Nida Allam concedes North Carolina Democratic primary race to Rep. Foushee

Progressive Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam conceded Wednesday after challenging U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee in a high-profile and razor-thin Democratic primary race in North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District.

In a fiery statement posted to social media, Allam accused Democrats of “giving in to super PACs and hawkish lobbies,” saying it was only because of his campaign that Foushee, 69, decided to take “bold stands that voters overwhelmingly support.”

Allam’s provocative positions included calling the war in Gaza a “genocide,” abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and defunding the war with Iran.

“We must demand [Foushee] “We must not spend a single taxpayer dollar on forever wars,” Allam wrote. “We must demand that she actually call the Gaza genocide what it is: genocide. We must demand that she fight to abolish ICE as they kidnap and murder our neighbors, not just take away their masks and some of their funding.”

Nida Allam, campaigning for the Democratic nomination in North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District. On Wednesday, she conceded a high-profile primary race for North Carolina Democrats to Rep. Valerie Foushee. (Reuters/Jonathan Drake)

The 32-year-old, who first ran against Foushee in 2022, went on to describe the current climate as “a time of rising Islamophobia, xenophobia and derision that has aimed to divide our communities against each other,” saying the movement she created offers a glimpse of “a better future that we could believe in.”

Foushee received 49.2% of the Democratic vote and Allam received 48.2%, with 99% of the expected votes counted, NBC News reported.

Compared to the 2022 primary, Allam said his campaign led to a 55% increase in turnout among voters under 40 in early voting, and an overall increase in total turnout of nearly 40%. More than 60,000 voters voted for his campaign.

Rep. Valerie Foushee, D-N.C., speaks on Capitol Hill. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

A ‘full-fledged battle’ brews at DEM party as Mamdani-style candidates rise in key races

“Even though we didn’t win this race, the establishment should remain on guard,” she wrote. “Our movement has been sounding the alarm for future Democratic primaries throughout this cycle.”

“For anyone who has never seen themselves in our political system, I want you to see that if a young Muslim immigrant woman from the South – who is ready to take on the establishment directly – can achieve what our campaign was able to do and more, then anything is possible,” Allam continued.

Allam entered the Democratic primary in North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District with the support of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and progressive groups including Justice Democrats, Leaders We Deserve, the Sunrise Movement, Indian American Impact and the Working Families Party.

Leaders We Deserve led a national effort to elect young, progressive candidates to Congress and state legislatures, supporting other Democrats including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani..

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers his inaugural address on January 1 in front of City Hall. (Fox News / Pool)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Foushee, who has gained support from North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, former Gov. Roy Cooper and numerous representatives, received more than $1.6 million from the Jobs and Democracy PAC — a super PAC that advocates for AI regulation.

Allam received nearly $2 million in support from Leaders We Deserve, Justice Democrats, the Working Families Party and the American Priorities PAC, according to the report.

Deirdre Heavey of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.

Related article