 6th, Paul Barringer beat Brad Knott in the 13th, and LaKesha Womack beat former state House speaker Tim Moore in the 14th.
• Unofficial totals on Friday, November 6, showed Democrats winning 10 of 14 seats, an exact reversal of the pre-election 10-4 Republican split.
• Five races remained uncalled, with likely recounts in the 3rd and 5th districts (margins of 233 and 99 votes).

What Happened

The Associated Press called five North Carolina races for Democrats on Thursday, four of them flips from Republican control. In the 6th District, High Point Mayor Cyril Jefferson defeated first-term Representative Addison McDowell, 140,001 votes (51.14 per cent) to 133,737 (48.86 per cent). In the 9th, former West Virginia state senator Richard Ojeda defeated Representative Richard Hudson, NRCC chairman, 138,707 (51.11 per cent) to 132,692 (48.89 per cent).

In the 13th District, Paul Barringer beat first-term Representative Brad Knott. In the 14th, LaKesha Womack defeated former North Carolina House speaker Representative Tim Moore. The AP also called the 1st District for incumbent Democrat Don Davis, who led Republican Laurie Buckhout by more than 10,000 votes despite a redraw meant to unseat him.

By the end of Thursday, the AP had called nine of 14 seats for Democrats and none for Republicans; unofficial totals on Friday showed Democrats winning 10 of 14. Five races remained uncalled: in the 3rd, Republican Greg Murphy led Democrat Raymond Smith by 233 votes, in a district where Democrats fielded no candidate in 2024; in the 5th, Democrat Chuck Hubbard led 11-term Republican Virginia Foxx by 99 votes. Both are likely headed for recounts.

Background: A Map Drawn to Favour Republicans

North Carolina's congressional map was redrawn in 2023 to significantly favour Republican candidates, and the four flipped districts performed that way in 2024. The 14th was the closest of the four, with Moore winning by about 16 per cent, while the 6th was the least competitive, with McDowell winning by more than 38 per cent. That is what makes the results so striking: all four seats were drawn to be safely Republican.

Former Governor Roy Cooper won the open US Senate seat by nearly 20 points, and Democrats also won the US House nationally.

What the North Carolina House Delegation Flip Means for Congress

The result matters far beyond North Carolina because of who lost. Hudson was not just any incumbent: as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, he was House Republicans' chief campaign strategist. Losing his own seat while his party lost the House is a double blow, and it leaves the committee's leadership in flux; one candidate seeking to replace him is Representative Brian Jack, a Georgia Republican.

The flip also rewrites the balance of power inside the delegation. For two years, 10 Republicans and four Democrats gave the GOP a reliable bloc on close votes. From January, the delegation will send 10 Democrats and four Republicans to Washington, changing how North Carolina's interests are argued in the House.

Reactions

Republicans were already trading blame within hours. Representative Brian Jack wrote in a letter to fellow House Republicans that fellow GOP lawmakers may have contributed to the difficult environment. “When Senate Republicans withdrew support from North Carolina weeks ago, they created a cascade that likely swept away many of our colleagues from that state,” Jack wrote, pointing to the decision to pull back from the state in the campaign's final weeks.

Davis held the 1st District by a larger margin than in 2024, even after legislative Republicans redrew it last year to make it easier for GOP candidates to win.

Why It Matters

North Carolina was supposed to be a Republican firewall. The 2023 map was drawn after the state Supreme Court's Republican majority cleared the way for partisan gerrymandering, and it delivered exactly what its authors intended in 2024, when Republicans won 10 of 14 seats. Thursday's results show that even a map drawn to favour one party can be overwhelmed when the political tide runs hard the other way. The four flipped seats were not decided by national issues alone: Jefferson is a sitting mayor, Ojeda a veteran campaigner with a national profile, and Womack beat a former state House speaker in a district Republicans had considered safe.

What Happens Next

The five uncalled races will decide the final shape of the delegation. The 3rd and 5th districts, with margins of 233 and 99 votes, are likely headed for recounts, and the remaining calls could still move the final tally. The State Board of Elections will certify the results in the coming days, and the new delegation will be sworn in when the 120th Congress convenes in January 2027. Republicans must also settle the NRCC leadership question quickly, with the chairmanship open and the party facing two years in the House minority.

Read more: Roy Cooper flips North Carolina Senate seat, Democrats' first win since 2008; Jamie Ager flips North Carolina's 11th District in Democrats' first House win.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many House seats did Democrats flip in North Carolina?

Four: the 6th, 9th, 13th and 14th districts, all flipped on Thursday, November 5, 2026. Unofficial totals showed Democrats winning 10 of the state's 14 seats.

Who is Richard Hudson and why does his loss matter?

Richard Hudson was chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, the House Republicans' campaign arm. He lost the 9th District to former West Virginia state senator Richard Ojeda, 138,707 votes to 132,692.

Which races are still uncalled in North Carolina?

Five remained uncalled, including the 3rd (Murphy leads Smith by 233) and the 5th (Hubbard leads Foxx by 99). Both are likely headed for recounts.

Was North Carolina's map drawn to favour Republicans?

Yes. Redrawn in 2023 to significantly favour Republican candidates, it delivered a 10-4 Republican delegation in 2024. The four flipped districts all performed strongly Republican then; McDowell won the 6th by more than 38 per cent.

How did Roy Cooper's Senate win affect the House races?

Cooper, a Democrat, won the open US Senate seat by nearly 20 points. Brian Jack said Senate Republicans withdrawing support weeks before the election “created a cascade that likely swept away many of our colleagues from that state”.