Current State Rep. Jennifer Balkcom will replace Chuck Edwards as the Republican on the ballot for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District seat.
Following Rep. Chuck Edwards’ announcement last week that he would not seek reelection, Balkcom was nominated by the district GOP executive committee the evening of Aug. 10 at Buncombe County’s party headquarters. While there were six individuals vying for the spot, and the plan was to collect a second round of ballots if no candidate gained the support of the majority on the first go-round, she secured the nomination after just one vote.
Balkcom is a Henderson County small business owner who’s served two terms in the North Carolina House. Although she was running for a third, she will have to leave that campaign to appear on the ballot for NC-11, meaning Henderson County’s executive committee will need to vote for her replacement in that race. Previously, Balkcom served as Vice President of the Hendersonville Women’s Club, Vice President of the Hendersonville Lions Club and Treasurer of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Western North Carolina.
She was previously registered to vote as a Libertarian before becoming a Democrat in 2005. She joined the Republican Party in 2016.
Following her nomination, Balkcom made a quick exit and declined questions from reporters. However, she did issue a statement, saying that as a Western North Carolina native, she was honored to fight for Henderson County in Raleigh and will “take that fight to Washington” with an aim to make life more affordable while improving safety, supporting farmers and ensuring the region receives necessary resources to continue recovering from Hurricane Helene.
She also somewhat addressed her prior registration as a Democrat.
“Like many Americans, the Democrat Party left me behind when they abandoned their values and embraced extremism,” she said. “We’re seeing that extremism play out across the country, as their party nominates radical socialists who want to raise taxes, open our borders, and do away with our way of life. We must prevent that radical agenda from reaching our government, and that starts right here in the Eleventh District.”
The scramble
The process to find Edwards’ replacement began with an early morning tweet on Aug. 5, wherein he announced he would no longer seek a third congressional term. The withdrawal came on the heels of a damning House Ethics Committee report that detailed a pattern of harassment by Edwards toward a pair of young female staffers.
From the time Edwards said he wouldn’t seek reelection, the list of potential replacements ebbed and flowed as rumors spread and were just as quickly squelched. The day of the announcement, Sen. Kevin Corbin expressed interest in the position but within hours said he was out. Sen. Tim Moffitt emerged as an early favorite but bowed out on Aug. 8.
While some Republicans initially expressed interest in Balkcom running, she said she’d refrain and would instead support Moffitt. That day, both Adam Smith and Christian Reagan told SMN that they would run. Smith later withdrew, and Reagan continued to seek the nomination. Throughout the process, there were rumblings that state Sen. Ralph Hise, of Mitchell County, would perhaps enter the fray, but that never materialized.
On Aug. 8, a candidate list obtained by The Smoky Mountain News showed that the candidates were Moffitt, Sherry Higgins, Chad Nesbitt, Ken McKim and Kristie Sluder.
Around that time, the talk around the district was that state Rep. Karl Gillespie, of Macon County, was throwing his hat in the ring, but the afternoon of Aug. 9, he told party leaders that wouldn’t be the case.
Anyone already holding statewide office would be put in a risky place by gaining the nomination. They would be thrust into a race for which they have no existing fundraising apparatus or campaign infrastructure. Moffit, Hise and Corbin all have some seniority in the Senate. Corbin was recently appointed to chair the Education Committee and Hise has been on the fringes of the conversation to replace outgoing Senate President Phil Berger. To run for Congress would mean giving up all they have worked for in the Senate.
When a new list of candidates obtained by SMN was released on Aug. 9, it included Sluder, McKim, Nesbitt and newcomer Matthew Burril. It also included Balkcom.
Over the five days between Edwards’ announcement and the vote, the campaign was heated as committee members heard from both folks seeking the nomination and Republicans in their own counties who wanted to argue for or against certain people. Transylvania County GOP Chair Herschel Johnson said that he communicated with his executive committee members, which number north of 30. Many of those members had their own thoughts, as did other Republicans who aren’t immediately involved in party affairs.
“I’m still getting feedback this morning,” he said on Aug. 11, the day after Balkcom’s nomination.
Officials heard criticism regarding the way the nomination process played out with some Republicans wishing the matter could have come before voters district-wide. However, in accordance with the law and the state party’s plan of organization, someone could only get on the ballot through an executive committee vote. One of Johnson’s priorities was letting people know just how the nomination process would play out and why.
“I didn’t want people to think this was some smoky backroom thing,” he said.
The meeting
Many executive committee members eagerly arrived for the meeting over an hour before it was gaveled in. Some lingered in the parking lot to chat with other members and the media while others rushed inside. The room was so small that it could barely fit the committee members who showed up. No media was allowed inside, and even family of committee members and nominees were made to wait outside. Of the 61 members, 51 showed up from every corner of the district.
Inside, the proceeding began as planned at 6:30 p.m. Meeting officers were sworn in, the agenda and rules were voted in, a quorum was confirmed and nominations were heard.
