Incumbent Valerie Foushee (D), Nida Allam (D), and Mary Patterson (D) are running in the Democratic primary for North Carolina's 4th Congressional District on March 3, 2026. As of January 2026, Foushee and Allam led in endorsements, fundraising, and local media attention.

The primary is a rematch between Foushee and Allam, who ran for the then-open seat in 2022. Foushee defeated Allam 46%–37%. The 2026 primary is taking place in the context of redistricting in North Carolina. The redrawn 4th District's boundaries differ from those established following the 2020 census and used in the 2022 election. According to The Assembly's Chase Pellegrini de Paur, "Of the roughly 40,000 votes that Foushee won in 2022, about 22% came from areas no longer in the district. The changes affected only about 5% of Allam’s voters."

Foushee is a former administrator with the Chapel Hill Police Department who served for 15 years in local elected positions and 10 years in the North Carolina General Assembly before her election to Congress. Allam is an organizer and the vice chair of the Durham County Board of Commissioners.

Pellegrini de Paur wrote that the candidates' "voting records likely wouldn’t differ dramatically...they are also radically different in their approach to politics. Allam has an aggressively pro-worker message and a penchant for TikTok trends and selfie-style Instagram videos. Foushee is a measured, 69-year-old stateswoman and the highest-profile member of a local political dynasty."

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D), EMILY's List, and the Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee endorsed Foushee. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), Our Revolution, and the Sunrise Movement endorsed Allam.

As of January 2026, major election forecasters rated the general election Safe/Solid Democratic.