A turbulent primary season has already reshaped Western North Carolina’s political landscape, toppling incumbents, elevating new contenders and setting the stage for a consequential General Election. 

Across the region, voters delivered decisive verdicts in races for Congress, the General Assembly and key county offices, while several high-profile contests reflected deeper tensions over taxes, disaster recovery and divisive social issues.

From Jamie Ager’s commanding win in the 11th Congressional District Democratic Primary to the defeat of longtime Republican Rep. Mark Pless and sweeping changes in several county governments, Tuesday’s results reveal both voter frustration and an appetite for new leadership that just might reverberate across the mountains all the way into November.

U.S. Senate

In what is expected to be one of the most expensive U.S. Senate races in history, former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper will meet former Republican National Committee Chair and current Hurricane Helene recovery czar Michael Whatley in November.

Both easily won their partisan primaries as expected against largely token opposition — except for Whatley. While Cooper walked away with 92% of the vote in his six-way race, Whatley emerged with 65% in a seven-way race marked by a strong challenge from grassroots darling Don Brown, who took 16%.

Michele Morrow, who in a series of social media posts between 2019 and 2021 called for the execution of former President Barack Obama and then-President Joe Biden, finished a distant fourth, with less than 6%. The loss comes after her narrow defeat in the 2024 State Superintendent of Schools race.

Congress

Fairview farmer Jamie Ager has prevailed in an 11th Congressional District Democratic Primary Election that drew unusual national attention and substantial investment — setting up a marquee contest with incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson) after voters across the state and the region signaled a willingness for change.

“I want to be a representative for Western North Carolina, and I think folks are ready for that message. With Chuck Edwards, we’re getting a very status quo, go-along, get-along politician,” Ager said. “Me, I’m an entrepreneur. I love to look at creative options and I have a lot of energy. I’m ready to go work with the system that’s there because you have to, but do we think we need to make a bunch of changes? Yes. And is it making people cynical to see all this corruption out there? Yes.”

The primary unfolded against the backdrop of Helene recovery, economic strain and affordability concerns that have reshaped political conversations across Western North Carolina. Ager leaned heavily into those themes, arguing that the region needs more aggressive advocacy in Washington.

Ager outpaced his four Primary Election opponents with 65% of the vote. Perceived as the frontrunner since his  July 2025  entry into the race, Ager cemented that status with healthy fundraising that tripled the rest of his  four opponents  combined.

His campaign gained further momentum just days before Election Day, when national Democrats added him to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “ Red to Blue ” program, signaling that party leaders see a potential path to competitiveness in a district long considered safely Republican. The designation did create some  backlash  among Ager’s Democratic competitors; however, it remains to be seen if they’ll all mend fences.

Districtwide turnout exceeded the 2022 mid-term congressional primary, reflecting heightened engagement among Democratic voters energized by the prospect of making the race competitive.

Richard Hudspeth, a retired physician, finished a distant second with 16%. Zelda Briarwood, of Canton, earned 13%, while Yancey County’s Paul Maddox ended up with 5%. Lee Whipple, of Asheville, finished with 1.4%.

Incumbent Republican Congressman Chuck Edwards likewise sailed through his Primary Election despite ardent criticism over his response to Helene.

Under Edwards,  less than 15% of the $60 billion needed  for full recovery has been delivered in the 17 months since the storm, despite Edwards’ position on the House appropriations committee.

Republicans have also complained of an  enthusiasm gap  with Edwards, which has been  apparent  since his first reelection campaign in 2024, but it wasn’t enough to propel former Green Beret  Adam Smith , of Black Mountain, to victory.

Smith did garner 30% of the vote, which compares favorably to Edwards’ 2024 Primary Opponent, Cherokee County Republican Christian Reagan. Reagan, who didn’t have much of a public profile before taking up a Primary challenge to Edwards that year, pulled an astonishing 31% of the Primary vote against the incumbent Edwards despite being badly outraised.

Libertarian Travis Groo, of Greensboro, did not have a Primary Election opponent and will join Ager and Edwards on the ballot in November.

