Summary
Current Position: State Senator of District 5
Affiliation: Democrat
Candidate: 2023 US Representative for District 1
Donald G. Davis (born August 29, 1971) is an American educator and politician. He currently represents the 5th senate district in the North Carolina Senate. Davis was first elected to the post in 2008, representing Pitt, Wayne, and Greene counties. He was defeated for re-election in 2010, but ran and won a Senate seat for the newly redrawn 5th District in the 2012 election.
He is the Democratic nominee in the 2022 election for North Carolina’s 1st congressional district.
OnAir Post: Don Davis
About
Born and raised in Snow Hill, North Carolina, Don Davis has spent his life heeding the call to serve. Don is a veteran, educator, minister, and dedicated public servant.
After working in the tobacco fields and attending church often twice on Sunday with his grandmother, Don attended the United States Air Force Academy, and was commissioned into the Air Force where he served in uniform for 8 years. As a 1st Lieutenant, Don coordinated Air Force One operations at Andrews Air Force Base and supported families of military members killed in action as a mortuary officer.
While stationed at Air Force ROTC Detachment 600, Don returned to eastern North Carolina as an assistant professor of Aerospace Studies at East Carolina University instructing national security affairs and leadership courses. As an educator for over 20 years, Don mentored thousands of students as they completed their studies.
As a veteran, Don continued his commitment to public service by becoming the youngest Mayor of Snow Hill at age 29. As Mayor, Don restored confidence in the government by re-building the economy and investing in decades old infrastructure projects – like filling potholes and expanding high-speed internet. Don believed then, as he does now, that our government should work for the people.
In 2008, Don ran and won his first State Senate election. In his six terms as Senator, Don has served as a champion for eastern North Carolina, fighting for our rural communities and delivering results for our families. He worked to expand high-speed internet, raise teacher pay, ensure that military pensions are tax exempt–and even secured over $215 million in funding for the ECU Brody School of Medicine to expand access to quality health care right here in rural North Carolina. Don has a proven record for delivering on the critical needs of our rural counties.
Don is running for Congress to fight for eastern North Carolina. Don is a proven champion for our families and understands the issues that matter most to eastern North Carolina.
He lives in Greene County, NC, with his wife Yuvonka and three sons: Ryan, Justin, and Kyler.
Web
Government Page, Campaign Site, Twitter, Facebook, Wikipedia
Politics
Source: none
Finances
DAVIS, DONALD G has run in 7 races for public office, winning 6 of them. The candidate has raised a total of $1,113,748.
Source: Follow the Money
Voting Record
See: Vote Smart
Issues
Source: Campaign page
Economy & Jobs
Don is focused on improving the quality of life for eastern North Carolina families for generations to come. The east has been left behind by years of underinvestment, and policies from Washington, D.C. that ignored the true needs of those of us who live in rural communities. We must take action to bring back good-paying manufacturing jobs, support our small businesses, and strengthen North Carolina’s agriculture—especially as farmers face increasingly unpredictable weather patterns due to global climate change.
Don is fighting for important investments that will allow eastern North Carolina to thrive by ensuring access to high-speed broadband, which drives investment in small businesses and industry; creating good-paying jobs and opportunities for our children who live in rural communities, and expanding 21st century infrastructure to rural North Carolina in order to connect businesses with the global market.
Healthcare
Don understands no one should have to choose between putting food on the table and getting the care, medication, or life-saving treatments they need. Eastern North Carolina is experiencing a healthcare crisis because families in eastern North Carolina don’t have access to quality affordable primary care, dental care, and mental health care. Communities in eastern North Carolina experience higher rates of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and maternal mortality and morbidity than anywhere else in the state.
Families have to drive for hours in order to seek treatment. Don knows it’s essential to care for our aging communities that have greater healthcare needs and less mobility. No one should lose or be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition, and no one fighting a serious illness should face the fear of lifetime coverage caps. Don is working to ensure that every person has accessible, quality healthcare.
