The Case Against Laurie Buckhout

“Laurie Buckhout has no real interest in serving the people of Eastern North Carolina. Her priority is acting as another rubber-stamp for the same Washington politicians who are making everyday life more expensive for North Carolinians. While Don Davis was busy fighting for affordable health care, lowering costs, and bringing money back home, Laurie was rubbing shoulders with Washington elites and doing everything she could to stay out of North Carolina. This November, voters are going to send Don Davis – a trusted fighter – back to Congress,” said DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene.

—

To: Interested Parties
From: Madison Andrus, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: March 3, 2026
Subject: The Case Against Laurie Buckhout

This is once again the story of a hometown leader versus an opportunistic transplant who is only out for herself. And we’ve seen how this story ends.

Don Davis is a trusted voice in East North Carolina with a long track record of working across the aisle to deliver results. Born and raised in Snow Hill, Don graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and went on to serve our country in the Air Force for nearly a decade. Whether as a First Lieutenant, an educator, a minister, a mayor, a State Senator, or a Congressman, Davis has been one of North Carolina’s strongest fighters his whole life. Having built a reputation as one of the most bipartisan members of Congress, he has been a champion for military families and veterans and worked across the aisle to fight for lower prescription drug costs, to protect family farms, and to bring over $300 million of funding back to the people of Eastern North Carolina in 2025 alone.

Laurie Buckhout conveniently moved to North Carolina just two short years before running for this seat the first time – and losing. Buckhout looks down on the people of Eastern North Carolina from her multi-million dollar home perched atop her massive stock portfolio. She is a puppet of D.C. insiders and will rubber stamp the policies that are making every day life more expensive for working families in North Carolina’s First Congressional District. Buckhout will live wherever, support whatever, and promote whatever she thinks she has to in order to gain power – even when it means hurting the people of Eastern North Carolina.

Even under Republicans’ desperate gerrymander, non-partisan race raters say that Don Davis is uniquely suited to “keep this district in Democrats’ hands.” Don will continue to put Eastern North Carolina first. Laurie Buckhout puts herself and Washington first and will continue to lose.

Buckhout: Not From North Carolina, Not For North Carolina

Laurie Buckhout is once again using North Carolina as a stepping-stone back to D.C. Buckhout grew up in Virginia, attended college in Virginia, and lived there for a decade before deciding to use North Carolina to further her political ambitions. After voters rejected her in 2024, Laurie packed up her bags and settled down in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, Don Davis has lived in Eastern North Carolina for his entire life – the voters are people he grew up with, people who know him and trust him. That’s why he’s worked so hard to invest in local community colleges, fight for local small businesses, and secure federal funding for local infrastructure projects.

For Buckhout, North Carolina Voters are Out of Sight, Out of Mind

When Buckhout first followed her party bosses’ orders to run for office, she didn’t buy a home in the heart of Eastern North Carolina. Instead she purchased a multi-million dollar home, complete with a putting green and a water slide. Meanwhile, North Carolinians are struggling to put food on the table, pay for their health care, and stay on top of the skyrocketing cost of living thanks to Buckhout’s party bosses cutting health care and food access and protecting cost-raising tariffs. 

And if she doesn’t sound relatable enough, Buckhout lives off of her multi-million dollar stock portfolio, which includes a net worth of up to $35 million, as well as thousands of dollars invested in companies with close ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

For Don Davis, putting his community first has always been his top priority. He has fought back against Buckhout’s party bosses to lower the cost of health care, including prescription drug prices. He also led efforts to combat the CCP’s influence over North Carolina and stop them from buying up North Carolinian farmland. And rather than overlooking rural voters like Buckhout, Don has continued to fight for the rural community, working to invest in the region’s agricultural economy, ensuring access to broadband, and strengthening food security.

Buckout is a Handpicked Party Puppet Who Answers to D.C., Not N.C.

Handpicked by the D.C. establishment, Buckhout’s loyalties clearly lie with them and not with the people of Eastern North Carolina. Laurie has proudly endorsed Washington’s cost-raising agenda that has raised the price of everything from groceries to health care to utility bills to taxes. That same agenda is kicking over 40,000 people in NC-01 off their health care, while the cost of health insurance increases by nearly 150%; yet Buckhout remains more concerned with showing fealty to her D.C. party bosses than standing up for working families in the district. Meanwhile, Don Davis has never been afraid to stand up to anyone if it meant doing what’s right for his constituents.

NC-01 Needs a Steady Hand at the Wheel, Not Another Reckless Politician

Laurie Buckhout’s belief that she is above the law is not something East North Carolinians will overlook. She was charged with driving under the influence and pleaded guilty to reckless driving. Even as recently as last year, Laurie allegedly tried to bribe her primary opponent with a job in an effort to get him to drop out of the race. While Don Davis represents the best of public service and dedication, Laurie embodies the dirty politics of the D.C. swamp that North Carolinians hate.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

HEADLINE: Buckhout pleaded guilty to reckless driving after initial DUI charge reduced

“North Carolina 1st Congressional District candidate Laurie Buckhout pleaded guilty to reckless driving in Georgia nearly 4½ years ago after initially being charged with driving under the influence, according to online court records.”  [The Daily Advance, 02/06/24]

The Assembly: “In an interview with The Assembly on Friday, Hanig said Buckhout offered him a position as her chief of staff if he’d drop out of the race.Hanig told The Assembly that Buckhout “is a liar.” He also questioned her fitness for office due to her lingering health issues.” [The Assembly NC, 12/19/25]

HEADLINE: Rep. Don Davis Urges Federal Action to Aid North Carolina Tobacco Farmers Amid Collapse of Exports to China [SFNToday, 10/06/25]

HEADLINE: Davis sponsors bill to boost support for rural water systems [Spring Hope Enterprise, 02/19/26]

HEADLINE: Rep. Davis: Eastern NC sees $302.5M in federal funding for 2025 [Spring Hope Enterprise, 01/05/26]

HEADLINE: Congressman Don Davis announces new bill aimed to protect Seymour Johnson Air Force Base [WITN, 06/19/25]

PATH TO VICTORY:
Don Davis has consistently overperformed in North Carolina under every district line Republicans have thrown at him. Even under the new, further Republican-gerrymandered lines, Governor Josh Stein still carried this district, proving Democrats have a path to victory here. This district remains nearly 30% Black, a key constituency with whom Don Davis reliably overperforms and who are souring on D.C. Republicans. According to Cook Political Report, “even as his rural, eastern North Carolina district has drifted to the right, [Davis has] maintained support from a significant share of Republican-leaning voters.”

While Don Davis has cut his teeth winning difficult races and is an ever-present fixture in the Eastern North Carolina community, Laurie Buckhout is a proven loser who has already shown that she doesn’t know how to win in a competitive race. She’s leaned on her establishment buddies to help fuel her campaign because North Carolinians want nothing to do with her.

In an increasingly independent voter environment, Don Davis’ bipartisan record and demonstrated success delivering for seniors, veterans, and working families will make him a force to be reckoned with. And as cost-raising tariffs and Medicaid cuts devastate Eastern North Carolinian workers and families, voters are looking for the candidate who will fight for them. This November, North Carolina voters are going to send their proven fighter back to Congress.

###