(The Center Square) – Nearly $10 million from the Congressional Leadership Fund is being directed to fall reservations in three media markets in North Carolina and Virginia pivotal to the 2026 midterms and Republican efforts to flip an Old North State seat.
The total includes $4.7 million in Raleigh and $2.6 million in the Greenville-New Bern market in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina. Another $2.5 million is slated for Norfolk, Va., the media market that includes eight northeastern counties of North Carolina.
The fund is the super PAC endorsed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Republican leadership. In all, the political action committee is spending $153.1 million in 38 markets for broadcast, cable, streaming and digital platforms.
“Our record fundraising gives us the firepower we need to make a significant first investment to protect our House Majority,” said Chris Winkelman on Thursday. He’s president of the Congressional Leadership Fund. “This initial reserve reflects the reality that this cycle, again, will be fought on a narrow map. Republicans hold the terrain, and it’s a tall order for Democrats to break through our strong, battle-tested incumbents. This reserve shows we are committed to defending our own while aggressively supporting our candidates on offense.”
The state’s 14 congressional races have just one expected to be in the toss-up category. The 1st Congressional District, the northeastern part of the state not won by a Republican since the 1882 election, was reconfigured along with the 3rd Congressional District in an attempt to lift the candidate of the Grand Old Party into Washington.
Retired Army Col. Laurie Buckhout of Edenton and incumbent Democratic Rep. Don Davis of Snow Hill are facing off for the second consecutive cycle in the 1st Congressional District. In the 3rdd Congressional District, incumbent Republican Rep. Dr. Greg Murphy’s advantage may be lessened but is still forecast strong enough to return to the Beltway.
Goldsboro Democrat Raymond Smith is challenging Greenville’s Murphy. Two years ago, Democrats didn’t make a run at the seat.
North Carolina has 10 Republicans and four Democrats in Washington. Republicans hope to make it 11-3.
Differentiations because of court orders have been in each map used for four of the last five congressional elections – 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022. The Legislature drew it in 2024.
In the redrawn change this year, it’ll be Beaufort, Hyde, Dare, Craven, Pamlico and Carteret counties going from the 3rd to the 1st; and Wilson, Wayne, Greene and Lenoir counties going from the 1st to the 3rd.
