Johnson Stumps for North Carolina GOP Candidates
House Speaker Mike Johnson campaigned in Jacksonville and Emerald Isle for Republican congressional candidates ahead of Election Day.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Elections
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House Speaker Mike Johnson made two campaign stops in Eastern North Carolina on November 2, 2026, appearing in Jacksonville with Republican Congressman Greg Murphy and in Emerald Isle with Republican Laurie Buckhout. Buckhout is challenging Democratic Congressman Don Davis in the 1st Congressional District, a rematch, while Murphy seeks reelection in the redrawn 3rd District.
Why it matters
Both districts were redrawn by Republicans, and the Buckhout-Davis contest is a rematch in a race that will shape North Carolina's House delegation. The visits signal how national party leadership is investing in the state's competitive House races ahead of the vote.
Johnson's two stops on November 2, 2026, placed him with Murphy in Jacksonville and Buckhout in Emerald Isle. The extraction does not include vote tallies, polling figures, or any result for the Buckhout-Davis or Murphy-Smith contests.
The players
Mike Johnson
Mike Johnson is the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and a Republican from Louisiana who campaigns for House candidates across the country.
Greg Murphy
Greg Murphy is a Republican U.S. Representative from North Carolina and a physician who is seeking reelection in the redrawn 3rd Congressional District.
Laurie Buckhout
Laurie Buckhout is a Republican candidate challenging Democratic Congressman Don Davis in North Carolina's 1st Congressional District.
Don Davis
Don Davis is a Democratic U.S. Representative from North Carolina who is seeking a third term in the House.
The details
Johnson joined Buckhout and a group of supporters at a campaign event in Emerald Isle, then appeared in Jacksonville alongside Greg Murphy. Murphy faces Democrat Dr. Raymond Smith in the redrawn 3rd Congressional District, while Buckhout is seeking to unseat Democrat Don Davis, who is pursuing a third term.
Timeline
November 2, 2026: Johnson makes two campaign stops in Eastern North Carolina.
November 3, 2026: Election Day for the congressional races.
Political Context
Both the 1st and 3rd districts were redrawn by Republicans, which reshapes the contests now underway. Democrats in these seats are defending their positions under maps that Republicans drew, a dynamic that frames the rematch between Buckhout and Davis.
The outcome determines which party holds North Carolina's 1st and 3rd congressional seats in the House. Voters in those districts will see their representation set by the November 3 result under the redrawn maps.
The takeaway
The campaign visits show that House control in competitive districts remains a priority for national Republican leadership. Voters in the redrawn districts should check their polling locations before November 3.
What happens next
Election Day for the congressional races is November 3, 2026, when the Buckhout-Davis and Murphy-Smith contests will be decided.
Further reading
For more on the state's contests, see Elections in North Carolina politics coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WCTI.
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