Campaign Finance Congress Election 2026 The Pulse Last-minute money boosts Allam in NC-04 Dem primary, but Foushee holds edge

U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee (left) and Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam are once again facing off in NC’s 4th District Democratic primary. (Image: NC Newsline)

By: Laura Leslie and Brandon Kingdollar

March 2, 2026

NC Newsline–A Congressional primary that had already set all-time records for outside spending in North Carolina got even more expensive over the weekend. Federal Election Commission records show independent expenditure groups added more than $278,500 in last-minute spending, all of it in support of Allam.

NC Newsline reported Feb. 27 that political action committees and super PACs had spent nearly $4.2 million on the race between two-term incumbent Democrat Valerie Foushee and challenger Nida Allam. That beat the previous record for outside spending in a primary, which was set in 2002 in a match-up between the same two candidates.

As of early afternoon Mar. 2, the total outside spending in the race was just shy of $4.5 million at $4,468,582. Foushee still leads the money race with 53% of the outside spending in her favor, but Allam is closing the gap at 47%.

The contest between Allam, a Durham County commissioner, and Foushee, a longtime politician who’s won election to county, state and federal seats, is a microcosm of the larger conflict between establishment Democrats and populist progressives who’ve mounted primary challenges in several states.

The weekend spending boost on Allam’s behalf included another $156K from American Priorities, bringing its total investment in the primary to around $1.1 million. The group opposes pro-Israel groups and candidates, and has ties to supporters of Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign.

Leaders We Deserve, a super PAC run by youth activist David Hogg, added an extra $100,000. And two new players anted up: MoveOn PAC chipped in $10,000, while a group called Citizens against AIPAC Corruption contributed $13,500.

The winner of the Democratic primary on Mar. 3 will almost certainly represent the 4th Congressional District in Congress next year. Republican Manesh Gunorkar and Libertarian Guy Meilleur will also be on the ballot in the November general election, but the district leans overwhelmingly Democratic.