WASHINGTON — Republicans in Western North Carolina have a new candidate running to represent them in Congress.

The 11th Congressional District Republican Party Executive Committee chose state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom, a Republican from Hendersonville, to replace Rep. Chuck Edwards on the ballot.

“I’m grateful for the outpouring of support I’ve received to pursue the Republican nomination for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District,” Balkcom said prior to the decision.

Last week, the House Committee on Ethics found substantial evidence that Edwards, 65, of Flat Rock, sexually harassed two young female staffers around 40 years his junior, and created a hostile work environment.

Edwards denies any wrongdoing. His consultant said the ethics committee’s report exonerated him because it didn’t find evidence that he had sex with staffers, propositioned them or broke the law.

However, after pressure from Republicans including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Sen. Ted Budd, Edwards announced around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday he would drop his reelection campaign.

That left the 61 members of Western North Carolina’s Republican Party executive committee choosing a new nominee to run in the general election.

Who is Jennifer Balkcom?

Balkcom, who is in her mid-40s, is in her second term in the state House after succeeding Tim Moffitt, who moved to the Senate in 2023 to succeed Edwards when he moved to Congress.

Balkcom, who works in banking, ran in 2022 on preserving North Carolina’s farmland.

In the House, Balkcom supported legislation known as the Parents’ Bill of Rights and the Parents’ Medical Bill of Rights, as well as school vouchers, gun rights, deportation of criminal immigrants in the country without permission and banning transgender individuals from women’s sports. She also wants to eliminate the state income tax.

She opposes abortion, gun control and teaching about race in schools.

Balkcom was born and raised in Henderson County, growing up on her family farm. She graduated from East Henderson High School and Blue Ridge Community College.

She served on boards and clubs including the Hendersonville Women’s Club, the Henderson County Education Foundation, the county planning board, and boards for Advent Health Foundation and the St. Gerard House, a nonprofit that helps people with autism.

She and her husband, Clint, have one son together.

How did we get here?

Edwards withdrew his name, in writing, at 4 p.m. Aug. 3.

Many notable names were thrown out as potential successors. But as the week went on, each announced they wouldn’t seek Edwards’ seat. That included state lawmakers like Sens. Kevin Corbin and Tim Moffitt and Rep. Jake Johnson.

Moffitt was considered the frontrunner until he pulled his name out of consideration over the weekend.

When that happened, Balkcom, who had endorsed Moffitt for the job, put her name up for consideration. And she received support from prominent Republicans, including House Speaker Destin Hall and Rep. Tricia Cotham.

When Balkcom entered the race she said, “I hadn’t planned to go to Washington. But I’ve learned without my life that when your community needs you, you don’t sit on the sidelines; you step up.”

Other names considered included Matthew Burril, Ken McKim, Chad Nesbitt and Kristie Sluder.

Burril previously ran in the U.S. House district, while McKim and Sluder both ran for the state Senate seat. Nesbitt runs a local news site.

North Carolina law allows anyone in the state to run for a congressional seat, regardless of where they live.

State law gives power to the executive committee to choose who replaces a nominee on the ballot if the nominee withdraws.

State of the race

Now, Balkcom must face off against the Democratic nominee, Jamie Ager.

Ager is a fourth-generation farmer and owner of Hickory Nut Gap Farms. His brother, father and grandfather have all held political office.

Ager has more than $2 million in his war chest.

Balkcom has 84 days to start campaigning and raising money ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

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