Politics

Scramble under way to replace Edwards on ballot

By SARAH MICHELS, Carolina Public Press, Published: August 6, 2026

With less than a month until absentee voting begins, there’s been a shake-up in one of North Carolina’s most competitive congressional races and one party is seeking a new nominee.

Early Wednesday morning, U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards announced his intention to drop his reelection bid for the 11th Congressional District. His decision came days after the House Ethics Committee recommended censuring him for acting inappropriately toward two young, female staffers. 

While Edwards did not technically break federal sexual harassment law, the report said, he violated the “spirit” of the law. Investigators found that Edwards gave the two staffers expensive gifts, paid for vacations, took them on one-on-one dinners, sent them seemingly romantic messages and even skipped votes to help one decorate her Christmas tree. 

Both staffers left Edwards’ office after rumors circulated about their relationship with the Congressman. 

In a social media post, Edwards said he will finish out his term, but not run for reelection. 

Western North Carolina Republicans have a short window to find a replacement nominee to fend off Democratic nominee Jamie Ager, a Buncombe County farmer who has significantly outraised Edwards and helped move NC-11 from a likely Republican to toss-up. 

Under state law, the Republican executive committee for the 11th Congressional District will decide who replaces Edwards. While they technically have until Sept. 3 to figure it out, they need to act by Aug. 20 to guarantee that the new nominee’s name appears on the ballot. 

The committee isn’t wasting any time. It will make its decision Monday, Aug. 10, in Buncombe County. 

Already, a few names have circulated, including several state legislators. The stakes are high, in a year where national Republicans need to hold onto as many US House seats as possible to maintain control. 

Who’s in the picture to be the nominee?

State Sen. Kevin Corbin, R-Macon, woke up early Wednesday morning to his phone ringing. The news wasn’t a complete shock, since the investigation was known, but it was sudden, he said. 

Corbin represents over half of the counties in the 11th District in the state Senate, and serves as chair of two education committees. 

He told Carolina Public Press that he was talking to his wife and kids Wednesday afternoon about the “gravity” of the decision. 

Later in the evening, he said he decided not to run. He cited commitment to serving on the governor’s Helene recovery task force and role as state Senate education chair. 

“I do not believe the timing is right for me to seek federal office,” Corbin said in a statement.

One concern was the timeline. With three months until Election Day, and a month until absentee ballots go out, Corbin had to decide whether he could deal with that level of crisis, he said. 

“I also have to weigh the fact that I’m a sitting state senator, and if I do this, then I would be removing myself from the ballot and from that position that I was elected to,” he said. “I feel a certain responsibility to that.”

If a member of the North Carolina General Assembly were chosen as the replacement nominee, then they would also need a replacement nominee of their own, since candidates cannot run for two offices at once in North Carolina. 

State Sen. Tim Moffitt, R-Henderson, is considering a congressional run. In a statement, he said he would talk to leaders and neighbors about a potential candidacy in the coming days.

“The 11th District needs a conservative who will stand shoulder to shoulder with President Trump, champion Western North Carolina values, and run a campaign that’s ready to win from day one — with the organization, the coalition, and the resources to hold this seat,” his statement read. 

Moffitt represents Henderson and Polk counties, which are part of the 11th District. He chairs the Senate regulatory reform committee.

Other state legislators who could be options include state Sen. Ralph Hise, of Spruce Pine, and state Rep. Jake Johnson of Polk County. Either Johnson or state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom could be possible replacements for Moffitt if second-term senator is chosen for the congressional ballot.

It’s risky for state legislators to throw their hats in the ring. Running means sacrificing almost certain legislative election wins, and there is no guarantee they’ll come out on top in a toss-up congressional contest. 

Despite the complications, a legislator might be the most likely pick — and the most capable of winning in November. 

Appalachian State University political science professor Adam Newmark said the executive committee should choose someone who can energize voters, has a proven conservative record and is vetted by the party. Legislators fit all three criteria. 

Andy Jackson, director of the Civitas Center for Public Integrity at the John Locke Foundation, said it’s also important that they can raise money, something that many state lawmakers have experience doing. They may already have campaign money saved up, albeit not enough to fund a Congressional bid. 

