NC-11: Controversy Abounds

Amid fund-raising and ethical woes, the ‘Mountain Democrat’ must win over the Asheville left

Proving that he is the “Mountain Democrat” that he claims to be, North Carolina’s 11th District congressional nominee Jamie Ager recently signed the Promise to America’s organizational statement, which emphasizes six core tenets: We are capitalist, not socialist; We want safety, not lawlessness; We are responsible, not reckless; We believe government should solve problems, not create them; We are mainstream, not extreme; We are proud, not ashamed of America.  

His decision to do so, however, has caused political turbulence. While the Promise to America message resonates in much of western North Carolina, it has drawn criticism in Asheville – the district’s largest city and the center of regional liberal politics.

North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District borders South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee and sits along the Great Smoky Mountain range, which is part of the Appalachian Mountains that stretch from Canada to Alabama.

The 11th CD encompasses all or parts of 13 counties, with Buncombe County – home to Asheville – comprising more than one‑third of the district’s population. Buncombe is twice as large as the next biggest county, Henderson. Its importance is clear: while Edwards won re‑election districtwide with 57% in 2024, he received only 36% in Buncombe County. 

Mr. Ager must therefore take seriously any base problems he faces in what must be his strongest area because the rest of the district is ruby red.

Under the state’s new congressional map, NC‑11 is the weakest of the eleven districts designed to elect a Republican. Dave’s Redistricting App rates the seat at 51.9R – 45.8D, and President Trump carried it in 2024 with a 54.2 – 44.7% margin over Kamala Harris.  

Historically, these numbers suggest that a Republican congressional incumbent should win re-election in the mid to high 50s, which two‑term Rep. Chuck Edwards (R‑Flat Rock/ Asheville) has done. This year, however, the district will see a more intense campaign. 

Mr. Ager’s challenges, however, may pale in comparison to Rep. Edwards’ recent difficulties. The Congressman is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for alleged improper relationships with young female staffers, including providing two with personalized handguns, taking one on a trip to Las Vegas, and giving personal gifts to several other female staff members. In reference to the pink and blue handgun gifts, Rep. Edwards, a licensed firearms dealer before entering Congress, claims they were for personal protection.

The Congressman and his wife own six McDonald’s restaurants, all of which are being sold. Mrs. Edwards has said the couple wants to devote more time to public service, though the sale may also reflect the widening fundraising gap between Edwards and Ager. According to the June 30th Federal Election Commission financial disclosure report, the Democrat holds $2.2 million in his campaign account compared to the incumbent’s $468,000.

Controversy surrounding the district’s congressional incumbent is nothing new for this western North Carolina constituency. Mr. Edwards, then a state Senator, came to Congress in the 2022 election by defeating scandal-plagued freshman Representative Madison Cawthorn. He defeated Rep. Cawthorn by 1,384 votes in garnering 33.4% of the vote over Mr. Cawthorn and six other Republican candidates. North Carolina is a runoff state, but the threshold is only 30%, so heading to a secondary election in the Tar Heel State is a rare occurrence.

NC‑11 will be a major Democratic target this year. While Mr. Ager’s Promise to America stance may create friction within the party’s far‑left base, it is likely to be received positively throughout most of the district. Conversely, Edwards’ ethics troubles will not be. Expect to hear much more about this race when political prime time begins immediately after Labor Day.