North Carolina's 2nd congressional district

North Carolina's 2nd congressional district
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2025[a]
Representative
Population (2024)790,747[3]
Median household
income		$93,949[3]
Ethnicity
Cook PVID+17[4]

North Carolina's 2nd congressional district is located in the central part of the state. The district contains most of Wake County. Prior to court-mandated redistricting in 2019, it also included northern Johnston County, southern Nash County, far western Wilson County, and all of Franklin and Harnett counties. The 2nd district has been represented by Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross since 2021.

Established by the state legislature after the American Civil War, the district was known as "The Black Second;" counties included in the district were mostly majority-Black in population. All four of North Carolina's Republican African-American congressmen elected in the post-Civil War era (ending with George Henry White) represented this district,[5][6] as did white yeoman farmer Curtis Hooks Brogden of Wayne County, a Republican ally of former Governor William Woods Holden.

After North Carolina Democrats regained control of the state legislature in the 1870s (using intimidation by the Red Shirts and other paramilitary groups to reduce the number of African Americans voting), they passed voter registration and electoral laws that restricted voter rolls. Black Americans continued getting elected into local and state level offices. The state legislature passed a new constitutional amendment in 1900, which effectively disfranchised blacks altogether.[7] This ended the election of Black Americans to local, state or Congressional offices until after the passage of federal civil rights legislation in the mid-1960s, which enforced constitutional voting rights.

Thousands of Black Americans migrated north from the state in the Great Migration during the first half of the twentieth century, seeking job opportunities and education. By the later twentieth century, before the 1990s, the 2nd district was roughly 40% black. While it had the highest percentage of Black residents of any congressional district in North Carolina, African-American candidates were unable to get elected to Congress from the majority-white district.

State redistricting following census changes led to the creation of the black-majority 1st and 12th districts and drew off some of the Black population from the 2nd. Today the proportion of African-American residents is about 20.11% in the 2nd district.

In 2019, court-mandated redistricting shifted the district entirely into urban Wake County. Incumbent Republican representative George Holding declined to run for re-election in 2020, and Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross won election to the seat.[8]

On February 23, 2022, the North Carolina Supreme Court approved a new map which changed the 2nd district boundaries to include northern Wake County while moving much of what had been the 2nd district to the 13th district.[9]

Wake County is the sole county in the district.

Counties and communities

For the 119th and successive Congresses (based on the districts drawn following a 2023 legislative session), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities.[10][11][12]

Wake County (10)

Cary (part; also 4th, 9th, and 13th; shared with Chatham and Durham counties), Durham (part; also 4th; shared with Durham and Orange counties), Garner (part; also 13th), Knightdale, Morrisville (part; also 4th; shared with Durham County), Raleigh (part; also 4th and 13th; shared with Durham County), Rolesville (part; also 13th), Wake Forest (part; also 13th; shared with Franklin County), Wendell (part; also 13th), Zebulon (part; also 13th)

Recent election results from statewide races

Year Office Results[13]
2008 President Obama 61% - 38%
Senate Hagan 60% - 37%
Governor Perdue 55% - 41%
2010 Senate Marshall 53% - 45%
2012 President Obama 61% - 39%
Governor Dalton 53% - 44%
2014 Senate Hagan 60% - 37%
2016 President Clinton 62% - 33%
Senate Ross 60% - 37%
Governor Cooper 65% - 33%
Lt. Governor Coleman 59% - 37%
Secretary of State Marshall 66% - 34%
Auditor Wood 63% - 37%
Treasurer Blue III 61% - 39%
Attorney General Stein 65% - 35%
2020 President Biden 67% - 31%
Senate Cunningham 63% - 33%
Governor Cooper 69% - 29%
Lt. Governor Lewis Holley 66% - 34%
Secretary of State Marshall 69% - 31%
Auditor Wood 69% - 31%
Treasurer Chatterji 63% - 37%
Attorney General Stein 68% - 32%
2022 Senate Beasley 66% - 31%
2024 President Harris 66% - 32%
Governor Stein 73% - 21%
Lt. Governor Hunt 67% - 30%
Secretary of State Marshall 70% - 30%
Auditor Holmes 65% - 32%
Treasurer Harris 64% - 36%
Attorney General Jackson 69% - 31%

List of members representing the district

Member
(Residence)		 Party Years Cong
ress		 Electoral history District location
District established March 19, 1790

