Key facts
- North Carolina Republicans selected state lawmaker Jennifer Balkcom to replace Congressman Chuck Edwards.
- Edwards withdrew from his re-election bid after a US House investigation found his conduct towards two female staffers likely amounted to sexual harassment.
- The House ethics committee recommended Edwards be censured for fostering a hostile work environment.
- Balkcom will face Democratic nominee Jamie Ager in the November midterm elections for the 11th congressional district.
- Edwards had won the Republican nomination for his district in the March primary.
North Carolina Republicans have selected state lawmaker Jennifer Balkcom to replace incumbent Congressman Chuck Edwards, who withdrew from the re-election race earlier this month. The decision follows a US House ethics investigation that determined Edwards' conduct towards two young female staffers likely amounted to sexual harassment, fostering a hostile work environment. The committee recommended Edwards be censured.
Balkcom will now face off against the Democratic nominee, Jamie Ager, in the November midterm elections for the 11th congressional district in western North Carolina. Although Donald Trump won the district by 10 percentage points two years ago, Democrats see an opportunity for Ager to win, citing the president's low approval ratings and local frustration over Hurricane Helene's recovery.
Edwards, first elected in 2022 after defeating Madison Cawthorn, had secured the Republican nomination in the March primary. The North Carolina Republican party convened officials from the region to select a replacement, with Balkcom winning the nomination in the first round of balloting against five other candidates. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had previously targeted Edwards' district as a potential pickup opportunity for regaining the House majority.