General Assembly

Three-term incumbent Mark Pless (R-Haywood) will not be returning to Raleigh next year after his defeat by longtime Haywood County Schools board member Jimmy Rogers. 

Pless is a Haywood County native with nearly 30 years as a volunteer firefighter and more than two decades in emergency medical services before earning his paramedic certification in 1993 and later working as an insurance agent, experience he says shaped his view of disaster recovery. 

He entered public office on the Haywood County Board of Commissioners in 2018, served two years and won election to the North Carolina House in 2020, where he currently serves on key budget and infrastructure committees and chairs emergency management and disaster recovery — roles he credits with  directing funds back to Western North Carolina .

Rogers earned a solid 55% of the vote to Pless’ 45% and will go on to face Haywood County Democrat and former district court judge Danny Davis in November.

“I feel like I can serve the people in a better capacity as far as listening to their issues and taking them to Raleigh,” Rogers told The Smoky Mountain News. “I believe I can better serve this district and get the results people need, and let local government have local control and let the citizens of this district be heard. I will be held accountable to the people.”

The 118th District contains Haywood and Madison counties — both aching for Helene relief; although Pless did bring home more than $200 million in appropriations, Rogers says there’s work yet to completed.

“There’s still a lot of disaster relief funding for infrastructure, for municipalities, for small businesses,” Rogers said. There’s so much money out there, I feel like I can work with our local, state and federal government for the funding that’s owed to WNC.”

Farther west, Mike Clampitt will advance to the November General Election with a convincing victory over a pair of challengers.

First elected in 2016, Clampitt lost his reelection bid in 2018 to Waynesville Democrat Joe Sam Queen but rebounded to win in 2020, 2022 and most recently 2024. His district, which has changed over time, now includes Jackson, Swain and Transylvania counties.

A Swain County native and retired Charlotte fire captain, Clampitt has focused on public safety, disaster recovery and leveraging seniority in the legislature. He highlighted his record of securing substantial infrastructure funds, his anti-drunk driving crusade and his accessibility by constituents. Despite battling serious illness, Clampitt had missed very few voting sessions, and earned support from 57% of voters.

Anna Ferguson, born and raised in the Qualla Community and an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, has business experience in family electrical contracting and retail but came up short with 38% of the vote. Mike Yow, a first-time candidate positioning himself as a grassroots conservative outside Raleigh’s power structure, secured 6% of the vote.

Clampitt will go on to face Transylvania County Democrat Mark Burrows in November. Burrows lost to Clampitt by 10 points in 2024.

There were no Primary Elections in Karl Gillespie’s 120th House District, which includes Cherokee, Clay, Graham and Macon counties. Gillespie, now House majority whip, will face Highlands Democrat Caleb Brown in November.

Likewise, Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Macon) did not face a Primary opponent. He’ll see Cullowhee Democrat Tom Downing this fall.

Haywood County

Including Pless, Haywood County voters ousted three Republican incumbents on March 3, while a fourth decided not to run — meaning substantial changes for the county’s leadership.

After nearly four years of drama, incumbent Haywood County Commissioner Terry Ramey won’t be a commissioner much longer.

Ramey, known for his  contentious tenure  marked by public disputes and ethical questions, has drawn both criticism and controversy during years of board turmoil, with opponents citing decades-long tax debts, questionable YouTube appearances and, most recently, an anonymous tax payment made on his behalf.

Earning 17% in a six-way Primary, Ramey finished fourth, just ahead of newcomer Tiffany Collins (13%) and Canton restauranteur Howard Knepper (6%). With only three slots available, Ramey missed the cut, but his problems may not be over — complaints have been filed with the State Board of Elections over the mysterious tax payment .

Two-term Republican incumbent Tommy Long (22%), longtime Haywood County Schools board member David Burnette (22%) and retired Waynesville Public Works director Jeff Stines (20%) will advance to November.

“I love the process,” said Long, who serves as a district leader for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. “Fair and free elections. You put candidates up before the people and the people decide. It’s that simple. I think the three people who had leadership skills, integrity and qualities that Haywood County people were looking for advanced to the General Election.”

