House Agriculture Committee Seat at Stake in NC 1st District Race
Two candidates with rural roots are squaring off in North Carolina’s 1st District as farmers and ranchers watch closely.
By Paige Phillips
October 16, 2026
North Carolina District 1 Senate Race
(Farm Journal)
As the number of lawmakers with direct ties to production agriculture continues to shrink, who will step up to speak for rural America? Farm Journal is proud to present Ag Vote 2026: Who Speaks for America’s Farmers?, delivering in-depth reporting from now through Election Day. Tune in for LIVE election night coverage Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. Central on Farm Journal TV, Farm Journal Now, AgWeb.com, and YouTube.
Candidates with Agriculture at the Core
Laurie Buckhout and Donald Davis are entering the North Carolina 1st District contest with agriculture at the center of their personal stories.
From cattle farms to tobacco fields, Buckhout, from the ranching side, and Davis, from tobacco, are setting up a campaign where farm economics could become the key political battleground.
A Crucial Intersection
Agriculture voters are paying attention because North Carolina’s 1st District sits at the intersection of rural economies and federal decision-making, where changes in funding, regulation, and trade can move prices and risk up or down.
Buckhout grew up on a cattle farm and is a retired Army colonel. Part of her campaign has been about looking out for multigenerational farmers. In race coverage, she’s been tied to arguments about high energy costs as a way to help farmers and reduce food costs.
Davis serves on the House Agriculture Committee. He says he learned the value of hard work creating opportunities from his time working in tobacco fields. He ties his candidacy to affordability for District 1, using his tobacco-field background as part of that narrative.
Top Positions and Priorities
We reached out to both candidates with questions about their campaign. At publication, we have only received a response from Buckhout.