OUTER BANKS, N.C. — A lot has changed since 2024 when Democratic Congressman Don Davis narrowly beat Republican challenger Laurie Buckhout. This year will be round two, but this time the 1st Congressional District has been redrawn and now includes the entire Outer Banks. Currituck County was already part of the district, but Dare and Hyde counties are now included too.
"My message would be to our coastal communities, bring the experience to help our communities, bring the passion, the desire to work on these issues, as I have done. It doesn't matter again, how you draw the district, this is about helping people and for us to stand together to protect who we are, our heritage," said Davis.
"We all share the same commitment to making eastern North Carolina someplace where your family members are going to come back to. Even if you don't have kids, you want to make it someplace where it is friendly to families and to homeowners and to folks who want to prosper," said Buckhout.
What's different this time around — North Carolina Republicans have redrawn the district lines in their favor, which means both Davis and Buckhout are now working to connect with voters across six brand-new counties — including right here in our own Dare and Hyde County neighborhoods on the Outer Banks.
"We're doing everything we can to get out there, to be with constituents, to be in the community," said Davis.
"I have been spending a lot of time, been talking about issues," said Buckhout.
When it comes to the challenges facing our coastal communities, both candidates share remarkably similar concerns about the problems hitting close to home for our neighbors. News 3 listed some of those challenges both mentioned during our interview and shared their responses:
Infrastructure, beach nourishment and collapsing homes
"I believe that it's important legislation that would actually incentivize us taking action sooner, working with the National Flood Insurance Program that would put put provisions in place to help with relocations, also to help with demolition, working with property owners in advance. We need to look at making investments, investments in nourishment programs as well as Highway 12," said Davis.
"There are huge infrastructure issues. If a bridge goes out, how do you get off the Outer Banks? And how do you get off those islands? So that's a tremendous issue. We need to work with transportation committees, both here in state and at the federal level, on making sure we have improved infrastructure down there," said Buckhout.
Generational fishing industry
"There's so much pressure, it's driven so many out of business, and we have to be mindful of making sure that there's not the heavy handed regulations that are also creating burdens for the industry," said Davis.
"Taking care of our working fishermen, that's another issue. These people have been working for decades, these are multigenerational businesses, and without them, what happens to these families? What happens to this way of life?" said Buckhout.
Rural health care
"We've seen, for instance, Martin General Hospital closed. We have other hospitals that are doing everything they can to keep the doors open. We have to fix rural health care and I have great concerns. While there are parts in particular of the one big beautiful bill that I actually support some components, what we also know to be clear is it can have a devastating impact on rural health care, and that is front and center for me," said Davis.
"We need to work on rural health care. I've had a chance to really tour some great hospitals down there, but not everyone is going to have access to that. The one big, beautiful bill puts a lot of money out for rural health care, and that needs to be pushed down," said Buckhout.
For Davis, he believes his track record of fighting for eastern North Carolina speaks volumes about his commitment to continue being an advocate in Washington.
"In eastern North Carolina, one thing that we often remember, and that binds us, is the feeling of just being left out and forgotten. I understand that feeling, and that's why I fight so hard to make sure that our voices are heard, and that people in DC, they know us, they are hearing our issues, and that we're working every single day to deliver for our families," said Davis.
For Buckhout, she's making the case that it's time for fresh leadership to tackle the issues our communities face every day.
"These people want action. They've got great ideas. They just want somebody to work with as a teammate to get these things over the line and that's what I'm committed to doing," said Buckhout.
Political experts say this race is drawing national attention because it could be the deciding factor in determining which party controls the House of Representatives for years to come — making it one of the most closely watched contests not just here in our neighborhoods, but across the entire country.
