Democrat Jamie Ager defeated Republican Jennifer Balkcom on Tuesday, flipping outgoing Rep. Chuck Edwards’s (R-NC) seat in North Carolina‘s 11th Congressional District.
The Associated Press called the 11th District for Ager at 8:53 p.m. He garnered 60.3% against Balkcom’s 38.4%, with 83% of the vote counted.
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The Tar Heel State’s 11th District was one of two battleground House races targeted by both parties this cycle in North Carolina.
Edwards ended his reelection campaign after reports broke of inappropriate relationships with female staffers. The House later censured him after an ethics investigation. Balkcom replaced Edwards on the ticket, giving her less than three months to run a credible race against Ager.
Located in the western region of North Carolina, the 11th District is still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in 2024. The slow pace of recovery was one of the key issues dominating the race.
Vice President JD Vance announced nearly $900 million in funding for Helene recovery efforts during an October rally in Hendersonville, Balkcom’s hometown. President Donald Trump also appeared in the state in mid-October to help boost turnout for Balkcom and other Republican candidates, including Michael Whatley, the Senate nominee, and Laurie Buckhout, the 1st Congressional District nominee.
Like Balkcom, Ager comes from a family of farmers. His grandfather, James McClure Clarke, represented the district nearly 40 years ago. In June, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched “On the Dirt Road Again” in the district to try to win back rural voters who have long supported the GOP.
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In the final weeks before the midterm elections, Ager had the financial advantage over Balkcom. He raised $2.3 million in the third quarter and had $1.6 million in cash on hand, according to Federal Election Commission reports. In contrast, Balkcom raised $355,134 and had $295,084 in cash on hand.
Trump carried the seat by 11 points in 2024 against then-Vice President Kamala Harris.