By Sarah Nagem
David Rouzer has secured another term in the U.S. House, beating a well-known Democrat who hoped to pull out an upset win to represent part of southeastern North Carolina.
Rouzer, a Wilmington Republican, got 57.83% of the vote in Tuesday’s election, according unofficial results from the state Board of Elections. His opponent, Charles Graham, had 42.17% of the vote.
Rouzer was first elected in 2014 to represent District 7, which was redrawn by lawmakers ahead of the midterm elections. The district now includes Robeson, Bladen, Columbus, Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties, and most of Cumberland County.
According to unofficial election results, Rouzer won all seven counties – including Robeson, which Graham has represented in the N.C. House for the past 12 years.
A retired educator and member of the Lumbee tribe, Graham would have been the only Native American east of the Mississippi River with a seat in Congress.
Republicans have worked to win over voters, particularly Lumbees, in Robeson County.
Early this year, the Republican National Committee opened a headquarters in Pembroke, home to the tribe.
Robeson was once a Democratic stronghold in national and state elections, but the county has seen a political shift to the right in recent years. President Donald Trump won 58% of the county’s vote in 2020.
