Congressional District 4: Nida Allam

Name: Nida Allam

Age: 32

Party affiliation: Democrat

Campaign website: nidaallam.com

Occupation and employer: Durham County Commissioner

1. What are your primary concerns for the state of North Carolina?

Addressing the affordability crisis for working families

Across the district, families are being squeezed by low wages, rising prices, and corporate greed. My top priority is ensuring working families can afford to live with dignity in our district and across the state. When I’m in Washington, I’ll keep that promise by raising the federal minimum wage, strengthening the right to unionize, and ending so-called “Right to Work” laws that suppress wages and weaken labor power especially in the South. I will fight to pass the PRO Act, take on price gouging by corporations, and rein in the outsized influence of billionaires who rig the economy in their favor. Crucially, I also support a moratorium on data centers like the one proposed in Apex, which would jack up power bills for working families to subsidize billionaire AI processing. We should focus on bringing down North Carolinians’ costs, not pushing them up to help a corporate bottom line.

Defending democracy and the rule of law

Our democracy is under attack by corruption, voter suppression, and a system that prioritizes corporate power over people. We need to end gerrymandering at the federal level to end a corrupt system that suppresses the votes of thousands of voters across my state and the country—especially Black voters, who are facing “surgically” targeted voter suppression in North Carolina. In addition to passing voting rights legislation, I would advocate ending Citizens United and banning stock trading for members of Congress and their spouses, which is critical to ending corruption at every level of the political process and returning power to the people. Finally, as part of restoring our democracy, we must abolish ICE and end President Trump’s unconstitutional, un-American attacks on immigrants across the country.

Guaranteeing healthcare as a human right

No one should go without healthcare because of their income, employment, or zip code. Coming from a state that expanded Medicaid only to see Republicans attempt to roll it back cruelly, I believe healthcare must be guaranteed for everyone. I will fight to pass Medicare for All to ensure universal coverage, lower costs, and eliminate medical debt. Until that goal is achieved, I will support policies that expand access, protect Medicaid, and lower prescription drug prices because healthcare is a human right, not a privilege.

2. What in your background qualifies you to represent the people of this state effectively? What would you cite as your biggest career accomplishments? 

My most important qualification to serve our district in Washington is my love for our community. I have lived in NC-04 for almost my whole life—I grew up here, I’m raising my family here. But in addition, I am proud of my long record of public service, supporting the people of North Carolina:

• Durham County Board of Commissioners: As the current Vice Chair of the Board of Commissioners, my constant goal is to champion working people in Durham and legislate for a livable county. I have played an instrumental role in raising the minimum wage for Durham County employees and led the charge to secure property tax relief for low-income Durham residents. I serve on the board of the Durham Museum of Life & Science, Triangle West Transit Planning Organization, Durham Memorial Stadium Authority, the Justice Advisory Council, the EMS Peer Review Committee, and more.
• As a member of the Planned Parenthood South Atlantic Votes Board of Directors (on temporary leave), I’ve helped guide endorsements and organize across four states to elect reproductive rights champions and expand access to care.
• Durham Mayor’s Council for Women: As Chair of the Durham Mayor’s Council for Women, I worked alongside an incredible team to elevate women’s voices in local government. We pushed for better access to childcare, pay equity, and leadership opportunities, and made sure city leaders were listening directly to the women most impacted by policy decisions.
• NCDP: I served as Vice Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party from 2017 to 2021. I helped rebuild trust between the party and the grassroots—training volunteers, recruiting diverse candidates, and leading outreach to communities of color and young voters. My focus was always on organizing from the ground up and making the party more accountable to the people it represents.
• Bernie Sanders 2016 Campaign: I worked on the Bernie 2016 campaign across four states, starting as a field organizer in South Carolina and ending as Political Director in New Jersey. I opened field offices, managed staff, built coalitions with grassroots leaders, and helped launch one of the most diverse volunteer-driven campaigns in the country. That experience taught me the power of people-led movements and shaped how I approach every role since.

3. If elected, what three policies would you prioritize and how would you work across the aisle to enact those initiatives?

Based on the three primary concerns for our state identified above, in Washington, I would serve the interest of the people of North Carolina by fighting hard for the following three policies:

Tackling the Affordability Crisis with the Carolina Contract

Our district was hit harder than anywhere else in the country by Trump’s disastrous DOGE cuts, exacerbating the existing affordability crisis and causing record unemployment for thousands of highly qualified, middle class North Carolinians. We need a comprehensive policy solution to reignite the engine of our district’s economy: research, academia, and other forms of work that require federal funding. That’s why I’ve proposed a three-step plan called the Carolina Contract to reinvigorate federal workers and their families, bringing the $1 billion we lost under Trump back to our district. When everyday North Carolinians are making enough money to put food on the table without months or even years searching for work, we get one step closer to ending the affordability crisis.