Burnette, Long and Stines will face Democrats Carly Pugh and former Commissioner Mike Sorrells. Democrats could have fielded up to three candidates for the November ballot, but were only able to locate two, so there was no need for a Primary Election. In November, voters may choose any three candidates — including qualified unaffiliated candidates.

Haywood County will also have a new sheriff by years’ end. Following a heated Republican Primary Election campaign, Mark Mease defeated incumbent Haywood County Sheriff Bill Wilke.

Wilke was first elected sheriff in 2022. Mease had worked for the previous three sheriffs and left the office shortly after Wilke was sworn in. Mease said he would bring the office back to something more like what it was under Greg Christopher, who served from 2012-2022. Wilke has defended reforms he instituted that led to a sizable turnover in his office, especially early in 2023.

Mease’s campaign was championed by vocal public supporters, many of whom have worked in local law enforcement. It was enough to propel him to the win with 57% of the vote.

Now that Mease has won the Primary Election, he’s set to square off against Democrat Tyler Howell, currently with the Waynesville Police Department. Mease said he is keeping the same team to work his General Election campaign, adding that the strategizing has already begun.

“I’m honored and humbled that we won the primary and excited about what’s coming up,” Mease said.

Haywood County remains the only North Carolina county to elect its tax collector, which comes with pros and cons. The office has survived periods of instability in the past, but that wasn’t the issue in this year’s contest.

Republican Sebastian Cothran, who made history as one of the youngest elected officials in the state when he beat incumbent Democrat Greg West in 2022, declined to seek reelection after posting strong collection rates during his tenure.

Now, West will head back to his old office in the Historic Haywood County Courthouse, this time, as a Republican. West is a lifelong Haywood County resident who rebuilt and stabilized the office in 2022 after issues with the previously elected tax collector’s performance.

After years in tax administration and the highest tax collection rate in county history, West stressed his unmatched experience and qualifications during what became at times a  heated contest .

West easily prevailed over challengers Andrew Ferguson (25%) and Emily Sapp (23%) with 52% of the vote. As no Democrat filed for the race, he will assume office later this year. 

With a rare open seat on the line, Haywood voters selected Republican Stacy Cutshaw Moore to follow longtime Register of Deeds Sherri Rogers, who announced her retirement earlier this year.

The decisive win — 69% for Moore, 31% for Kristina Watson — came in a race spotlighted by a high-profile dispute over a marriage license denial that exposed an  experience gap  between Moore and her opponent.

Moore, a Haywood County native with more than a decade working in the register’s office and nearly two more in related roles, emphasized her deep familiarity with statutory duties, indexing standards and real-world record-keeping complexities.

No Democrats filed for the race, so Moore will take office later this year. 

Jackson County

Candidates in Jackson County — Democrats and Republicans — ran some of the most spirited campaigns in the west this year, largely attributable to serious fiscal and social issues that divided residents and boosted turnout.

Over the past four years, Jackson County’s general fund had grown substantially, fueling voter concern about rising property taxes and long-term sustainability. Supporters argued the increases reflected inflation, staffing costs, expanded services and capital projects. Critics called them excessive — including a spike last summer that saw some property owners staring down a 30% increase in property valuation.

The all-Republican Jackson County Board of Commissioners’ decision to withdraw from an eight-decade partnership with Macon and Swain counties in the Fontana Regional Library system over LGBTQ content also became a cultural and fiscal flashpoint, raising questions about censorship, governance and the cost of operating an independent system.

Together, taxes and the library fight reflected deeper tensions over growth, ideology and the overall direction of county government.

Mark Letson, the incumbent Republican Jackson County Commission chair — the only commissioner to vote against leaving the Fontana Regional Library system — will not be returning to that role. Although property taxes were a major issue, his library vote likely cost him as well. 

Letson defended recent budgets as necessary to maintain services amid inflation and growth and argued that stability, transparency and measured fiscal management were critical during a politically turbulent period.

