Buckhout concedes 1st District race, congratulates Davis

RALEIGH, N.C. (WITN) - GOP challenger Laurie Buckhout this afternoon conceded her close race with Congressman Don Davis.

With all precincts reporting, Davis has a 5,826 vote margin over Buckhout. Candidates can request a recount if the margin is 1% or less.

Buckhout says she called Davis to congratulate him. “Don Davis ran a spirited campaign, and I congratulated him on his hard-fought victory earlier today,” said Buckhout. “While Don and I have different visions, it is obvious to everyone he cares about this district.”

The former Snow Hill mayor and state senator is in his first term in Congress. The race tightened as the final precincts came in just after 11:00 p.m.

Friends, family, and supporters of Davis gathered at the Greene County Community Center in Snow Hill last night, waiting for the results of the highly contested race.

Davis made his way to the watch party around 1:30 a.m. today, where he thanked voters and the community for their support.

“At the end of the day, we’re going to fight for whoever is in the district. We’re fighting for our constituents, and I’m so excited for the opportunity to go to the 119th Congress and continue for Eastern North Carolina to make life better,” says Davis. “I mean, so many are struggling right now, and I know there are a lot of frustrations, but I want everyone to know that I’m here for them and we’re going to fight for the issues that are important to us.”

After all the precincts reported, Buckout released a statement about a possible recount saying, “Thank you to the voters of North Carolina’s First Congressional District. I’ve spent my life fighting for our country, fighting to defend our Constitution, and yes, fighting for extraordinary great Americans just like all of you! And it looks like we are going to continue fighting!”

“Like all of you, we are reviewing all the results as they come in. Once the votes have been counted, we will look at all options for getting this over and done with. If a recount is required, we will be ready,” Buckhout’s statement continued.

Davis tells WITN that he’s looking forward to fighting for more accessible reproductive healthcare and a secure border during his second term in the 1st District.