Prediction market Kalshi suspended North Carolina Republican House candidate Laurie Buckhout for three years after finding she traded contracts on her own election, according to a settlement notice published Monday. The suspension takes effect Friday.
Buckhout, a retired Army colonel, purchased less than $1,000 of contracts on her race against Democratic Rep. Don Davis in North Carolina's 1st Congressional District after launching her campaign in December 2025. As a candidate, she qualified as a direct decision maker over the outcome, which violates Rule 5.17(z) of Kalshi's rulebook.
The settlement imposes a penalty of $2,589.96, more than double the amount she wagered. Kalshi's compliance department noted that Buckhout cooperated with the inquiry. She acknowledged the wager to The Hill, stating: "I bet on myself. Literally. It was a dumb mistake," and said she worked to correct the issue once she learned of the violation.
Buckhout is at least the fourth candidate penalized by Kalshi for trading their own contest. Minnesota state Senator Matt Klein, former Texas congressional candidate Ezekiel Enriquez, and Virginia Senate candidate Mark Moran were each suspended for five years in 2026 after admitting to betting on their own races. Klein paid $539.85 and Enriquez $784.20, while Moran, who declined to settle, was fined $6,229.30.
Earlier this week, Kalshi permanently banned former Rep. George Santos, fining him $71,356 over trades on his own attendance at the State of the Union address and citing the same prohibition on trading with influence over an outcome. Santos was cited for failing to cooperate with the exchange.
Kalshi, a CFTC-regulated exchange, enforces rules preventing market participants with direct influence over outcomes from trading on those events. The exchange and rival Polymarket have drawn billions in volume over the past year.
