ASHEVILLE (828NewsNow.com) — The first results are coming in on Election Night in North Carolina, and those first numbers showed Democratic candidate Jamie Ager with a large lead over Republican Jennifer Balkcom in the race for the N.C. 11 seat in Congress.
Ager had a lead of 75.37% (83,361) over Balkcom, who had 23.71% (26,222). Moments later, the Associated Press projected that Ager had won. The announcement came at 8:53 p.m.
This has been a highly watched race, since incumbent Chuck Edwards, a Republican, withdrew his re-election campaign in early August. His decision came shortly after the House Ethics Committee released a report finding substantial evidence that Edwards violated House rules related to sexual harassment and also creating a hostile workplace for two female staffers.
Just weeks after that, the Republicans picked Balkcom to run in Edwards’ place. Balkcom currently represents the 117th state House district.
Ager, who runs Hickory Nut Gap Farm with his family in Fairview, previously told 828NewsNow that his decision to enter the race was fueled by rising costs for working families, threats to Medicaid and what he described as a lack of effective leadership in Washington.