Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam announced on December 11, 2025, that she is launching a campaign for the US House of Representatives to represent North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District, mounting a challenge against incumbent Congresswoman Valerie Foushee.

According to a statement released by her campaign, as “Donald Trump unleashes ICE and CBP on families in this district and DOGE guts this community’s economic engines with the highest number of federal funding cuts in the country,” Allam is running to counter what she describes as “Republican authoritarianism and corporate greed,” while building on her record of translating progressive priorities into tangible results for working families.

Allam launched her campaign with a video drawing a contrast between her work addressing urgent community challenges and what she characterizes as the district’s current leadership in Washington being absent during key crises. Her campaign begins with endorsements from Senator Bernie Sanders, Justice Democrats, Leaders We Deserve, Sunrise Movement, the Indian American Impact Fund, and the Working Families Party.

“I’m running for Congress because in a moment when our community faces dueling crises of Republican authoritarianism and corporate billionaire greed, we need leaders in Washington who will actually fight to deliver the brighter future we deserve and desperately need,” Allam said in the statement. “We cannot wait three more years pretending that a status quo that is failing us today will protect our communities tomorrow. Together, we have proven that building a bold, progressive agenda that actually takes on wealthy interests to deliver for working families in this district is not hypothetical — it’s achievable, if you’re willing to fight for it. We have a roadmap for delivering real relief for our community, now it’s time that our seat in Washington be used to build on those victories and never leave working families behind again.”

Senator Bernie Sanders praised Allam as a “proven fighter” who has consistently challenged “corporate power, billionaires, and billionaire-funded Super PACS like AIPAC.” 

He highlighted her advocacy following the 2015 Chapel Hill murders of her close friends and her history-making election as the first Muslim woman to hold public office in North Carolina. “At a moment when the oligarchs are tightening their grip on government, we need leaders like Nida — leaders who answer to working families, not the billionaire class,” he said.

Justice Democrats Executive Director, Alexandra Rojas said her organization is backing Allam “to take back this district from the claws of corporate PACs and return it back to everyday North Carolinians,” citing her record of securing wage increases, tax relief, investments in public education, and support for immigrant communities.

David Hogg, president and co-founder of Leaders We Deserve, emphasized Allam’s response to tragedy and her willingness to stand up for vulnerable communities. “Her solidarity isn’t just in legislative action – like raising the minimum wage, developing a property tax relief program, or securing the largest school funding increase in Durham’s history – she’s willing to put herself on the line to protect her neighbors from ICE,” he said.

Aru Shiney-Ajay of the Sunrise Movement argued that Allam’s approach contrasts sharply with that of the incumbent. “We need leaders like Nida who will shake up Congress and stand up to Trump’s attacks on our jobs and neighbors,” Shiney-Ajay said.

The Working Families Party also endorsed Allam, with Federal Affairs Director Amirah Sequeira stating that Allam “has shown that she’s willing to fight back against corporate power in order to make life more affordable for working people,” adding that voters need representatives who refuse corporate PAC money.

Chintan Patel, executive director of the Indian American Impact Fund, said the organization is supporting Allam because she offers “a bold, solutions-driven vision” aligned with the needs of South Asian Americans and other communities facing discrimination and economic pressure.

Allam, the daughter of Indian and Pakistani immigrants, grew up in the district and attended North Carolina public schools before studying at NC State University, where she helped launch a campaign providing free healthcare to low-income community members. Her life was shaped by the 2015 Chapel Hill murders of her friends Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu-Salha, and Razan Abu-Salha, motivating her to pursue organizing and public service.

Her political career includes serving as a political director for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 North Carolina campaign, Vice Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, and Chair of the Durham Mayor’s Council for Women. In 2020, she won election to the Durham County Board of Commissioners, becoming the first Muslim woman elected to public office in North Carolina. She later ran in the 2022 Democratic primary for the same congressional seat, finishing nine points behind in what became the most expensive congressional primary in state history. She currently serves as the youngest County Commission Chair in North Carolina.

As a Commissioner, Allam has prioritized initiatives focused on education, wages, housing, and immigrant support. Her accomplishments include helping create the region’s first Immigrant and Refugee Services program, supporting the county’s first billion-dollar budget with record-breaking investments in public education, championing a tax relief program for low-income homeowners, and raising the minimum wage for county and school employees. Her work with the county’s Economic Development Department has also contributed to attracting major investments that created thousands of jobs, many not requiring a college degree, while easing the tax burden on residents, the statement pointed out. 

According to her campaign, Allam is the first challenger of the 2026 cycle to launch with endorsements from major national progressive organizations including Senator Sanders, Justice Democrats, Leaders We Deserve, Sunrise Movement, and the Working Families Party. 

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