Rep. Alma Adams has held the seat since 2014.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tuesday’s primary election will decide the two candidates for North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District.
Rep. Alma Adams has held the seat since 2014 and has rarely faced competition in the last decade of general and primary elections. She faces Democratic challenger Monaca Maye Williamson in the primary election.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Addul Ali or Jack Codiga, the two Republican candidates.
Democratic Primary
Adams has represented North Carolina in Washington since 2014, taking over for former Rep. Melvin Watt, who left the role to take a position with the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Adams spent 20 years in the North Carolina House of Representatives before being elected to the US Congress.
Adams last faced a primary challenger in 2022, winning the election with 91.7% of the votes before winning the general election against Tyler Lee with 62.7% of the votes.
In 2024, Adams beat Ali with 74% of the votes in the general election.
Adams currently serves on the Congressional committees for conservation research and biotechnology, nutrition and foreign agriculture, and education and workforce.
Her campaign website states Adams is strongly in favor of reproductive rights, improving public school funding, and affordable health care options, among other things.
Williamson is an entrepreneur and educator focused on improving economic opportunities in the state. She supports increasing the minimum wage, providing small business grants, and revitalizing the manufacturing sector.
Williamson is also an advocate for affordable health care, SNAP benefits for seniors, and reducing tuition costs for North Carolina colleges and universities.
More information on Williamson’s background and positions can be found on her website.
Republican Primary
This is Ali’s second attempt at this Congressional seat. He last ran in 2024 and gained the Republican nomination.
Ali has served as the Chairman of the Cabarrus County GOP, the Chairman of the 12th District GOP, the operations director of the Frederick Douglass Foundation of North Carolina, and has worked as a marketing professional.
Ali is campaigning for safer neighborhoods, affordable housing, and investment in early education for children.
Ali ran for Kannapolis City Council in 2019 but lost.
Codiga works as a finance professional. His platform includes equal justice under the law, abolishing the Federal Reserve and returning to gold and silver, and promoting the free market.
