Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam said Wednesday evening that she won't ask for a recount in her close Congressional primary against incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Valerie Foushee. Allam's decision to concede effectively ensures a third term for Foushee, who is seeking re-election in a left-leaning Triangle district.
Allam trailed Foushee by about 1,200 votes in election night tallies, which could put her within the 1% margin that allows her to call for a recount.
"While we may not have won this race, the establishment should stay on watch," Allam said in a news release. "Our movement sounded the alarm for future Democratic primaries throughout this cycle. In the days ahead, the incumbent has a responsibility to half this district to earn their support. It should not take being challenged in a primary to take bold stances that voters overwhelmingly support, but I am proud that our movement pushed our incumbent to better reflect our deeply held values and convictions."
Allam's news release criticized the outside groups that spent big on the race, funding ads supporting both sides.
"The AI lobby just bought their first seat in Congress," Allam said, referring to a PAC with ties to the AI company Anthropic that spent more than $1 million on ads late in the campaign.
Foushee also referenced the outside spending in a news release responding to Allam's concession.
"I look forward to continuing the fight to deliver the progressive change that our district seeks from Congress as Democrats retake the majority," Foushee said in the release. “I respect our primary system, but I am grateful my constituents have rejected the baseless attacks from out-of-state groups that my family and I have had to endure. My priorities are to stop Trump’s attacks on our democracy, regulate AI, overturn Citizens United, establish a Green New Deal, ensure Medicare for All, pass legislation to block arms sales to Israel, and lower the cost of groceries, housing, and education. Nothing will ever change that."
As of Wednesday evening, the Associated Press had not formally called the race for Foushee, and the State Board of Elections said Wednesday afternoon that it will soon be processing and counting hundreds of provisional ballots cast in the 4th Congressional District and across the state. Foushee had issued a news release earlier in the day indicating that she'd welcome any recount.
