North Carolina's 2nd congressional district

North Carolina's 2nd congressional district is located in the central part of the state. The district contains most of Wake County. Prior to court-mandated redistricting in 2019, it also included northern Johnston County, southern Nash County, far western Wilson County, and all of Franklin and Harnett counties. The 2nd district has been represented by Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross since 2021. It is the wealthiest congressional district in North Carolina and the 49th wealthiest in the United States, with 21.6 percent of households earning over $200,000, per a 2024 study.

Established by the state legislature after the American Civil War, the district was known as "The Black Second;" counties included in the district were mostly majority-Black in population. All four of North Carolina's Republican African-American congressmen elected in the post-Civil War era (ending with George Henry White) represented this district, as did white yeoman farmer Curtis Hooks Brogden of Wayne County, a Republican ally of former Governor William Woods Holden.

After North Carolina Democrats regained control of the state legislature in the 1870s (using intimidation by the Red Shirts and other paramilitary groups to reduce the number of African Americans voting), they passed voter registration and electoral laws that restricted voter rolls. Black Americans continued getting elected into local and state level offices. The state legislature passed a new constitutional amendment in 1900, which effectively disfranchised blacks altogether. This ended the election of Black Americans to local, state or Congressional offices until after the passage of federal civil rights legislation in the mid-1960s, which enforced constitutional voting rights.

Thousands of Black Americans migrated north from the state in the Great Migration during the first half of the twentieth century, seeking job opportunities and education. By the later twentieth century, before the 1990s, the 2nd district was roughly 40% black. While it had the highest percentage of Black residents of any congressional district in North Carolina, African-American candidates were unable to get elected to Congress from the majority-white district.

State redistricting following census changes led to the creation of the black-majority 1st and 12th districts and drew off some of the Black population from the 2nd. Today the proportion of African-American residents is about 20.11% in the 2nd district.

In 2019, court-mandated redistricting shifted the district entirely into urban Wake County. Incumbent Republican representative George Holding declined to run for re-election in 2020, and Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross won election to the seat.

On February 23, 2022, the North Carolina Supreme Court approved a new map which changed the 2nd district boundaries to include northern Wake County while moving much of what had been the 2nd district to the 13th district.

Wake County is the sole county in the district.

Counties and communities For the 119th and successive Congresses (based on the districts drawn following a 2023 legislative session), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities.https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd119/cd_based/ST37/CD119_NC02.pdf

Wake County (10)

Cary (part; also 4th, 9th, and 13th; shared with Chatham and Durham counties), Durham (part; also 4th; shared with Durham and Orange counties), Garner (part; also 13th), Knightdale, Morrisville (part; also 4th; shared with Durham County), Raleigh (part; also 4th and 13th; shared with Durham County), Rolesville (part; also 13th), Wake Forest (part; also 13th; shared with Franklin County), Wendell (part; also 13th), Zebulon (part; also 13th)

Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Results2008 PresidentObama 61% - 38% SenateHagan 60% - 37% GovernorPerdue 55% - 41%2010 SenateMarshall 53% - 45%2012 PresidentObama 61% - 39% GovernorDalton 53% - 44%2014 SenateHagan 60% - 37%2016 PresidentClinton 62% - 33% SenateRoss 60% - 37% GovernorCooper 65% - 33% Lt. GovernorColeman 59% - 37% Secretary of StateMarshall 66% - 34% AuditorWood 63% - 37% TreasurerBlue III 61% - 39% Attorney GeneralStein 65% - 35%2020 PresidentBiden 67% - 31% SenateCunningham 63% - 33% GovernorCooper 69% - 29% Lt. GovernorLewis Holley 66% - 34% Secretary of StateMarshall 69% - 31% AuditorWood 69% - 31% TreasurerChatterji 63% - 37% Attorney GeneralStein 68% - 32%2022 SenateBeasley 66% - 31%2024 PresidentHarris 66% - 32% GovernorStein 73% - 21% Lt. GovernorHunt 67% - 30% Secretary of StateMarshall 70% - 30% AuditorHolmes 65% - 32% TreasurerHarris 64% - 36% Attorney GeneralJackson 69% - 31%

