Don Davis

Don Davis
ix
Cardinal and Pine: (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

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.

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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

Don Davis politician

More Web Links

Vote Smart

Ballotpedia

Wikipedia

For the Republican Party politician from North Carolina, see Donald Davis (North Carolina Republican politician).
For other persons, see Don Davis (disambiguation).

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] A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the North Carolina Senate, representing the 5th district from 2009 to 2011 and again from 2013 to 2023.[3]

Born in Snow Hill, North Carolina, Davis graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and served eight years in the Air Force, reaching the rank of captain. He returned to North Carolina to teach at East Carolina University and later entered local politics, winning election as mayor of Snow Hill.

He was elected to the U.S. House in 2022 following the retirement of G. K. Butterfield. Davis has been described as a moderate Democrat,[4] and is noted for his bipartisan record.[5]

Early life and education

Davis was born in Snow Hill, North Carolina,[6] and was raised in part by his grandmother, Edna Dixon, who worked for the Greene and Wayne county school systems.[7] He later lived in Irving, Texas, where he attended MacArthur High School.[8]

After high school, he attended the United States Air Force Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1994.[9] Following graduation, he was commissioned into the United States Air Force, serving for eight years and rising to the rank of captain.[10] During his service, he worked as a coordinator of Air Force One operations at Joint Base Andrews.[6]

While in the military, he received a Master of Science degree from Central Michigan University.[9] He then returned to North Carolina, where he taught sociology and earned a Master of Arts degree from East Carolina University, as well as a Doctor of Education.[10]

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.[10] He was discharged from the Air Force in 2001.[9]

Following his military service, Davis entered politics, motivated in part by a damaged section of road from his childhood that remained unrepaired when he returned to his hometown of Snow Hill.[11] In 2001, he was elected mayor of the town[12] and oversaw the repaving of ninety percent of its roads.[11]

During this period, 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.[13] He was reelected as mayor in 2005.[12]

North Carolina Senate

First term (2008–2010)

In 2007, Davis announced his candidacy for the North Carolina’s 5th Senate district seat.[10] 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.[14] However, since he did not secure the 40% required to win outright, he advanced to a runoff against Kathy Taft.[15]

In June 2008, Davis won the Democratic nomination with 63% of the vote in the runoff.[16][17] He went on to face North Carolina representative Louis Pate, a Republican from Wayne County, in the general election.[16] 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.[18] However, in 2010, Davis was defeated by Pate in a rematch of the 2008 election.[19]

Later terms (2012–2022)

Davis during his tenure as a North Carolina State Senator, 2013

After his defeat in 2010, Davis ran and won a Senate seat for the newly redrawn 5th district in the 2012 election.[20] Davis ran unopposed in 2016 and defeated Pitt County district attorney Kimberly Robb in the 2018 election.[21] He was re-elected in 2020, defeating Republican Karen Kozel.[22]

While in the state Senate, Davis was known as a moderate Democrat[23] with a reputation for bipartisanship.[24] He worked to fund the expansion of East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine.[25] He sponsored a bill in 2021 to provide $215 million for the project, which was ultimately included in the state budget signed into law later that year.[26] He also supported legislation related to broadband expansion in rural communities and raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction for nonviolent crimes to 18.[27]

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[28]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2022

Main article: 2022 North Carolina’s 1st congressional district election
North Carolina’s 1st congressional district 2022 election results by county

In December 2021, Davis announced his candidacy for the U.S. House seat in North Carolina’s 1st congressional district following the retirement of Democratic incumbent G. K. Butterfield.[29] Davis won the Democratic nomination in the May 2022 primary for the district, defeating former state senator Erica D. Smith and other candidates.[30]

In the November general election, Davis faced Republican nominee Sandy Smith in the race for the district in the northeastern part of the state.[31] Represented by G. K. Butterfield since 2004, the district became more competitive in 2022 after a court-ordered map replaced partisan lines drawn by the Republican-led General Assembly.[31] Davis won the election with 52.27 percent of the vote to Smith’s 47.73 percent, maintaining Democratic control of the district.[32][33]

2024

Main article: 2024 North Carolina’s 1st congressional district election

Davis ran for reelection in 2024 under congressional boundaries enacted by the Republican-controlled General Assembly in 2023, which replaced the court-ordered map used in 2022.[34] The revised map made the 1st congressional district the state’s only competitive district, despite its long history of electing Democrats and not having elected a Republican since 1883.[34][35] He defeated Republican nominee Laurie Buckhout by 1.5 percentage points.[36][37]

