Nida Allam said she is prepared to fight for North Carolina’s 4th District. 

She has been bracing for a rematch against U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.), who currently represents the district. But this time, Allam and her team believe the outcome will be different.

The 32-year-old vice chair of the Durham County Board of Commissioners will face off against 69-year-old Foushee in the Democratic primary on March 3. This will mark four years since the two last vied for the nomination, with Foushee coming out on top in 2022. The district’s historically blue voting means the winner of the primary will likely win the seat.

Durham Public Schools substitute teacher Mary Patterson is also on the ballot, though she has not made a campaign or reported funds.

As the impacts of Trump administration policies reach communities in Durham, Allam believes the people are calling for change. 

“It’s a lot of energies coming from trauma and suffering that we’re seeing a record level of hate growing in this country,” Allam said. She cited the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the Triangle, as well as rising costs of living, as key stressors for voters.

Her policy positions include immigration reform to protect immigrants and refugees in the wake of “Trump’s surveillance state” and fighting for a $19 federal minimum wage, according to her campaign website. 

Allam has taken a stance against collecting money from corporate-backed political action committees, instead focusing on individual donors. In the last quarter, her campaign raised more than double that of the Foushee campaign’s last reported cash on hand. As of Feb. 11, The Federal Election Commission reports Allam’s total contributions as $583,151, nearly $37,000 more than the Foushee campaign.

Allam entered politics 11 years ago, supporting U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) in the 2016 presidential election. Now, Sanders stood side-by-side with Allam when he brought his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour to Durham on Feb. 13. 

“To always be seeing any kind of politician talk about Muslims, it was always to characterize us as terrorists,” Allam said. “And to have a politician loudly and clearly talk to me as his equal, as someone who is a part of this fight with him, I finally saw myself seen.”

Sanders endorsed Allam while in Durham, an experience she called a full-circle moment. Allam said Sanders’ support represents how she is one of many in a new multicultural and multigenerational coalition of progressives, along with congressional candidates Analilia Mejia and Abdul El-Sayed.

Other endorsements for Allam include Durham-based People’s Alliance political action committee, Progressive Democrats of America and Justice Democrats. 

For those on her team, including communications director Leah Abrams, Allam is not only well-equipped to lead the progressive movement, but she shows up for those around her, constituents and friends alike.

“The word ‘fighter’ feels appropriate there, because she is somebody who will stop at nothing to protect the people around her,” Abrams said. “And she has the energy, the backbone and the conviction to do that.”

UNC-Chapel Hill junior Victoria Plant is a leader with Students4Nida, an organization focused on student turnout for Allam. When attending a UNC Young Democrats forum that hosted Allam, she received a hug that she said made her feel welcomed and supported.

“She’s here for the students,” Plant said. “She’s honestly one of us, because she’s a young person.”

Kaya Herr, a junior at Carrboro High School, works on the social media team creating infographics and short videos. She said Allam is a politician who puts action behind her words.

“We need someone who unites people around a common cause, and I think that’s what Nida does because she actually looks at the problem and says ‘I will do this for you,’” Herr said. 

With the primary approaching, Allam said she feels the momentum building.

“I’m just so proud of our team, and I’m so grateful to be surrounded by staff and volunteers and supporters who not only care about me at a personal level, but care so much about our neighbors because this is really what this campaign is about,” she said.

The primary election is on March 3, with polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.