Ager to challenge Edwards in NC11 this fall

Jamie Ager, who won the 11th Congressional District Democratic primary tonight, will challenge incumbent US Rep. Chuck Edwards for his seat in the general election, aiming to flip the district blue.

Ager beat out his Democratic opponents with 64.69% of the vote and more than 49,077 votes, according to North Carolina State Board of Election (NCSBE) unofficial results.

“This is a campaign for everyone, Democrat, Republican, or Independent,” said Ager in a press release. “Together, we’re going to bring home the billions of dollars of Helene recovery funding that Chuck Edwards won’t, we’re going to build an economy that supports our working families, and we’re going to fix the broken, corrupt system in Washington so that politicians will go to DC to serve the people, not to get rich.”

Results for the other Democrats, in descending order, were: Richard Hudspeth with 15.85% of the vote (12,027), Zelda Briarwood with 12.99% (9.852), Paul Maddox with 5.06% (3,842), and Lee Whipple with 1.41% (1,071). 

Ager was endorsed last week by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) as part of their “Red to Blue” program, an effort to unseat vulnerable Republicans. 

“Since Jamie launched last summer, our team has heard one thing loud and clear from our neighbors: people are tired of Chuck Edwards’ lack of leadership,” Grayson Barnette, Ager’s campaign manager, said in a press release. “They’re tired of his divisiveness and partisan extremism. They’re tired of seeing him defend his lobbyist friends while our communities are struggling. It’s time for change, and that is exactly what Jamie is going to be.”

Edwards easily beat his opponent, Adam Smith, with 70.09%, or 47,634 votes. Smith took 29.91% or 20,332 votes. 

A redrawing of NC-1 shifted the far-eastern district to lean Republican and ended it’s position as the state’s most competitive district. NC-11 now holds that title.

“With the change in the First District, the 11th District is now rated as North Carolina’s most competitive at R+4,” wrote Dr. Andy Jackson, director of the Civitas Center for Public Integrity at the John Locke Foundation. 

“Ager to challenge Edwards in NC11 this fall” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.