Forward Party Denounces North Carolina Redistricting as Partisan Gerrymander

The Forward Party has denounced a recently approved congressional redistricting plan in North Carolina, calling it a gerrymander designed to further tip the state’s U.S. House delegation toward Republicans and target one of its affiliated lawmakers.

In an October 22 statement, the national Forward Party strongly condemned the map approved last week by the North Carolina legislature, calling it both “an attack” on the state and “the idea that every vote matters.” The party contends the new map removes several “traditionally moderate counties” from the state’s 1st District and adds conservative-leaning coastal areas.

The new map sees the 1st District, currently represented by Don Davis, become significantly more favorable to Republicans, who currently hold 10 of 14 seats in the state. Davis, a Democrat, is also a member of the Forward Party’s affiliate member program and has previously signed its pledge.

Forward Party CEO Lindsey Williams Drath denounced the map as an effort to “lock in power, not reflect voters,” praising Davis as a legislator. “Congressman Davis signed our Forward Pledge because he believes, like we do, that democracy works when voters, not map-makers, call the shots,” she said.

Kayla Berube, the Forward Party’s national political director, added that the effort reflects a larger pattern of partisan manipulation. “The legacy parties rig the rules with gerrymandering, closed primaries, and back-room deals,” she said. “Forward exists to change that by supporting leaders who want independent maps and a politics that serves people, not parties.”

In response to the redistricting, Forward reiterated its support for independent redistricting commissions, mapping processes that include meaningful public input, and reforms to closed primaries and gerrymandered districts that prioritize voter choice. The party also reaffirmed its backing of Don Davis, calling him a bipartisan “problem-solver” who has embraced the organization’s “people-over-party” values.

Under the North Carolina Constitution, the governor cannot veto congressional maps. As a result, the measure took effect immediately upon passage of the legislature and will apply to the 2026 election cycle, barring legal challenges.