This election, there is only one congressional House race in North Carolina that is considered a toss-up, and it has the potential to alter what party controls the House of Representatives next year.

North Carolina’s 1st congressional district, redrawn by Republican state lawmakers last year, stretches from the border of Virginia to south of Kinston. It’s the largest congressional district in the state.

It’s a primarily rural district with significant farmland, but it does include the cities of Rocky Mount and Goldsboro.

Democrat congressman Don Davis is in his first term representing the district. He’s a former state senator, and mayor of Snow Hill, who’s now up for re-election to Congress.

“To continue to fight for the families of eastern North Carolina to deliver on health care, education, building a stronger economy,” Davis told Spectrum News 1 in Snow Hill where he lives.

The Republican running to replace Davis is a fellow veteran, retired Army Colonel Laurie Buckhout, who’s running as a political newcomer.

“I’m worried about the future of America. I want to make it safe for my kids to grow up, and hopefully have grandkids one day, and grow up in the America I did,” Buckhout told Spectrum News 1.

In the primary earlier this year Republican leadership got the nominee they were hoping for. Buckhout beat a candidate that has run for this seat a number of times before and lost. But Buckhout faces a challenge in Davis. He is known for bucking his own party.

“I’m a registered Democrat, let’s be clear,” Davis said. “Sometimes… what I see is you have to put the people we are sent to represents above any party apparatus.”

Davis, who endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, has sided with Republicans on a number of votes in Congress including a bill to send money to Israel that also stripped the IRS of billions of dollars.

And he was one of just six Democrats to vote for a resolution condemning Harris’s role in the Biden Administration’s handling of the U.S. border with Mexico. 

“I support our vice president being the next president of the United States, and I’ve made that support very clear,” Davis said. “I don’t know how often everyone agrees with everyone 100% even in their household. That does not mean that fundamentally our vice president doesn’t have the ability to serve and be an effective president.”

Davis still faces criticism from Republicans for being what they say is soft on the Border. Republicans point to his vote against a Republican-driven immigration bill that would have resumed construction of the border wall and restricted asylum, but Democrats said that would unfairly shut out people seeking safety, tossing them out of the immigration system, and didn’t address the country’s outdated immigration laws.

Davis, who has visited the U.S.-Mexico border three times, said the criticism is just politics.

“They know I’m strong on immigration, and they’re only saying it because it’s the election season,” Davis said.

Both candidates are also putting emphasis on improving the economy and bringing jobs to eastern North Carolina. And they want Congress to pass an updated farm bill.

On the issue of reproductive rights, Davis said he would vote to codify Roe vs. Wade while Buckhout supported the Supreme Court’s decision ending the constitutional right to an abortion.

When Buckhout spoke to Spectrum News 1 during the Republican primary in early 2024 she said federal limits on abortion should be discussed.

In mid-September Buckhout told Spectrum News 1 “honestly I don't think we're there yet. I think it's something that you can tee up as times goes by, but I think right now the states are handling it well.” 

One of the first votes the winner will face is whether to certify the presidential election results.

Davis recently signed a bipartisan pledge that said he will acknowledge the winner as the legitimate president.

Asked if she would accept the results whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump wins, Buckhout wouldn’t commit.

“You’ve taken an oath to defend the United States to support and protect it against all enemies. I’m going to continue to do that. There’s no need to take a pledge to reinforce that … I’m going to support the constitution as I have my entire career,” she said.

Voters are being indundated by television ads for a congressional race that could have major national implications for Congress next year.