(The Center Square) – Fairview farmer Jamie Ager defeated Republican state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom on Tuesday in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District, delivering Democrats a seat flip and ensuring redrawn maps in October would not produce an 11-3 Republican delegation.
Ager’s fiscal strength was already strong before Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards became embroiled in an ethics complaint and censure, eventually leading to his August withdrawal from the race. The election was called about 35 minutes after the last of polls with extended time closed.
At time of publication, Democrats had already won as expected the 2nd, 4th and 12th congressional districts.
The two districts redrawn of the state’s 14 were the 1st and 3rd, where Republicans hoped to end an 0-for-71 skid in the northeastern corner of the state with Laurie Buckhout challenging incumbent two-term Democrat Don Davis. Rep. Dr. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., was challenged by Goldsboro Democrat Dr. Raymond Smith in the 3rd.
The 11th Congressional District was carried by second-term Republican President Donald Trump three times, including by 10% in 2024. Seven times by three men, the district has gone to Republicans since the third of three consecutive wins in 2010 by Democratic Rep. Heath Shuler.
Ager has never held a political office, local or otherwise. Three opponents in the March 3 primary cried foul when the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in February put its support behind him before primary voters were heard.
The 11th Congressional District is in the mountains, from Avery to McDowell and Polk counties north-south extending to the southwestern tip of the state. It's the heart of cleanup from Hurricane Helene’s remnants coming through in September 2024.
Following Edwards’ withdrawal from the race, Balkcom of Hendersonville was chosen by the Republican Party for the ticket.
Ager’s platform emphasized the third year of recovery from Hurricane Helene recovery; affordable and accessible healthcare; lower costs; “stopping government waste and corruption”; immigration reform; benefits and services for active and retired military; small business and jobs growth; agriculture and a “healthy food system”; environmental policies; and safe communities.
Balkcom focused on “mountain values” in her campaigning, calling for economic help and lower costs; recovery from Hurricane Helene; healthcare access and affordability; and conservative positions backing the Second Amendment, tax cuts, school choice, deregulation and property tax caps.