North Carolina NC-11 Election 2026: Democrat Jamie Ager faces Republican Jennifer Balkcom in race for US House seat

The November 3 election in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District will see Democrat Jamie Ager take on Republican Jennifer Balkcom and Libertarian Travis Groo. The race took a turn after incumbent Republican Chuck Edwards suspended his re-election campaign on August 5, 2026, following a House Ethics Committee recommendation that the full House censure him over allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards female staffers. Balkcom was subsequently selected as the Republican nominee.

Jamie Ager vs Jennifer Balkcom

Jamie Ager (Democrat): Ager owns and operates Hickory Nut Gap, a meat producer that he describes as sustainable. His campaign has focused on rising costs, healthcare, Medicaid and the impact of extreme weather on communities. He won the Democratic primary with 64.7% of the vote, defeating four challengers.


In a campaign advertisement, Ager said, "Rising costs hurt our businesses and our families. Medicaid insures my neighbors and my friends and now it's being ripped away. And the weather that batters us is only getting worse."

Jennifer Balkcom (Republican): Balkcom is a mortgage loan officer and was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2022. Her campaign has highlighted protecting family farms and preventing foreign adversaries from acquiring American farmland.

In a campaign advertisement, she said, "Protecting family farms is personal to me. That's why I led the effort in Raleigh to stop China and other enemies from owning or buying our farmland."

She replaced Edwards as the Republican nominee after his withdrawal. Edwards had won the Republican primary with 70.1% of the vote.

Travis Groo (Libertarian): Groo is the Libertarian Party candidate and advanced without appearing on the ballot after the party cancelled its primary.

What to watch

Edwards' withdrawal has changed the Republican campaign, with Balkcom taking over as the party's nominee after he had already secured the primary victory.

The race is also drawing attention because of its competing assessments from election forecasters. As of September 2026, ratings ranged from Lean Republican to Toss-up. Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Lean Republican, while Decision Desk and Inside Elections classified it as a Toss-up.

What happened in the last election?

In 2024, Edwards defeated Democratic candidate Caleb Rudow with 56.8% of the vote against 43.2%.

Donald Trump also won the district in the presidential election, defeating Kamala Harris by 54.2% to 44.7%.

The district boundaries remained unchanged ahead of the 2026 election, despite North Carolina redrawing its congressional map in October 2025.

Why is the NC-11 race important in the 2026 US Midterm Elections?

The contest is part of the broader battle for control of the US House of Representatives. Republicans currently hold a 219-214 majority, with two vacancies. All 435 House seats are up for election on November 3.

The outcome in North Carolina's 11th district could contribute to determining the partisan balance in the 120th Congress. The race will also test how voters respond to the change in Republican leadership following Edwards' withdrawal and the competing campaigns on healthcare, economic pressures and farmland protection.