Race in North Carolina’s 1st District becomes most expensive in US history — The Hill
In the United States, spending on political advertising in the race for the seat representing North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District has reached $52.9 million. According to AdImpact, this is the most expensive House of Representatives election in the country’s history in terms of political advertising spending, The Hill reports.
Incumbent congressman and Republican candidate
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Don Davis is running for re-election in a district with redrawn boundaries. His opponent is Republican candidate Laurie Buckhout, a retired U.S. Army colonel.
Nearly $30 million in advertising spending has been directed toward supporting Davis. More than $23 million was spent on political advertising supporting Buckhout. Polls indicate a close contest, while the nonpartisan analytical resource Cook Political Report rates the race as one in which the candidates’ chances are roughly equal.
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Record spending in the election cycle
The district’s boundaries were changed as a result of a redistricting process led by Republicans. The party viewed the district as an opportunity to gain an additional seat in the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections, while Democrats seek to regain control of the lower chamber of Congress.
For comparison, $38.5 million was spent on elections in this district in 2024, while less than $7 million was spent during the 2022 campaign, when Davis was first elected to the House of Representatives. According to a Decision Desk HQ forecast released on Thursday, Democrats had about an 80% chance of winning a House majority and a 60% chance of winning a Senate majority.
AdImpact had previously projected that total spending in the 2026 election cycle could exceed the $11.2 billion spent on the 2024 presidential election. Eight of the 10 most expensive House elections in the service’s historical ranking fall within the current cycle. In particular, spending in Florida’s 25th District reached $49.4 million, while in Michigan’s 7th District it reached $47.7 million.