Hugh Williamson
(Edenton)		 Anti-Administration March 19, 1790 –
March 3, 1791		 1st Elected in 1790.
Redistricted to the 4th district.		 1790–1791
"Edenton and New Bern division"

Nathaniel Macon
(Warrenton)		 Anti-Administration March 4, 1791 –
March 3, 1793		 2nd Elected in 1791.
Redistricted to the 5th district.		 1791–1793
"Centre division"
Matthew Locke
(Rowan County)		 Anti-Administration March 4, 1793 –
March 3, 1795		 3rd
4th
5th		 Elected in 1793.
Re-elected in 1795.
Re-elected in 1796.
Lost re-election.		 1793–1803
[data missing]
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1795 –
March 3, 1799

Archibald Henderson
(Salisbury)		 Federalist March 4, 1799 –
March 3, 1803		 6th
7th		 Elected in 1798.
Re-elected in 1800.
Redistricted to the 12th district.
Willis Alston
(Greenville)		 Democratic-Republican March 4, 1803 –
March 3, 1815		 8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th		 Redistricted from the 9th district and re-elected in 1803.
Re-elected in 1804.
Re-elected in 1806.
Re-elected in 1808.
Re-elected in 1810.
Re-elected in 1813.
Retired.		 1803–1813
"North Carolina congressional district map (1803–13)".[14]
1813–1823
"North Carolina congressional district map (1813–43)".[14]
Joseph Hunter Bryan
(Windsor)		 Democratic-Republican March 4, 1815 –
March 3, 1819		 14th
15th		 Elected in 1815.
Re-elected in 1817.
[data missing]

Hutchins G. Burton
(Halifax)		 Democratic-Republican March 4, 1819 –
March 3, 1823		 16th
17th
18th		 Elected in 1819.
Re-elected in 1821.
Resigned when elected Governor of North Carolina.
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 –
March 23, 1824		 1823–1833
"North Carolina congressional district map (1813–43)".[14]
Vacant March 24, 1824 –
January 18, 1825		 18th
George Outlaw
(Windsor)		 Democratic-Republican January 19, 1825 –
March 3, 1825		 Elected January 6, 1825 to finish Burton's term and seated January 19, 1825.
Lost re-election.
Willis Alston
(Hyde Park)		 Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1831		 19th
20th
21st		 Elected in 1825.
Re-elected in 1827.
Re-elected in 1829.
Retired.
Vacant March 4, 1831 –
May 12, 1831		 22nd

John Branch
(Enfield)		 Jacksonian May 12, 1831 –
March 3, 1833		 Elected to finish the vacant term.
Retired.
Jesse A. Bynum
(Halifax)		 Jacksonian March 4, 1833 –
March 3, 1837		 23rd
24th
25th
26th		 Elected in 1833.
Re-elected in 1835.
Re-elected in 1837.
Re-elected in 1839.
[data missing]		 1833–1843
"North Carolina congressional district map (1813–43)".[14]
Democratic March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1841
John Daniel
(Halifax)		 Democratic March 4, 1841 –
March 3, 1843		 27th Elected in 1841.
Redistricted to the 7th district.

Daniel M. Barringer
(Concord)		 Whig March 4, 1843 –
March 3, 1847		 28th
29th		 Elected in 1843.
Re-elected in 1845.
Redistricted to the 3rd district.		 1843–1853
[data missing]

Nathaniel Boyden
(Salisbury)		 Whig March 4, 1847 –
March 3, 1849		 30th Elected in 1847.
Retired.
Joseph P. Caldwell
(Statesville)		 Whig March 4, 1849 –
March 3, 1853		 31st
32nd		 Elected in 1849.
Re-elected in 1851.
Retired.

Thomas H. Ruffin
(Goldsboro)		 Democratic March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1861		 33rd
34th
35th
36th		 Elected in 1853.
Re-elected in 1855.
Re-elected in 1857.
Re-elected in 1859.
[data missing]		 1853–1861
[data missing]
Vacant March 3, 1861 –
July 25, 1868		 37th
38th
39th
40th		 Civil War and Reconstruction

David Heaton
(New Bern)		 Republican July 25, 1868 –
June 25, 1870		 40th
41st		 Elected to finish the short term.
Re-elected in 1868.
Died.		 1868–1873
[data missing]
Vacant June 26, 1870 –
December 4, 1870		 41st
Joseph Dixon
(Hookerton)		 Republican December 5, 1870 –
March 3, 1871		 Elected to finish Heaton's term.
Retired.
Charles Thomas
(New Bern)		 Republican March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1875		 42nd
43rd		 Elected in 1870.
Re-elected in 1872.
Lost renomination.
1873–1883
[data missing]

John A. Hyman
(Warrenton)		 Republican March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1877		 44th Elected in 1874.
Lost renomination to immediate past governor.