Margo Ackiss, a member at large from Cherokee County, nominated Balkcom. Ackiss told The Smoky Mountain News she wanted to support Balkcom because of her introduction of The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act , considering Payton McNabb, who became one of the national faces of that movement, is from Cherokee County and even attended Hiwassee Dam High School, from which Ackiss’ parents graduated. Ackiss became a public supporter and friend of McNabb.
Each of the six nominees were given six minutes to deliver a speech. Committee members interviewed by SMN felt like the speeches were impassioned and informed. Although Ackiss nominated Balkcom, she expressed admiration for all the candidates who put themselves forward.
“Everyone came prepared,” she said. “All the candidates came with the best of the intentions. They all wanted to be heard and looked at, and they were.”
“It’s brave to step up,” she adde d.
Several people interviewed for this story said that they thought all the speeches were strong. Johnson, the Transylvania County GOP Chair, along with praising the others, especially highlighted the winning candidate’s remarks.
“I was impressed by Jennifer’s speech,” he said.
Despite the quick turnaround and some uncertainty regarding the process in the days leading up to the meeting, Jackson County GOP Chair Justin Castle said he thought it was efficient, professional and stuck to the agenda.
“Everyone was on time and taking care of the business,” said Jackson County GOP Chair Justin Castle.
Ackiss, never one to shy away from criticizing her own party when she feels it’s warranted, agreed.
“It was managed as well as it could be on such short notice,” she said.
Building a campaign
Balkcom won by what NCGOP Executive Director Zach Almond shortly after called an “overwhelming” amount. Now that she has secured the nomination, she will face off against Democrat Jamie Ager in what may become one of the higher-profile congressional races in the country during a crucial midterm election in which Republicans are hoping to cling to a narrow majority.
Balkcom has already received endorsements from around North Carolina, including from State House Speaker Destin Hall and U.S. Sen. Ted Budd. Following the meeting, NC-11 GOP Chair Merry Guy said Balkcom’s experience and fervor can lead the party to victory.
“She knows the values of this country,” Guy said. “She’s an eight-generation farmer. She’s got a tremendous amount of legislative experience and a track record is hard to beat. We’re just really excited that she has stepped up. We can’t wait to get to work here.”
To begin, Balkcom and state Republicans will need to set up her campaign with break-neck speed. One of the most crucial elements right away will be fundraising, an area Edwards had lagged this cycle.
While sources indicated that the meeting at the Buncombe GOP headquarters was for the most part collegial, there was one moment of brief contention. Candidate Chad Nesbitt, a Buncombe County resident who runs SKYline News on Facebook, asked Executive Committee Chair Merry Guy a pertinent question that has bounced around the district since Edwards announced his exit from the race.
Nesbitt described the interaction to SMN, first laying the foundation. He said that once the ballot vacancy opened up, he was approached by someone asking if he’d consider seeking the nomination. Nesbitt said his first question was how much money would come into the race, considering Ager has raised over $3 million and currently has over $2 million on hand. He recalled being told the National Republican Congressional Committee, the fundraising arm of the party, was ready to pour $5 million into the campaign. That number matches what multiple sources had told SMN prior to Monday’s vote.
“After talking with some people in the [Republican National Committee], I feel like that’s what’s going to happen,” he said.
Nesbitt said he asked Guy prior to the meeting whether that number was accurate but said he couldn’t get a “straight answer,” so he asked her again in front of the whole committee.
“Everything moves so fast … it takes a few days to get an answer back from the right person at the RNC. Time was of the essence, so I brought it up,” he recounted.
However, Nesbitt said he again didn’t receive a straight answer. He thinks for the party to retain this crucial congressional seat and guard against Democrats flipping the House, it may take even more than the rumored $5 million.
Nesbitt admitted that he knew his candidacy was going to be an uphill battle since “establishment Republicans are running the show.”
“I’m not an establishment Republican,” he said.
“I only knew about 5% of the people in that room,” he added. “It’s been a minute since I’ve even been to a Republican meeting. I think everybody had their mind made up before they went in there who was going to win.”
Nonetheless, Nesbitt said he wholeheartedly supports Balkcom and thinks she will do a “great job.” There are enough conservatives to get her across the finish line and sent to Washington, if she works hard and makes the right moves, he averred.
Ackiss, the at-large committee member from Cherokee County, said the key to victory will be getting outside the “GOP comfort zone,” the conservative strongholds in the far-western counties.
“The farthest west counties in NC-11 are safe. They’re solid red, and we do need to turn voters out there,” she said. “But she needs to get into those counties that are more purple like Buncombe and Haywood.”
Turning out the overall vote may be trickier than some think. Despite being a majority Republican district, enthusiasm statewide may be low, especially when it comes to Michael Whatley, who as a candidate for U.S. Senate is at the top of the ticket but has been consistently polling well behind former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. Concerns of down-ballot effects are palpable, not only when it comes to Balkcom’s race but even local elections. Building energy around Balkcom’s campaign is crucial for Republicans across the board.
The committee members who spoke to SMN said they’re willing to roll up their sleeves and do their part, including Johnson in Transylvania County.
“We will get behind Jennifer,” he said. “We’re going to focus on her and get people that maybe would have stayed at home to get excited about her and come out.”