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Democrat

Incumbent

Valerie Foushee

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Democrat

Incumbent

Valerie Foushee

Website

NC-04 Democratic nominee?

$177.5K

MAR 10, 2026

Primary Election

Party selects its nominee.

Overview

Current roleU.S. Representative

PartyDemocratic

Political ideologyProgressive Democrat

Age70 years old (May 7, 1956)

GenderFemale

LocationNorth Carolina

BackgroundU.S. Representative

EducationB.A., Political Science and African-American studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2008)

Notable personal detailsValerie Foushee is a Democratic politician serving as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 4th Congressional District since January 3, 2023. She previously served on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Board of Education, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, and in the North Carolina General Assembly (State House and State Senate). She worked for the Chapel Hill Police Department and later earned a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2008.

SourcesShow

history.house.gov foushee.house.gov fec.gov en.wikipedia.org axios.com projects.propublica.org commons.wikimedia.org wunc.org apnews.com biography.wiki nsjonline.com washingtonpost.com orangecountync.gov nea.org reddit.com indyweek.com valeriefoushee.com justfacts.votesmart.org jayapal.house.gov congress.gov poliscore.us giffords.org lcv.org repbio.org ballotready.org elections2024.thehill.com facebook.com cdn.ballotpedia.org static.politico.com seattletimes.com house.gov senate.gov govinfo.gov directory.house.gov docquery.fec.gov buchanan.house.gov

Positions

LiberalConservative

Economy & Taxes

Valerie Foushee supports raising taxes on corporations and wealthy households (including higher capital gains and a billionaire minimum tax), expanding and making permanent refundable tax credits like the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, and opposing cuts to social programs while backing increased federal investment in jobs, housing, and social supports. She also advocates for a higher minimum wage and stronger labor protections.

Healthcare

Supports Medicare for All and has cosponsored federal Medicare for All legislation; has pushed to expand Medicaid at the state level and emphasizes healthcare as a human right while also supporting measures to lower prescription drug costs and protect Medicaid/Medicare.

Immigration & Border

Supports comprehensive immigration reform including easing pathways to citizenship for DACA recipients and Dreamers, ending family separations and travel bans, and treating immigrants with dignity. Has cosponsored legislation to defund and dismantle ICE and publicly condemned expanded Border Patrol and ICE deployments and tactics in North Carolina.

Abortion & Reproductive Rights

Supports protecting and restoring abortion access at the federal level, including codifying Roe v. Wade and opposing restrictive state bans; has sponsored and cosponsored federal legislation to protect abortion access, reproductive health services, IVF, and related privacy protections. Advocates for abortion services to be safe, legal, and accessible and opposes recent North Carolina legislative limits on abortion.

Climate & Energy

Supports Green New Deal–style policies and a federal transition away from fossil fuels, including major clean-energy investment, increased renewable incentives, and green transit. Has sponsored and cosponsored legislation aimed at reducing emissions, modernizing infrastructure, and promoting zero‑emission or low‑emission public projects. Prior work includes state-level bills on coal ash cleanup, PFAS monitoring, and incentives for clean and renewable energy.

Public Safety & Guns

Supports reinstating a federal assault weapons ban, enforcing and expanding background checks, funding gun-violence research, and other gun-safety measures including bans on high-capacity magazines and federal extreme risk protection orders.

News

AINews Summary

Last updatedMar 14, 2026

Valerie Foushee is in a tight Democratic primary for North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District against challenger Nida Allam, and the race appears headed toward a possible recount as remaining provisional ballots are counted. Foushee is currently leading by roughly 1,000 to about 2,200 votes, depending on the latest tally cited. The contest has drawn attention as a high-profile split between progressive and establishment Democrats, with significant outside spending involved.

history.house.gov+35

Articles

MJMother Jones3 months ago