Veterans
As an United States Air Force veteran, Don knows the challenges faced by soldiers returning to civilian life, and for military families both during and after their loved one’s deployment. Don will push to strengthen education, career training, health, and housing assistance for veterans.
Don fought to secure $150,000 to support veterans suffering from PTSD/TBI because he knows the importance of being responsive to work with veterans and their families to help them access existing resources, and ensure quality health care through the VA. But right now, unemployment, homelessness, and suicide rates among our nation’s veterans are unacceptably high. Don knows, as a country, we must make the process of transitioning from active duty to civilian life a positive one for our veterans.
Education
As an educator for over 20 years with a Doctorate in education, Don knows first hand the value of quality, affordable education at every level. Don is fighting to make good public schools available to every child in eastern North Carolina, no matter what zip code they live in, and to make college and job training more accessible for all North Carolinians. When Don goes to Congress he will fight to expand access to early childhood education, lower the cost of higher education, and invest heavily in our HBCUs.
With the rise of attacks on our HBCUs across the country, Don knows we must be steadfast against hate and invest in our communities. Don secured over $140 million to ensure generations of leaders are able to attend Elizabeth City State University. But we know investments haven’t always been equal, especially in rural communities. Inequality among our North Carolina public schools was exacerbated during the COVID’19 crisis. That’s why Don worked closely with our school officials and our educators to put a plan in place to support our educations and keep families safe, and he will continue to fight for our children in Washington.
Rural Infrastructure
Don understands that investing in rural infrastructure allows eastern North Carolina to thrive for generations to come. That’s why Don secured over $1 billion to expand broadband internet in North Carolina, and will continue to fight for reliable access to high-speed broadband internet that provides critical economic and educational opportunities. In our rapidly changing and increasingly online economy, the internet is an essential service to small businesses, educators, and everyday citizens alike, and it must become and remain equally accessible to all users.
Don also knows that agriculture and our farmers are the foundation of our economy. We must work with the USDA to ensure our farmers have the resources they need to run 21st century businesses.
Women’s Rights
Don knows that now more than ever, women’s rights are under attack. Congress must take action to codify Roe v. Wade and protect women’s constitutional rights across the country. He knows that a woman’s health decisions should be between her and her doctor. Don knows that the decision of how and when to start a family is deeply personal.
That is why Don is fighting to lower rates of maternal mortality and morbidity in eastern North Carolina. Our region has the highest rates of maternal mortality and morbidity in the state. Maternal mortality and morbidity is especially harmful to African American women who have a preterm birth rate that is 48 percent higher than the rate among all other women in North Carolina.
Equity & Justice
Don knows that every person must be treated with dignity and have equal rights under the law. He fought to raise the age at which children could be tried as adults in North Carolina. And when he goes to Congress, Don will fight for needed criminal justice reform. Don understands no person in a free and fair society should make less money, be denied government services, pay more for healthcare, lose a job or housing opportunities, or face discrimination in the community or workplace because of their gender, race, creed, national origin, disability, whom they love, or anything else that defines them.
Environment
The climate crisis poses a massive threat to eastern North Carolina — especially our farmers who face increasingly unpredictable weather patterns due to global climate change. Don believes eastern North Carolina should be safe, healthy places to live and raise children – with clean air and water, free from the dangers of toxic pollution. Air and water pollution and the impacts of the climate crisis disproportionately impact our poorest families, working class communities, and communities of color who are more likely to live in areas where air and water pollution exceed national standards. Don will fight for our community’s right to in safe and health communities.
