Bernie Sanders’ Durham visit highlights political divide in NC-04 primary

Nida Allam spoke at a rally with Sen. Bernie Sanders in Durham on Feb. 13, 2026. (Photo: Christine Zhu/NC Newsline)

By Christine Zhu, NC Newsline
February 13, 2026

Republished by GDN February 16, 2026

DURHAM — U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders took the stage to roaring cheers as hundreds of people in the Durham Convention Center rose to their feet.

The independent from Vermont visited the Tar Heel State as part of his Fighting Oligarchy Tour. He spoke in Greensboro on Thursday, addressing wealth inequality and universal healthcare.

But the Durham stop on Friday wasn’t just for him to meet more North Carolinians. Sanders took advantage of the opportunity to stump for Nida Allam — a current Durham County commissioner and former state political director for Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign.

Allam is mounting a progressive challenge to incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Valerie Foushee, a fixture in Orange County politics. Foushee, who has represented the district for two terms, was a former state senator and Orange County commissioner.

This year’s primary, held on March 3, is a rematch of the 2022 contest. There, Foushee won about 46% of the primary vote in her first congressional term, and Allam placed second with about 37%. Early voting began Feb. 12.

“We are here in Durham today to say loudly and clearly that we believe in democracy, not billionaires buying elections, not an effort to divide us up,” Sanders said. “We’re going to bring our people together in the fight for economic, racial, social and environmental justice.”

Raleigh resident Erica Bodane said she’s worried about the political landscape as her five- and two-year-old kids grow up. She told NC Newsline she’s spent her life hoping for equality and equal access to resources.

“A lot of us feel really worn down and depleted,” Bodane said. “We’ve got to write letters, and we’ve got to use our voices, and we’ve got to step up, and we’ve got to talk to our representatives.”

The Democratic primary in North Carolina’s deep blue 4th Congressional District is just one of several high-profile electoral clashes around the country between progressive and traditional factions of the party.

In New York City, Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani’s 2025 victory raised hope for leftists and concern for establishment liberals. Earlier this week, progressive activist Analilia Mejia, who was also endorsed by Sanders, defeated establishment Democrat and former Rep. Tom Malinowski in a New Jersey congressional special election.

The divide between the establishment and progressive wings of the party deepened in the wake of the 2024 elections, in which Democrats lost the White House and both chambers of Congress.

Each wing blamed the other for the party’s defeat. Traditional Democrats said progressives had pushed the party too far to the left to appeal to the center, while progressives said traditional Democrats weren’t delivering a message that resonated with voters.

As Allam appeared, audience members waved colorful campaign signs. She spoke about how 11 years ago, working alongside Sanders instilled in her a renewed sense of hope in national politics and for the future.

“When he spoke about immigrants, he spoke to us not as outsiders, but as a part of his movement for socioeconomic justice and human dignity,” Allam said. “When he spoke about working people, he mentioned us, not as a convenient voting bloc, but as his heart and soul.”

After becoming elected as a Durham County Commissioner in 2020, Allam became the first Muslim woman to hold public office in North Carolina.

Allam didn’t directly criticize Foushee during her speech at the event, but described herself as the only candidate in the race who refuses to take donations from pharmaceutical companies, advocates for abolishing ICE, and fights for Palestine.

Foushee has faced criticism from Allam and others in her own party for accepting campaign contributions from the pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which was her top donor in 2022 and has given her upwards of $2 million. She decided not to accept funds from AIPAC for 2026.

Foushee’s office did not respond to NC Newsline’s interview request.

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