Curtis H. Brogden
(Goldsboro)		 Republican March 4, 1877 –
March 3, 1879		 45th Elected in 1876.
Retired.

William H. Kitchin
(Scotland Neck)		 Democratic March 4, 1879 –
March 3, 1881		 46th Elected in 1878.
Lost re-election.

Orlando Hubbs
(New Bern)		 Republican March 4, 1881 –
March 3, 1883		 47th Elected in 1880.
Retired.

James E. O'Hara
(Enfield)		 Republican March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1887		 48th
49th		 Elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Lost re-election.		 1883–1893
[data missing]

Furnifold M. Simmons
(New Bern)		 Democratic March 4, 1887 –
March 3, 1889		 50th Elected in 1886.
Lost re-election.

Henry P. Cheatham
(Littleton)		 Republican March 4, 1889 –
March 3, 1893		 51st
52nd		 Elected in 1888.
Re-elected in 1890.
Lost re-election.

Frederick A. Woodard
(Wilson)		 Democratic March 4, 1893 –
March 3, 1897		 53rd
54th		 Elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Lost re-election.		 1893–1903
[data missing]

George H. White
(Tarboro)		 Republican March 4, 1897 –
March 3, 1901		 55th
56th		 Elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Retired after state passage of the 1900 disfranchisement constitution.

Claude Kitchin
(Scotland Neck)		 Democratic March 4, 1901 –
May 31, 1923		 57th
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd
63rd
64th
65th
66th
67th
68th		 Elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Died.
1903–1913
[data missing]
1913–1933
[data missing]
Vacant May 31, 1923 –
November 5, 1923		 68th

John H. Kerr
(Warrenton)		 Democratic November 6, 1923 –
January 3, 1953		 68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd
73rd
74th
75th
76th
77th
78th
79th
80th
81st
82nd		 Elected to finish Kitchin's term.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Re-elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Lost renomination.
1933–1943
[data missing]
1943–1953
[data missing]

L. H. Fountain
(Tarboro)		 Democratic January 3, 1953 –
January 3, 1983		 83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
89th
90th
91st
92nd
93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th		 Elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Re-elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Retired.		 1953–1963
[data missing]
1963–1973
[data missing]
1973–1983
[data missing]

Tim Valentine
(Nashville)		 Democratic January 3, 1983 –
January 3, 1995		 98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd		 Elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Retired.		 1983–1993
[data missing]
1993–2003
[data missing]

David Funderburk
(Buies Creek)		 Republican January 3, 1995 –
January 3, 1997		 104th Elected in 1994.
Lost re-election.

Bob Etheridge
(Lillington)		 Democratic January 3, 1997 –
January 3, 2011		 105th
106th
107th
108th
109th
110th
111th		 Elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Lost re-election.
2003–2013

Renee Ellmers
(Dunn)		 Republican January 3, 2011 –
January 3, 2017		 112th
113th
114th		 Elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Lost renomination.
2013–2017

George Holding
(Raleigh)		 Republican January 3, 2017 –
January 3, 2021		 115th
116th		 Redistricted from the 13th district and re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Retired.		 2017–2021

Deborah Ross
(Raleigh)		 Democratic January 3, 2021 –
present		 117th
118th
119th		 Elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
Re-elected in 2024.		 2021–2023
2023–2025
District boundaries from 2023 to 2025
2025–present

Past election results

2000

2000 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Etheridge (incumbent) 146,733 58.3
Republican Doug Haynes 103,011 40.9
Libertarian Mark Jackson 2,094 0.8
Total votes 251,838 100.00
Democratic hold

2002

2002 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Etheridge (incumbent) 100,121 65.36
Republican Joseph L. Ellen 50,965 33.27
Libertarian Gary Minter 2,098 1.37
Democratic hold
Total votes 153,184 100.00

2004

2004 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Etheridge (incumbent) 145,079 62.3
Republican Billy J. Creech 87,811 37.7
Total votes 232,890 100.00
Democratic hold

2006

2006 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Etheridge (incumbent) 85,993 66.53
Republican Dan Mansell 43,271 33.47
Total votes 129,264 100.00
Democratic hold