See Also
Google Search
More Web Links
Wikipedia
Donald Gene Davis (born August 29, 1971)[1] is an American politician and former Air Force officer serving as the United States representative for North Carolina’s 1st congressional district since 2023.[2] He was elected to a new term in 2024 in a closely contested race.[3][4]
As a member of the Democratic Party, he represented the 5th district in the North Carolina Senate from 2013 to 2023. Davis was first elected to the post in 2008, representing Pitt, Wayne, and Greene counties. He was defeated for reelection in 2010, but ran and won a Senate seat for the newly redrawn 5th district in the 2012 election.[5]
Early life and education
Davis was born in Snow Hill in North Carolina.[6] He also lived in Irving, Texas, for a period, attending MacArthur High School.[7]
He attended the United States Air Force Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1994.[8] After graduation, he was commissioned into the United States Air Force, serving for eight years and rising to the rank of captain.[9] During his service, Davis was a coordinator of Air Force One operations at Joint Base Andrews.[6]
Davis received a master of science degree from Central Michigan University.[8] He then returned to North Carolina, where he taught and completed a master of arts in sociology and a doctorate in education at East Carolina University.[9]
Early career
Davis began his teaching career as an assistant professor of aerospace studies at the Air Force ROTC department at East Carolina University starting in 1998.[6] He taught courses in military history, leadership, and national affairs.[9] He was discharged from the Air Force in 2001.[8]
In 2001, Davis was elected mayor of Snow Hill. He also served as the chair of the Democratic Party for North Carolina’s 1st congressional district. In 2004, he briefly ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1st district but withdrew before the primary.[10] He was reelected as mayor in 2005.[11]
North Carolina Senate
Elections
2008–2010
In 2007, Davis announced his candidacy for the North Carolina’s 5th Senate district seat.[12] He was one of six Democratic candidates to compete for the position, which was being vacated by retiring senator John Kerr III. In the May 2008 primary election, Davis received 36% of the vote, the highest among the candidates.[13] However, since he did not secure the 40% required to win outright, he advanced to a runoff against Kathy Taft.[14]
In June 2008, Davis won the Democratic nomination with 63% of the vote in the runoff.[15] He went on to face North Carolina Representative Louis Pate, a Republican from Wayne County, in the general election.[15] Davis defeated Pate, winning 53% of the vote in November 2008. His term as senator for District 5, representing Pitt, Wayne, and Greene counties, began on January 1, 2009.[16] However, in 2010, Davis was defeated by Pate in a rematch of the 2008 election.[17]
2012–2022
After his defeat in 2010, Davis ran and won a Senate seat for the newly redrawn 5th district in the 2012 election.[5] Davis ran unopposed in 2016. He defeated Pitt County district attorney Kimberly Robb in the 2018 election.[18]
Committee assignments
- Agriculture, Energy, and Environment
- Appropriations on Education/Higher Education
- Education/Higher Education
- Health Care
- Redistricting and Elections
- Rules and Operations of the Senate
- Select Committee on Nominations
- Select Committee on Storm Related River Debris and Damage in NC[19]
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2022
On December 1, 2021, Davis announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives to succeed retiring Democrat G. K. Butterfield.[20] He won the Democratic primary for the 2022 election for North Carolina’s 1st congressional district, defeating former state senator Erica D. Smith.[2] In November 2022, Davis won the general election, defeating Republican nominee Sandy Smith.[21]
2024
Davis won reelection in 2024. He defeated Republican Laurie Buckhout by 1.5%.[22][3][4]
Tenure
In February 2023, Davis, along with Representatives Randy Weber (R‑TX 14th), Lizzie Fletcher (D‑TX 07th), Nancy Mace (R‑SC 01st), Abigail Spanberger (D‑VA 07th), and Anna Eshoo (D‑CA 16th), introduced the Reinvesting in Shoreline Economies and Ecosystems Act, which aims to share federal offshore wind power revenue with states for coastal protection and restoration work. The bill was also introduced in the Senate.[23][24]
.jpg)
In 2024, Davis invited 109-year-old Cassie Smith from Battleboro, North Carolina, to attend the State of the Union Address.[25] That year, he was also the lone Democratic co-sponsor of a bill introduced by Republican representatives Greg Murphy and Brett Guthrie that would limit Medicare‘s ability to negotiate prices.[26]
Davis voted to provide Israel with support following the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.[27][28] He was among the House Democrats who voted to censure Representative Rashida Tlaib for her comments about the Israel–Hamas war.[29] In March 2024, Davis, Representative August Pfluger, and a news reporter wrote an opinion piece in the Washington Examiner, which criticized the push by many members of Congress to condition U.S. aid to Israel.[30]
Committee assignments
- Committee on Agriculture (vice ranking member):
- Armed Services Committee:
Caucus memberships
Personal life
Davis is married to Yuvonka. They live in Greene County, North Carolina, and have three sons.[34] He is Presbyterian and a lay minister.[9]
See also
References
- ^ “Rep. Don Davis (R-North Carolina, 1st)”. November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
- ^ a b “Davis wins Democratic primary for 1st Congressional District”. WITN. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
- ^ a b “Donald Davis”. Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
- ^ a b “Democratic incumbent Don Davis wins reelection in North Carolina’s only toss-up congressional race”. AP News. November 7, 2024. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
- ^ a b Wooten, Kimberly (December 1, 2021). “State Senator, former Snow Hill mayor running for Congress, Butterfield seat”.