Defending our Democracy with Anti-Corruption Reform

We need to end the corruption that is warping our political system—not just by confronting the Trump agenda, abolishing ICE, and holding Republican officials accountable, but by solving the deep-seated issues of money in our democracy. In Washington, I would support a slate of anti-corruption measures, many of them introduced by Representative David Price, like ending corporate PACs, a ban on stock trading for members of Congress, and ending Citizens United. In the Trump era, the status quo is not cutting it. We can’t sustain these conflicts of interest any longer. It’s time to pursue anti-corruption, so that legislators can actually hold bad actors to account.

Medicare for All

Finally, in Washington, I would be our district’s champion in the fight for universal healthcare. There is simply no excuse for the years of inaction and stalling that have kept the American people from securing healthcare as a human right. Because this issue is broadly popular across party lines, I know it can bring an unexpected coalition together in Congress, if leaders have the will to defy their corporate donors.

4. North Carolina expanded Medicaid two years ago. However, federal budget cuts now threaten the program due to a state “trigger law” that ends expansion if federal support drops below 90%. How would you address Medicaid funding to maintain coverage for the millions of North Carolinians enrolled?

Our healthcare system is broken and must be reimagined from the ground up. It is embedded with systemic flaws, perhaps the most egregious being the fact that healthcare access is tied directly to employment. I am one of thousands of North Carolinians who was laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic and thus lost access to affordable healthcare during one of the biggest public health crises in recent memory. To make matters worse, public programs like Medicaid are easily undermined by right-wing state legislatures and vulnerable to funding cuts federally. In our state, for example, Republicans in the NCGA long refused to expand Medicaid, leaving thousands uninsured and billions in federal funds on the table. Though we’ve finally pushed through to expand the program, Trump’s disastrous federal cuts have put our progress in jeopardy. In Congress, I will protect Medicaid expansion through legislation that mandates federal support and funds our broadened program to capacity—but even more importantly, I will go a step further by leading the national fight for Medicare for All. It’s time to fulfill the long-broken promise of universal healthcare, and pass the legislation that over ⅔ of Americans support.

5. How would you address the rising costs of housing, child care, and basic necessities facing North Carolina families?

The wealth gap in our country is a true sign of moral bankruptcy. In the wealthiest country on earth, it is simply unjustifiable that so many Americans go to sleep hungry each night despite working multiple jobs to provide for their families. It’s time to close that gap with a wealth tax on billionaires that redistributes resources back down to working people. We need an end to corporate tax write-offs and loopholes that allow exploitative companies and their billionaire owners to leech off American labor for their own gain while offsetting their costs onto working people. One apt example affecting our community: the data center proposed by an out of state development company in Apex. A Bloomberg study recently found that, on average, data centers raise utility bills by 267% for the surrounding consumers, forcing them to foot the bill while AI oligarchs reap the profits. This is unacceptable. In addition to programs that curb the rising cost of living—like universal pre-K, building affordable housing, and funding SNAP and other social safety programs—we must adopt policies that prevent companies from driving everyday costs ever higher. That’s why we need a moratorium on new data centers until proper regulation is in place.

6. Thousands of North Carolina workers lost their jobs in 2025 due to federal budget cuts—RTI International and FHI 360 alone have laid off hundreds of employees, while Duke University and the University of North Carolina face massive funding cuts and hiring freezes. How would you address both the human toll and the long-term economic impact of these federal funding changes on our state?

This January, I hosted a town hall with fired federal workers, former USAID employees, and other North Carolinians affected by Trump’s disastrous DOGE cuts. Over the course of our time together, they shared heartbreaking stories of months on unemployment, research stalled or terminated completely, and incomes slashed just as they were ready to expand their young families. As of April, the Trump Cuts cancelled 186 federal grants in our district, the most of any across the country, costing us over $1 billion. The consequences were immediate. After losing a significant portion of its funding, FHI 360, a research nonprofit in Durham, had to lay off around one-fourth of its staff. NC-04 research leaders Duke and the University of North Carolina faced close to a combined $200 million in frozen or cancelled funds, and Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams added that he has never seen so many middle-class North Carolinians apply for unemployment insurance. Our district saw the most severe cuts of anywhere in the country, and our congressional representation had little to offer beyond a few toothless tweets and statements.