David Rogers, the challenger who emphasized and tighter fiscal discipline, ended up with 39.8% of the vote to Letson’s 31%. Two other candidates totaled about 29% together. 

Rogers criticized recent budget growth and supported withdrawing from the Fontana Regional Library system, framing the move as restoring local control. He argued county government had grown too quickly and needed stronger oversight, clearer priorities and spending restraint.

“I think I had a good support group behind me, and I stayed true to my faith and beliefs,” Rogers said of his win.

Marcia Almond, former mayor of the tiny village of Forest Hills, is about to take on a big challenge — beating Rogers to flip the county commission chair from red to blue. Almond came away with 74% of the vote in her Primary. Fellow Democrat Bobbi Hopp, who emphasized transparency and fiscal accountability, ended up with 26%. 

During her campaign, Almond criticized recent tax increases and opposed withdrawing from the FRL, arguing the decision created unnecessary financial risk and deepened political division in Jackson County.

Two seats on the Jackson County commission are also up this year, meaning Democrats could take control of the commission if Almond and Democratic nominees from districts 1 and 2 all prevail.

Casey Walawender will advance to November after a decisive win over three solid Democratic candidates for Jackson County Commission’s District 1 — Julie Painter (35%), John Herrera (21%) and German “Worm” Vivas (4%).

Walawender, who earned 40% of the vote, has been threatened and harassed by supporters of the withdrawal and was one of several people mentioned in an anonymous email that threatened proponents of the FRL partnership  as well as employees of the Sylva Herald and The Smoky Mountain News. The identity of the sender hasn’t yet been determined — although there are some clues  — nor has the so-called “damning” information the sender mentioned been released.

Republican Steven Sutton will face Walawender in November after defeating Anthony Sequoyah in the Republican Primary Election. Sutton, with local roots, law enforcement experience and a focus on fiscal accountability, argued for better  constituent responsiveness  while criticizing the county’s growing budget. 

Todd Bryson, the incumbent Republican representing District 1, decided not to run again this cycle, making his seat the Democrats best hope for a flip — although Jackson Dems are also excited about the chance to unseat John Smith in District 2 in November.

Smith has come under scrutiny for failing to attend meetings of at least one advisory board he was appointed to — the Jackson County Public Library board. Smith also violated state law by failing to complete state-mandated ethics training within the statutory 12-month period after his election.

Democrat Sean Bridgers is a Western Carolina University graduate who built a career as an actor after growing up in Sylva. Bridgers opposed the county’s withdrawal from the Fontana Regional Library system and criticized rapid budget growth, calling for transparency, deliberation and responsible fiscal management. Francis Owens, Bridgers’ Primary Election opponent, came away with 31% of the vote, not nearly enough to top Bridgers’ 69%. 

In the sheriff’s race — the only race not directly tied to the tax issue or the library issue — Sheriff Doug Farmer cruised to reelection, winning the Republican primary against Brandon Elders. Farmer, who first took office four years ago, ended up with more than 72% of the vote.

Because no Democrats filed for Jackson County Sheriff, Farmer’s win in the Primary gives him another four-year term, which will start at the beginning of next year.

Macon County

As in Jackson County, Macon County voters issued a seal of approval for incumbent Republican Sheriff Brent Holbrooks to serve a second term. Holbrooks, a Republican, won his first election in 2022 following the retirement of Robbie Holland. In that election, Holbrooks faced several challengers. Among those challengers was Bob Cook, who was the lone opponent for Holbrooks this year. This time, Holbrooks came away with almost 70% of the vote.

Because there is no Democrat running for the office, there will not be a General Election contest, meaning Holbrooks is set to be sworn in for his second term.

Kellie Burns and Dylan Castle have emerged from a crowded Republican Primary field to advance to November’s General Election. Burns and Castle were running to represent District 2 in Macon County, which includes the Franklin area. While Commissioners Gary Shields and Danny Antoine currently hold those seats, neither chose to seek reelection.

Burns led the five-candidate field with 31% of the vote, while Castle received 26%.

