Allam concedes to Foushee in tight North Carolina primary

Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.) is expected to defend her seat in North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District after progressive challenger Nida Allam conceded on Wednesday.

Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ) has yet to call the narrow Democratic primary for the Durham-based seat.

“Though these were not the results we hoped for, I am proud of the movement we have built, the voices we have lifted up and the journey we have ahead,” Allam, a Durham County commisioner wrote in a statement.   

The two ran against each other in 2022 under different congressional lines, with Foushee winning the Democratic contest and Allam placing second. Foushee would go on to win the general election that year. 

With about 99 percent of the vote in as of Thursday morning, Foushee leads Allam by just 1,202 votes, per DDHQ.

“In the days ahead, the incumbent has a responsibility to half this district to earn their support,” Allam said in her Wednesday statement. “It should not take being challenged in a primary to take bold stances that voters support.”

Age and calls for generational change became a focal point in this contest. Allam, 32, said she felt compelled to run against Foushee, 69, again because the congresswoman wasn’t doing enough to fight back against the Trump administration.

“…To have our representative solely just put out a tweet or a strongly worded letter, when so many families were hurting, I couldn’t idly sit by and … look at my residents in good faith and say, ‘Well, you have to wait three years for help,’” Allam, who was backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) told The Hill in a recent interview, also slamming Foushee for taking money from corporate PACs. 

But defeating Foushee, a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, was no easy feat. Foushee enjoyed endorsements from former Gov. Roy Cooper (D), who’s running for North Carolina Senate this cycle, and current Gov. Josh Stein (D). 

Strategists suggested it would be tall task for Allam to topple Foushee given the two women had fewer policy differences than they did stylistic ones. 

“My constituents have clearly voiced to me that they want Congress to pass progressive policies to push this country forward, not simply replacing elected officials with younger ones without results,” Foushee told The Hill in a statement.  

“I respect our primary system but do not think this critical moment is the proper time to replace principled leadership with untested lip service,” Foushee added. 

Sophia Vento contributed to this report.

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