People often ask, “what’s the difference between one Democrat and another in this seat?” This is the difference. We need a bolder, more creative plan to restore the engine of our district’s economy—and the lives of so many of our community members. That’s why, based on the stories I heard from constituents, I drafted a three-pronged plan which is available in-depth on my website. 

• Protect: Secure backpay, damages, and health insurance for all those affected by these cuts.
• Promote: Re-invest in federal funding by funding USAID at 150% until previous productivity is reached and securing additional research funding at the federal level.
• Preserve: Safeguard our workforce from future attacks by explicitly creating backstops from mass firings and creating an emergency fund.

With these priorities in place, we can protect our incredibly brilliant community from another round of unnecessary suffering.

7. Climate disasters are intensifying: Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina in 2024, Tropical Storm Chantal flooded the Triangle in 2025, and coastal erosion threatens the Outer Banks. With much affordable housing located in flood-prone areas and FEMA resources stretched thin, what is your plan for climate resilience and disaster relief?

It’s time to finally pass the Green New Deal. After years of false starts, this legislation would help us convert our economy to a clean energy hub, creating thousands of parks and green spaces and millions of jobs in the process. This is no longer legislation needed to prevent some distant threat—it’s to confront the very real consequences of climate catastrophe right here and now. Look at the devastation caused by Helene and Chantal, which caused the destruction of homes and small businesses across the state. We are already facing fires, floods, and droughts that escalate in severity every year. I would be a strong advocate for the Green New Deal and further sweeping climate legislation to meet the demands of this moment, reinforcing our infrastructure, sparking a renewable energy economy, and creating millions of jobs in the process.

8. Federal agents have arrested more than 250 people in immigration enforcement operations across North Carolina, creating fear in immigrant communities and disrupting businesses and schools. How do you view the enforcement actions, and how would you address their impact on North Carolina’s economy and communities?

I am the daughter of Indian and Pakistani immigrants—nothing could be closer to my heart than making sure that every immigrant has a place in North Carolina. This means not just a touchy-feely, emotional idea of welcoming new neighbors, but a structural, intentional effort to defend immigrants from the onslaught of unconstitutional attacks we’ve faced under the Trump regime. 

By partnering with organizations like Siembra NC, I was able to stand on the frontlines when ICE illegally occupied our district. We need to do everything we can to ensure that undocumented residents know their rights, that they and their families are protected, that those currently in custody are reunited with their families, and that ICE agents face accountability that prevents them from acting with impunity. This includes ensuring that translation services are available for all communications, that we’re facilitating outreach via Whatsapp and other platforms with high-immigrant user bases, and that we’re keeping in constant contact with immigrant and refugee services to address a given need. 

At the County level, I have direct experience leading for a more welcoming society—standing up for DREAMers, opposing ICE, and proactively welcoming new neighbors to our district. In service of the 45,000 immigrants and refugees who call Durham County home, as Chair of the County Commissioners, I led the charge to hire an amazing Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Coordinator for both the city and the county, Kokou Nayo, who comes out of the refugee services world himself. In Washington, I would lead the charge to abolish ICE, reunite families across the country, and protect our state from future threats from the Trump regime.

9. Federal contractors are no longer required to maintain nondiscrimination policies, and many DEI-related programs have been eliminated across sectors in our state. What is your view on recent changes to DEI and antidiscrimination policies?

My entire career has been centered on racial justice. I am the first Muslim woman to be elected to public office in state history, and one of the few South Asian women to serve in the entire region. These are responsibilities I do not take lightly, and that have fueled my commitment to being in interfaith, interracial, cross-class coalition with folks from throughout my community. I am disturbed by the President’s baseless culture war, which—as Ta-Nehisi Coates pointed out in an essay a few weeks ago—have direct effects on the material consequences of millions of people across our state.
Our district proudly boasts some of the strongest and most robust nondiscrimination policies in the country, alongside some of the most diverse colleges, universities, and K-12 district schools. We can and must be national leaders in taking our values to Washington—restoring funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion; championing legislation like the Equality Act; and promoting anti-racist policies at the national level.

10. Federal education funding faced significant delays and cuts in 2025, affecting Title I programs, teacher training, and after-school services in North Carolina. How will you work to ensure stable federal education funding for our state’s schools?