2008

2008 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Etheridge (incumbent) 199,730 66.93
Republican Dan Mansell 93,323 31.27
Libertarian Will Adkins 5,377 1.8
Total votes 298,430 100.00
Democratic hold

2010

2010 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Renee Ellmers 93,876 49.47
Democratic Bob Etheridge (incumbent) 92,393 48.69
Libertarian Tom Rose 3,505 1.85
Total votes 189,774 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

2012

2012 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Renee Ellmers (incumbent) 174,066 55.9
Democratic Steve Wilkins 128,973 41.42
Libertarian Brian Irving 8,358 2.68
Total votes 311,397 100.00
Republican hold

2014

2014 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Renee Ellmers (incumbent) 122,128 58.83
Democratic Clay Aiken 85,479 41.17
Total votes 207,607 100.00
Republican hold

2016

2016 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Holding 221,485 56.71
Democratic John P. McNeil 169,082 43.29
Total votes 390,567 100.00
Republican hold

2018

2018 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Holding (incumbent) 170,072 51.3
Democratic Linda Coleman 151,977 45.8
Libertarian Jeff Matemu 9,655 2.9
Total votes 331,704 100.00
Republican hold

2020

2020 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Deborah Ross 310,979 63.0
Republican Alan Swain 172,019 34.8
Libertarian Jeff Matemu 10,827 2.2
Total votes 493,870 100.00
Democratic gain from Republican

2022

2022 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Deborah Ross (incumbent) 190,714 64.7
Republican Christine Villaverde 104,155 35.3
Total votes 294,869 100.00
Democratic hold

2024

2024 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Deborah Ross (incumbent) 268,662 66.3
Republican Alan Swain 128,164 31.6
Green Michael Dublin 8,691 2.1
Total votes 405,517 100.0
Democratic hold

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ As the mid-decade redistricting bill (S249) enacted on October 22, 2025 only changed the compositions of North Carolina's 1st and 3rd congressional districts,[1][2] boundaries of other districts will not change at the 2026 elections.

References

  1. ↑ "North Carolina". All About Redistricting. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  2. ↑ "GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA | SESSION 2025 | SESSION LAW 2025-95 | SENATE BILL 249" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. October 22, 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 8, 2026. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  3. 1 2 "My Congressional District". census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau Center for New Media and Promotion (CNMP).
  4. ↑ "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)". Cook Political Report. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Black Americans in Congress".
  6. ↑ Anderson, Eric (December 1, 1980). Race and Politics in North Carolina, 1872--1901: The Black Second. LSU Press. ISBN 9780807107843 – via Google Books.
  7. ↑ "Disfranchisement | NCpedia". ncpedia.org.
  8. ↑ Murphy, Brian (December 4, 2019). "George Holding, whose district now leans Democratic, won't run vs. GOP incumbent". The News and Observer. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  9. ↑ Doule, Steve (February 23, 2022). "Check out new election maps: NC Supreme Court rejects appeals, approves special masters' districts". WGHP. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  10. ↑ https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd119/cd_based/ST37/CD119_NC02.pdf
  11. ↑ "What the NC Supreme Court decision means for redistricting in the state and elsewhere". WFAE 90.7 - Charlotte's NPR News Source. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  12. ↑ Lopez, Ashley (October 25, 2023). "North Carolina lawmakers approve maps creating gains for the GOP in Congress". NPR. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  13. ↑ "DRA 2020". davesredistricting.org. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Data Courtesy of Jeffrey B. Lewis, Brandon DeVine, and Lincoln Pritcher with Kenneth C. Martis". United States Congressional District Shapefiles.
  15. ↑ "North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  16. ↑ "11/05/2002 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 15, 2002. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  17. ↑ "11/02/2004 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 12, 2004. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  18. ↑ "11/07/2006 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 17, 2006. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  19. ↑ "11/04/2008 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 14, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  20. ↑ "11/02/2010 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 12, 2010. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  21. ↑ "11/06/2012 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 16, 2012. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  22. ↑ "11/04/2014 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 25, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  23. ↑ "11/06/2016 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. December 13, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  24. ↑ "District 2, North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement". North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  25. ↑ "03/03/2020 OFFICIAL LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS - STATEWIDE". ncsbe.gov/. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  26. ↑ "NC SBE Contest Results". er.ncsbe.gov. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  27. ↑ "NC SBE Contest Results". er.ncsbe.gov. Retrieved November 5, 2024.

35°52′N 78°36′W / 35.87°N 78.60°W / 35.87; -78.60

This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.