List of members representing the district Member Party Years Congress Electoral history District location District established March 19, 1790 Hugh Williamson Anti-Administration March 19, 1790 –March 3, 1791 Elected in 1790.Redistricted to the . 1790–1791"Edenton and New Bern division" Nathaniel Macon Anti-Administration March 4, 1791 –March 3, 1793 Elected in 1791.Redistricted to the . 1791–1793"Centre division" Matthew Locke Anti-Administration March 4, 1793 –March 3, 1795 Elected in 1793.Re-elected in 1795.Re-elected in 1796.Lost re-election. 1793–1803 Democratic-Republican March 4, 1795 –March 3, 1799 Archibald Henderson Federalist March 4, 1799 –March 3, 1803 Elected in 1798.Re-elected in 1800.Redistricted to the . Willis Alston Democratic-Republican March 4, 1803 –March 3, 1815 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1803.Re-elected in 1804.Re-elected in 1806.Re-elected in 1808.Re-elected in 1810.Re-elected in 1813.Retired. 1803–1813 1813–1823 Joseph Hunter Bryan Democratic-Republican March 4, 1815 –March 3, 1819 Elected in 1815.Re-elected in 1817. Hutchins G. Burton Democratic-Republican March 4, 1819 –March 3, 1823 Elected in 1819.Re-elected in 1821.Resigned when elected Governor of North Carolina. Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 –March 23, 1824 1823–1833 Vacant March 24, 1824 –January 18, 1825 George Outlaw Democratic-Republican January 19, 1825 –March 3, 1825 Elected January 6, 1825 to finish Burton's term and seated January 19, 1825.Lost re-election. Willis Alston Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –March 3, 1831 Elected in 1825.Re-elected in 1827.Re-elected in 1829.Retired. Vacant March 4, 1831 –May 12, 1831 John Branch Jacksonian May 12, 1831 –March 3, 1833 Elected to finish the vacant term.Retired. Jesse A. Bynum Jacksonian March 4, 1833 –March 3, 1837 Elected in 1833.Re-elected in 1835.Re-elected in 1837.Re-elected in 1839. 1833–1843 Democratic March 4, 1837 –March 3, 1841 John Daniel Democratic March 4, 1841 –March 3, 1843 Elected in 1841.Redistricted to the . Daniel M. Barringer Whig March 4, 1843 –March 3, 1847 Elected in 1843.Re-elected in 1845.Redistricted to the . 1843–1853 Nathaniel Boyden Whig March 4, 1847 –March 3, 1849 Elected in 1847.Retired. Joseph P. Caldwell Whig March 4, 1849 –March 3, 1853 Elected in 1849.Re-elected in 1851.Retired. Thomas H. Ruffin Democratic March 4, 1853 –March 3, 1861 Elected in 1853.Re-elected in 1855.Re-elected in 1857.Re-elected in 1859. 1853–1861 Vacant March 3, 1861 –July 25, 1868 Civil War and Reconstruction David Heaton Republican July 25, 1868 –June 25, 1870 Elected to finish the short term.Re-elected in 1868.Died. 1868–1873 Vacant June 26, 1870 –December 4, 1870 Joseph Dixon Republican December 5, 1870 –March 3, 1871 Elected to finish Heaton's term.Retired. Charles Thomas Republican March 4, 1871 –March 3, 1875 Elected in 1870.Re-elected in 1872.Lost renomination. 1873–1883 John A. Hyman Republican March 4, 1875 –March 3, 1877 Elected in 1874.Lost renomination to immediate past governor. Curtis H. Brogden Republican March 4, 1877 –March 3, 1879 Elected in 1876.Retired. William H. Kitchin Democratic March 4, 1879 –March 3, 1881 Elected in 1878.Lost re-election. Orlando Hubbs Republican March 4, 1881 –March 3, 1883 Elected in 1880.Retired. James E. O'Hara Republican March 4, 1883 –March 3, 1887 Elected in 1882.Re-elected in 1884.Lost re-election. 1883–1893 Furnifold M. Simmons Democratic March 4, 1887 –March 3, 1889 Elected in 1886.Lost re-election. Henry P. Cheatham Republican March 4, 1889 –March 3, 1893 Elected in 1888.Re-elected in 1890.Lost re-election. Frederick A. Woodard Democratic March 4, 1893 –March 3, 1897 Elected in 1892.Re-elected in 1894.Lost re-election. 1893–1903 George H. White Republican March 4, 1897 –March 3, 1901 Elected in 1896.Re-elected in 1898.Retired after state passage of the 1900 disfranchisement constitution. Claude Kitchin Democratic March 4, 1901 –May 31, 1923 Elected in 1900.Re-elected in 1902.Re-elected in 1904.Re-elected in 1906.Re-elected in 1908.Re-elected in 1910.Re-elected in 1912.Re-elected in 1914.Re-elected in 1916.Re-elected in 1918.Re-elected in 1920.Re-elected in 1922.Died. 1903–1913 1913–1933 Vacant May 31, 1923 –November 5, 1923 John H. Kerr Democratic November 6, 1923 –January 3, 1953 Elected to finish Kitchin's term.Re-elected in 1924.Re-elected in 1926.Re-elected in 1928.Re-elected in 1930.Re-elected in 1932.Re-elected in 1934.Re-elected in 1936.Re-elected in 1938.Re-elected in 1940.Re-elected in 1942.Re-elected in 1944.Re-elected in 1946.Re-elected in 1948.Re-elected in 1950.Lost renomination. 1933–1943 1943–1953 L. H. Fountain Democratic January 3, 1953 –January 3, 1983 Elected in 1952.Re-elected in 1954.Re-elected in 1956.Re-elected in 1958.Re-elected in 1960.Re-elected in 1962.Re-elected in 1964.Re-elected in 1966.Re-elected in 1968.Re-elected in 1970.Re-elected in 1972.Re-elected in 1974.Re-elected in 1976.Re-elected in 1978.Re-elected in 1980.Retired. 1953–1963 1963–1973 1973–1983 Tim Valentine Democratic January 3, 1983 –January 3, 1995 Elected in 1982.Re-elected in 1984.Re-elected in 1986.Re-elected in 1988.Re-elected in 1990.Re-elected in 1992.Retired. 1983–1993 1993–2003 David Funderburk Republican January 3, 1995 –January 3, 1997 Elected in 1994.Lost re-election. Bob Etheridge Democratic January 3, 1997 –January 3, 2011 Elected in 1996.Re-elected in 1998.Re-elected in 2000.Re-elected in 2002.Re-elected in 2004.Re-elected in 2006.Re-elected in 2008.Lost re-election. 2003–2013 Renee Ellmers Republican January 3, 2011 –January 3, 2017 Elected in 2010.Re-elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014.Lost renomination. 2013–2017 George Holding Republican January 3, 2017 –January 3, 2021 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 2016.Re-elected in 2018.Retired. 2017–2021 Deborah Ross Democratic January 3, 2021 –present Elected in 2020.Re-elected in 2022.Re-elected in 2024. 2021–2023 2023–2025 2025–present

Past election results 2000

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2024

North Carolina's 2nd congressional district

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