- ^ a b c “North Carolina New Members 2023”. The Hill. November 17, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ “Unearthed yearbook photos raise questions over bio of NC-01’s Davis”.
- ^ a b c “Davis, Don 1971 –”. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- ^ a b c d “Goldsboro News-Argus | News: Don Davis files for John Kerr’s seat in N.C. Senate”. savannah.newsargus.com. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ News & Observer: U.S. Rep. Ballance resigns[permanent dead link]
- ^ “Goldsboro News-Argus | News: Don Davis to resign as Snow Hill mayor”. savannah.newsargus.com. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ “Goldsboro News-Argus | News: Don Davis files for John Kerr’s seat in N.C. Senate”. savannah.newsargus.com. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ “Goldsboro News-Argus | News: Davis will battle Pate”. savannah.newsargus.com. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ “Goldsboro News-Argus | News: Runoff in works for seat in Senate”. savannah.newsargus.com. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ a b “Goldsboro News-Argus | News: BREAKING NEWS – State Senate District 5 runoff results”. savannah.newsargus.com. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ News & Observer: Legislators began on January 1, technically Archived January 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ “11/04/2008 Official General Election Results Statewide” (PDF). nccourts.gov. June 27, 2019. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ Livingston, Ginger. “Robb running for NC Senate”.
- ^ “2021-2022 Session SPC’s Office, Senate Committee Assignments by Member”. North Carolina General Assembly 10th Edition. September 8, 2022.
- ^ “Senator Don Davis announces campaign for Congress to replace Butterfield”. WITN. December 1, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ “NC Senator Don Davis defeated Sandy Smith in the state’s first Congressional District”. ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. November 9, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ Apel, Alyse. “GOP CC invests $1.45M in Buckhout campaign”. Daily Advance. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
- ^ “Cassidy, Whitehouse Reintroduce Bill to Strengthen Revenue Sharing Program” (Press release). February 9, 2024.
- ^ “Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Reintroduces Bipartisan Legislation To Strengthen Coastal Revenue Sharing Program” (Press release). February 9, 2024.
- ^ Coffey, Kelsey (March 7, 2024). “NC guests to attend State of the Union address in Washington, DC”. WRAL News. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
- ^ Cohrs, Rachel (February 5, 2024). “The lone Democrat willing to weaken Medicare’s power to negotiate drug prices”. Stat News. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
- ^ Demirjian, Karoun (October 25, 2023). “House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker”. The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ “Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session”. Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ Fink, Jenni (November 7, 2023). “Full List of Democrats Who Voted to Censure Rashida Tlaib”. Newsweek. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
- ^ Pfluger, August; Davis, Don; Makovsky, Michael (March 27, 2024). “Conditioning US aid to Israel would be a mistake”. Washington Examiner. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
- ^ “Committees and Caucuses”. Representative Davis. January 3, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
- ^ “NewDem Members”. NewDem Action Fund. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
- ^ “Rare Disease Congressional Caucus”. Every Life Foundation for Rare Diseases. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ “Rep. Don Davis – D North Carolina, 1st, In Office – Biography | LegiStorm”. www.legistorm.com. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
External links
- Congressman Don Davis official U.S. House website
- Don Davis for Congress campaign website
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Appearances on C-SPAN