As a lifelong product of North Carolina public schools, I could not be more committed to their growth, development, and sustained success. Growing up, I watched my mom go to work every day as a public school teacher with a focus on classrooms for students who receive exceptional services. Her dedication to her students ingrained in me a deep respect for the educators who give so much of themselves to support our schools—including and especially classified staff. 

Becoming a mother has only strengthened my personal investment in Durham Public Schools. As Chair of the County Commissioners, I led the Board to approve the largest budget for Durham Public Schools in its history—nearly a billion dollar budget. My husband and I chose to build our life in Durham in large part because we wanted our children to attend thriving, diverse, innovative public schools throughout their lives. I am proud to support the success of our district, not just on behalf of my own kids, but on behalf of every child in North Carolina and across the country. We all deserve a safe, healthy environment to learn and grow.

That means supporting policies like strong funding for the DOE, which has suffered baseless attacks and cuts under the Trump administration, and protecting the department from further attacks with reinforced funding. It means opposing charter schools and voucher systems that drain money from public education. And it means raises and debt relief for our teachers, who deserve so much more respect and financial support than they are currently designated. And it means filling gaps in funding that I’ve seen firsthand at the county level by securing federal financial support for all our state’s children.

11. President Trump has dramatically expanded executive power through emergency declarations, the use of federal agents in cities without local coordination, and the termination of already-appropriated funds without congressional approval. What role should Congress play in checking executive power?

As Zohran Mamdani once said: “I am Donald Trump’s worst nightmare.” I’m a Brown, Muslim mother who believes wholeheartedly in the right to choose, the rights of my LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors, and the inherent equality of every human being. I’m an immigrant, the mother of young children, and nothing will get in my way of fighting for their future. 

Trump has unilaterally undermined our democracy and placed our cities under attack. He has escalated global conflict without approval from Congress, in flagrant violation of our nation’s constitution. His personal gestapo is rounding up and deporting immigrants, a troubling slide into facism that should concern every single freedom-loving American. And yet, for too long, Congress has stood idly by, not using all the tools at its disposal to fight back against this dangerous, tyrannical, and unjust regime.
It’s time for a new strategy. Congress should fight back with everything in its arsenal to prevent the President’s further encroachment on our democracy. In Washington, I’ll lead the charge to impeach Kristi Noem, abolish ICE, and vote no on every budget the president brings before Congress. We need to stall his agenda with every bureaucratic measure possible, whether that means holding the line on a shutdown or getting out in the streets, side-by-side with our constituents.

At the end of the day, Trump doesn’t scare me—he’s a wrinkly loser who will die before I’ve even gotten my first frown line. What scares me is the ideology he’s inspired—and that’s what we’re going to fight.

12. Both Democrats and Republicans are experiencing severe internal divisions. How would you navigate disagreements within your own party while still effectively representing North Carolina’s interests? Or, if you are running as an independent, how will you work effectively with both parties?

The best part of my job is being with my constituents. I cherish running into folks on the playground, at the grocery store—just seeing them and hearing their feedback in the midst of everyday life. In some ways, being a working mom is the most important way I can stay accountable to our district in Congress. It means I live these issues every day.

With that in mind, while I know internal party ideological conflict is central to the job in Washington, it’s not something I take stock in or want to spend my time wringing my hands about. My job as a member of Congress will be to serve the people of our district, and I will do whatever it takes—and work with whomever I have to—to see their policy priorities through. This makes navigating such conflicts surprisingly simple. I am accountable to my constituents, and if their values are in conflict with a stance on the party level, then I’ll side with my constituents every time.

Over time, following these values has led me to make compromises across the aisle, working on bipartisan legislation that centers constituent needs. During my tenure on the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners board of directors, which was Republican-appointed, I worked with fellow commissioners from across the state, including many Republicans, to align on policy goals, identify areas of coherence, and advocate for county priorities at the state level. We found common ground and remain close colleagues to this day.

13. Give an example of an opinion, policy, vote, or action you changed based on constituent feedback. If you have not yet held elected office, describe a time when you changed your position on an issue after listening to those affected by it.

Just last year in 2025, the Durham community was deeply conflicted regarding the construction of a $16.5 million training facility for our Sheriff’s Department. Appropriately, citizens were concerned about inflated public safety budgets at the cost of social services. I delayed the vote in order to garner more feedback from our residents. After doing so, I voted to fund the sheriff’s facility in light of detrimental under staffing. Better training creates a better police force that can appropriately address the needs of our citizens—and I’m proud of the way I listened to our community and responded with that information in mind.

14. Are there any issues this questionnaire has not addressed that you would like to address?