North Carolina GOP committee picks Jennifer Balkcom to replace Rep. Chuck Edwards on November ballot
A panel of Republican officials in North Carolina selected a state lawmaker on Monday as their nominee for a House race after embattled Rep.Chuck Edwards dropped his re-election bid following sexual harassment allegations.Jennifer Balkcom, who represents a state legislative district in Henderson County, will face Jamie Ager, who won the Democratic primary in March.North Carolina GOP’s Executive Committee for the 11th Congressional District picked Balkcom to replace Edwards in compliance with state law given how late in the campaign he dropped out.Balkcom announced her intention to seek the nomination less than 24 hours ago.“This race is too important to sit out,” Balkcom wrote in a statement Sunday posted to X, adding that Western North Carolina “needs a strong voice right now” as it continues to rebuild after Hurricane Helene.Her candidacy was heavily boosted by power players in the state.
North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall, a Republican, endorsed Balkcom on social media Monday afternoon, calling her “the right person at the right time.”“Jennifer is a principled conservative, a tireless advocate for her district, and a leader who gets things done,” Hall wrote on X.The state GOP’s executive director Zachary Almond congratulated Balkcom on X following the announcement of her nomination, saying he was “excited to work alongside her and her team throughout the election cycle.”Rep.Chuck Edwards in Washington in 2025.Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images fileEdwards, who had been endorsed by President Donald Trump, announced last week that he would serve out his term in Congress but would not seek a third term in the House.
His decision came days after the House Ethics Committee recommended a censure following a probe that found “substantial reason to believe Representative Edwards violated House Rules related to sexual harassment and hostile workplaces.”He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, and the Ethics Committee said Edwards, w...