“I don’t know that there’s really any one thing,” Castle said, of his victory. “I went into it, it was a door that He opened for me, and Tuesday night we got to see the fruit of His favor. At the end of the day, when God calls you into favor, that’s what we were trusting in.” 

Trailing Burns and Castle were former Franklin Town Council Member David Culpepper with 19%, Macon County Sheriff’s Capt. Nick Lofthouse with 18% and Danny Reitmeier, who’d previously announced he was dropping out of the race but still appeared on the ballot, with 6%.

Now that Burns and Castle have won their Primary Election, they will face Democrats Terry Bell and Janet Jacobs Greene in the General Election, with the top two finishers in that contest winning the seats.

For District 1, which includes Highlands, incumbent John Shearl has won the Republican Primary Election and will proceed to the November election.

Shearl faced two opponents, Don Willis and Joey Wilson. Shearl came away with 38% of the vote, while Wilson and Willis both came away with 31%. With this win, Shearl, who will wrap up his first four-year term in office at the end of this year, will square off against Democrat Russ Lunn in the General Election.

Swain County

Swain County is facing monumental transition at the very top of its political and administrative structures. Voters are hoping the November General Election will help solve some of that and took major steps in the Primary to get there.

Republican commissioners Phil Carson and Bobby Jenkins are out; Carson sought re-election but came in third of three contenders, while Jenkins threw his hat in the ring for chair but finished second of four.

Seeking to fill those two empty seats are Democrats Erika Smith and Chris Reed, who won their commission contest with 42% and 34% respectively. Republicans Jason (Jay) Kirkland and Lisa Stevenson Barker, with 44% and 30%, respectively, won theirs, setting up a four-way race where voters may choose any two in November.

Smith, a real estate agent with 12 years of experience, said her work has opened her eyes to some of the county’s most pressing issues, such as faulty sewer and water infrastructure, a lack of communication between the county and its partners and bringing back manufacturing positions.

Reed is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and said his ties to the Qualla Boundary are important, given that many in Cherokee are Swain County residents. He’d like to build more pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods and do more to support small local businesses.

Kirkland is currently the chair of the Swain County Board of Commissioners; he was appointed  on Oct. 28, 2025 following the abrupt resignation of Kevin Seagle . Kirkland declined to run for chair and is instead seeking a seat on the board.

As the sole Republican to speak to SMN, Kirkland cited the experience he’s gained since his appointment as proof of how he’ll continue to serve the county’s constituents. He acknowledged a need to improve communication on the board while committing to funding public services, like education and law enforcement.

Hoping to follow Kirkland as chair are Republican Robbie Brown and Democrat Jeramy Shuler, who won their Primaries and will face each other on the November ballot.  

Brown swore he never saw himself as a politician but said some issues in Swain County are too hard to ignore — like the need to fund the public school system, to collaborate with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians as well as neighboring boards of county commissioners and to improve county infrastructure.

Shuler, a small business owner and a captain with the Bryson City Fire Department, said strengthening public safety, building out more resilient infrastructure and cooperating with regional officials would be among his first actions if elected chair.

Together, the new commission and chair will have to navigate yet another transition — a new county manager. Current County Manager Lottie Barker  is working part time until a replacement is named, but it’s unclear when that might happen.

In what will be perhaps the most closely watched Swain County contest this fall, sheriff candidates David Southards, a Democrat, and Brian Kirkland, the incumbent Republican, both swept their field and will face off in November.

Kirkland was appointed sheriff in shortly after  the departure of longtime Republican Sheriff Curtis Cochran , who was arrested for sexual battery  and resigned in July 2025. Cochran currently faces state charges including sexual battery, assault on a female, felonious restraint and solicitation of prostitution, along with separate charges from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. A later indictment added a second-degree forcible rape charge.

Southards beat out Douglas “Tank” Anthony with 71% of the vote, while Kirkland surpassed Wayne Dover with 87%.

Kirkland pointed to the reforms he’s brought to his department over a few short months and said he’d like to continue conducting community outreach to strengthen residents’ ties with law enforcement and updating antiquated technology and procedures.