“They really need somebody that can kind of contain the damage,” he said. “Somebody that has been around a bit, I think, but has been around a bit and been scandal free. That seems to be asking a lot in the 11th district these days.”

House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, said he doesn’t want to lose anyone in the House Republican caucus. 

“But at the same time, I think the members we have out there are all very talented folks, and I would completely understand if they wanted to take on that challenge,” he said. 

Another option is Adam Smith, a U.S. Army veteran who lost the Republican primary against Edwards. On one hand, he has some level of name recognition across the district, at least among primary voters, Western Carolina University political science professor Chris Cooper said. 

However, having run against an incumbent in the primary might have burned some bridges with the party leadership, Jackson said. And he might not be as vetted by them. 

“He’s obviously got a good background with the military and with the Helene relief, but I don’t know if the committee would be in the mood to to take a risk on an unknown at this point, especially somebody that was part of division within the party,” Jackson said. 

Ager isn’t scared. In a statement, he said that his campaign was never about one person.

“No matter who we face in November, I’m confident we can win this race and deliver what I’ve been talking about since day one: Hurricane Helene recovery, lower costs, and an end to the corruption in Washington,” he wrote. 

State House Democratic Leader Robert Reives, D-Chatham, told reporters Ager is an “amazing” candidate. 

“He is the most representative candidate they can have in that district in Congress,” he said. “I think with the family he comes from, with the business he comes from, with his background, with the diversity just within his family, I can’t imagine getting a better congressman for that district.” 

How can a new Republican win? 

Running a winning campaign will require the new nominee to work hard, fast and with confidence, Corbin said. 

“Ager announced a year ago he was running for this office and has been campaigning,” Corbin said. “Whoever steps into this seat has got three months to do that. That includes fundraising, getting out, being seen, letting people know where you stand on issues.” 

There was already ground to make up. 

Since before the primary election, Ager has received significant national support in his congressional bid. As a result, he’s raised over $3 million, and currently has about $2.1 million cash on hand, according to campaign finance data. 

Conversely, Edwards had only raised about $940,000, with $485,000 left to spend. Even if his campaign funds are transferred to the new nominee, that person will be behind in the fundraising war. 

That money is critical to helping the new nominee raise name recognition, share a platform and navigate through the district’s 15 counties to talk to voters.

Before the scandal, the race was likely going to be close, even considering the money difference, Jackson said. But after the scandal, Ager has a better shot against a tainted Edwards than a new nominee, he added. 

“It is an advantage to (Ager), but it’s not unrecoverable for Republicans,” Jackson said. “It’s just going to be difficult.”

Hall noted that the 11th District is in a largely conservative region of North Carolina, besides Buncombe County and other small urban pockets. 

“They want to have a conservative member of Congress, and so I think that it just takes somebody who is willing to go out, be among the people, go out and make the case for why they’re going to be be effective in Congress, and do that in a in a conservative way to promote conservative policies,” he told reporters Wednesday. 

“And if they do that, we’re going to win that seat.” 

It’s not all bad for a new nominee. 

For one, there’s less time for the opposing party to research and come up with attacks against them. 

“I know that the advantage to running as a candidate with only two months for them to talk about your history and your record and all that kind of stuff, that’s a pretty big advantage,” Reives said. 

Also, the new nominee doesn’t have to carry one of Edwards’ biggest weaknesses: a perception of not being very involved in Helene recovery. 

Jackson said Helene recovery is still the major issue in the region, so finding someone with a good track record is important. 

It’s hard to say whether or how much Ager benefits from this last-minute change without knowing the replacement nominee, Cooper said. 

“Obviously, this is a Republican-leaning district, but also one where the Republicans have had more than their fair share of trouble,” he said. “The Democratic candidate, at least thus far, has been free of scandal and free of problems, and running a quietly competent campaign.” 

He doubts the Western North Carolina seat will be the difference maker in the national power struggle, but a bad showing would give up a seat that Republicans have held since 2013. 

The more significant impact of Edwards’ withdrawal could be a drop in broader Republican turnout in the region, Cooper said. 

“Whatley doesn’t seem to be inspiring a lot of Republican voters to show up, and then in the western part of the state, that may be exacerbated by this last-minute changeover,” he said.