Tenure

Davis talking with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin

Davis was sworn into the 118th Congress on January 7, 2023, as the U.S. representative for North Carolina’s 1st congressional district.[38] He has been described as a moderate Democrat,[4][39] and has received recognition for his bipartisan record.[5] In 2024, the Lugar Center ranked him as the most bipartisan North Carolina representative and freshman Democrat in the House,[40] and in 2025 his office received the Congressional Management Foundation’s Democracy Award for bipartisan engagement.[5]

During his first term, he was appointed to the Armed Services and Agriculture committees,[38] representing a largely rural district in northeastern North Carolina with many farmers and military veterans.[41] In August 2023, he introduced with Republican Representative Marcus Molinaro, the bipartisan Flooding Prevention, Assessment, and Restoration Act to improve rural access to federal flood mitigation programs and the related costs.[42]

Later in 2023, Davis voted to provide Israel with support following the Hamas-led attack,[43][44] and joined other House Democrats in censuring Representative Rashida Tlaib for her comments on the Gaza war.[45] The following year, he co-authored an opinion piece in the Washington Examiner with Republican Representative August Pfluger, and a reporter, which criticized the push by some members of Congress to condition U.S. aid to Israel.[46]

In 2024, Davis invited 109-year-old Cassie Smith from Battleboro to attend the State of the Union address.[47] The following month, he was the sole Democratic co-sponsor of a Republican-led bill by representatives Greg Murphy and Brett Guthrie that would limit Medicare‘s ability to negotiate drug prices.[48] At the end of the year, he voted for the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, which authorized $895 billion in military spending and included provisions that prevented the elimination of 520 jobs at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and delayed retirement of its F-15E aircraft.[49]

During the 119th Congress in his second term, Davis introduced the Frontline Fighter Force First Act in 2025, a bill to modernize aircraft at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and prioritize investment in next-generation fighter jets to support national defense.[50] Later that year, he joined Republicans in voting for legislation to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors and criminalize those who assist them in obtaining it.[51] The following year, he voted with the Republican majority for H.R. 7147, a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security that included funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.[52]

Committee assignments

Davis visits Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, 2025

Davis’s committee assignments for the 119th Congress include:[53]

Caucus memberships

Davis’s caucus memberships include:[54]

Personal life

Davis is married to Yuvonka. They live in Greene County, North Carolina, and have three sons.[54] He is Presbyterian and a lay minister.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ “Rep. Don Davis (R-North Carolina, 1st)”. November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  2. ^ “Davis wins Democratic primary for 1st Congressional District”. WITN. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  3. ^ Wooten, Kimberly (December 1, 2021). “State Senator, former Snow Hill mayor running for Congress, Butterfield seat”.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ a b c Voice, Outer Banks (December 2, 2025). “Incumbent Davis to seek re-election in newly drawn First Congressional District”. The Outer Banks Voice. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  6. ^ a b c “North Carolina New Members 2023”. The Hill. November 17, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  7. ^ Battaglia, Danielle (September 3, 2024). “NC Democrat Don Davis missed some controversial votes, but there’s more to the story”. The News and Observer.
  8. ^ “Unearthed yearbook photos raise questions over bio of NC-01’s Davis”.
  9. ^ a b c “Davis, Don 1971 –”. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  10. ^ a b c d e Whittle, Matthew (October 11, 2007). “Don Davis files for John Kerr’s seat in N.C. Senate”. The Goldsboro News-Argus. Archived from the original on September 18, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Wise, Lindsay (October 27, 2024). “One Democrat’s Survival Plan: Criticize Harris, Don’t Say ‘Trump’“. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  12. ^ a b “Don Davis to resign as Snow Hill mayor”. The Goldsboro News-Argus. December 4, 2008. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023.
  13. ^ News & Observer: U.S. Rep. Ballance resigns[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ Whittle, Matthew (June 25, 2008). “Davis will battle Pate”. The Goldsboro News-Argus. Archived from the original on September 18, 2024.
  15. ^ Whittle, Matthew (May 16, 2008). “Runoff in works for seat in Senate”. The Goldsboro News-Argus. Archived from the original on September 18, 2024.
  16. ^ a b Whittle, Matthew (June 24, 2008). “Breaking News: State Senate District 5 runoff results”. The Goldsboro News-Argus. Archived from the original on September 18, 2024.
  17. ^ Whittle, Matthew (May 16, 2008). “Runoff in works for seat in Senate”. The Goldsboro News-Argus. Archived from the original on September 18, 2024.
  18. ^ News & Observer: Legislators began on January 1, technically Archived January 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ “11/04/2008 Official General Election Results Statewide” (PDF). nccourts.gov. June 27, 2019. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  20. ^ Wooten, Kimberly (December 1, 2021). “State Senator, former Snow Hill mayor running for Congress, Butterfield seat”.
  21. ^ Livingston, Ginger. “Robb running for NC Senate”.
  22. ^ “North Carolina State Senate – District 5 Election Results | Knoxville News Sentinel”. www.knoxnews.com. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  23. ^ Jones, Reuben (December 12, 2023). “Don Davis looks to 2024”. Spectrum News 1. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  24. ^ Fain, Travis (December 4, 2023). “Davis seeking second congressional term in northeast NC”. WRAL News (Channel 5). Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  25. ^ WITN Web Team (January 27, 2021). “State lawmakers file bills for new ECU Brody School of Medicine building”. WITN-TV (Channel 7). Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  26. ^ Battaglia, Danielle (May 6, 2024). “Did NC congressman help expand ECU’s Brody School of Medicine?”. The News & Observer.
  27. ^ Anderson, Bryan (May 17, 2022). “Don Davis, Sandy Smith advance to November election for Butterfield seat”. WRAL-TV (Channel 5). Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  28. ^ “2021-2022 Session SPC’s Office, Senate Committee Assignments by Member”. North Carolina General Assembly 10th Edition. September 8, 2022.
  29. ^ “Senator Don Davis announces campaign for Congress to replace Butterfield”. WITN. December 1, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  30. ^ “Davis wins Democratic primary for 1st Congressional District”. WITN. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  31. ^ a b Duncan, Charles (November 8, 2022). “Davis projected to replace Butterfield in N.C. District 1”. Spectrum News 1.
  32. ^ “2022 North Carolina 1st Congressional District Election Results by County”. F&S Politics.
  33. ^ “NC Senator Don Davis defeated Sandy Smith in the state’s first Congressional District”. ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. November 9, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  34. ^ a b Specht, Paul (February 23, 2024). “Contentious GOP primary battle emerges in NC congressional toss-up district”. WRAL News.
  35. ^ Battaglia, Danielle (December 6, 2023). “‘Powerful’ Eastern NC district gets a redder tint, after a century of electing Democrats”. The News & Observer. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  36. ^ “Donald Davis”. Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  37. ^ “Democratic incumbent Don Davis wins reelection in North Carolina’s only toss-up congressional race”. AP News. November 7, 2024. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  38. ^ a b “Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives”. April 15, 2024. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  39. ^ Moore, Mary Helen (August 18, 2025). “Congressman Don Davis, a N.C. Democrat, embraces Andrew Yang’s centrist Forward Party”. WUNC News. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  40. ^ Campbell, Colin (October 25, 2024). “2024 North Carolina 1st Congressional District race: Meet the candidates in the election”. WUNC News. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  41. ^ Northam, Mitchell (November 6, 2024). “Incumbent Democrat Don Davis wins in tightly contested 1st District U.S. House race”. WUNC News. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  42. ^ Pumphrey, Michelle (August 23, 2023). “Congressman Don Davis introduces bipartisan bill to tackle rural America’s flooding challe”. WCTI. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  43. ^ 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.
  44. ^ “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.
  45. ^ Fink, Jenni (November 7, 2023). “Full List of Democrats Who Voted to Censure Rashida Tlaib”. Newsweek. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  46. ^ Pfluger, August; Davis, Don; Makovsky, Michael (March 27, 2024). “Conditioning US aid to Israel would be a mistake”. Washington Examiner. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  47. ^ Coffey, Kelsey (March 7, 2024). “NC guests to attend State of the Union address in Washington, DC”. WRAL News. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  48. ^ Cohrs, Rachel (February 5, 2024). “The lone Democrat willing to weaken Medicare’s power to negotiate drug prices”. Stat News. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  49. ^ Richards, Charlene (December 18, 2024). “Senate vote shields loss of F-15E jets and jobs at Seymour Johnson AFB”. WITN-TV (Channel 7).
  50. ^ Media, Curtis (June 20, 2025). “Rep. Don Davis Introduces Bill to Modernize Seymour Johnson AFB and Strengthen National Defense”. Goldsboro Daily News. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  51. ^ “U.S. House passes bill making gender-affirming care a crime”. www.advocate.com. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
  52. ^ Brams, Sophie. “The Hill”. The Hill. Retrieved January 24, 2026.
  53. ^ “Don Davis”. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
  54. ^ a b c d “Rep. Don Davis (R-North Carolina, 1st)”. November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.


source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_G._Davis

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