Prioritizing community policing above all else, especially in light of events with Cochran, Southards thinks highly of investing a majority of the office’s resources toward rehabilitation and treatment rather than strictly punitive measures.

In the lone board of education Primary  in The Smoky Mountain News coverage area, Republicans Lisa Loftis, with 42%, and Jason Lambert, with 31%, will advance to November, when they’ll face Democrats Brandy Monteith and Dannie Shuler in a bid for two seats — currently held by Loftis and fellow Republican Robert Taylor, who is not seeking reelection.

Loftis said she values parental rights and bridging the gap between teachers and parents. She drew on her previous board experience and the successful Community Eligibility Provision child nutrition program as evidence of her strength as a candidate.

Lambert’s priorities are afterschool enrichment programs and more funding for schools and teachers, noting that his deep ties to the Qualla Boundary would better guide communication between the Swain County and Cherokee Central school districts.   

All results in this story were current as of March 6 but are considered unofficial until county board of elections meet to certify the results on March 13.

Looking ahead

The General Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3, when voters will get to weigh in on these races as well as several others — but they may find a few more names on the ballot than there were this go-round.

Unaffiliated voters and candidates have been playing a growing role in state politics, especially on the local level, but unaffiliated candidates face different ballot qualification standards than do candidates from major parties.

For most county offices, nominating petitions filled with signatures must be filed with the county board of elections by noon on the day of the Primary Election. Once the petition is validated and the statutory requirements are met, the candidate’s name is certified for placement on November’s General Election ballot.

Be sure to check back with The Smoky Mountain News in the coming weeks and months for full coverage of the races leading up to November’s General Election.

Two counties hit hard by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina will soon have a new representative in the General Assembly, after Republican Primary Election voters backed a challenger who won by nearly 10 points. 

Haywood and Madison counties comprise the 118th House District and together tallied more than $200 million in losses from the Sept. 27, 2024, storm, which caused $60 billion in damage statewide. 

To the Editor:

As former justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court, we’re writing with an urgent message. Please plan on voting in the Primary Election on Tuesday, March 3, by either early voting or on Election Day. There is one critically important primary race for judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals for Seat 3. We have all enthusiastically endorsed Attorney James Whalen for this seat and we encourage you to join us in our support for him. 

Over the past decade or more, Western North Carolina Republicans have proven that the only candidates that can beat incumbent Republican congressmen are other Republicans. Adam Smith talks like someone who has already settled on that outcome and is now working backward to make it inevitable. 

“What conservative voters in the United States want to see is Republicans have the intestinal fortitude to do what they said they were going to do,” Smith said. 

Few Primary races across the region have drawn the attention that the contest for Haywood County Sheriff has seen. 

Squaring off for the position in the Republican Primary are incumbent Sheriff Bill Wilke, who has made reform a cornerstone of his first term in office, and Mark Mease, a former HCSO captain who promises to bring back a level of integrity and professionalism he said has been absent the last three-plus years. 

Following his first four years as Macon County’s sheriff, Brent Holbrooks is facing a primary challenge as he seeks a second term. 

Following former Sheriff Robbie Holland’s announcement that he wouldn’t seek reelection in 2022, Holbrooks emerged from a crowded Republican primary field that included multiple candidates who worked in high-level positions in Holland’s office.

To the Editor:

I recently sent this letter to North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein.

I fear that the current deployment of ICE, CBP, a federalized National Guard, the FBI and the DEA is actually practice for the Trump administration’s seizure of voting machines in historically Democrat voting areas in the 2026 General Election.

The most powerful person in any North Carolina county is the sheriff, an elected position mandated by the state constitution. 

County elections determine who will don the badge and serve the four-year term in office. Such a system ostensibly ensures sheriffs are accountable to voters, but a 2024 Ballotpedia analysis of all United States’ elections excluding the presidency found that 7 8% of law enforcement races had only one candidate. 

The Republican primary in House District 119 — Jackson, Swain and Transylvania counties — now unfolds against a backdrop of unresolved disaster recovery and rising voter frustration with a legislature that has struggled to deliver a state budget but still found time to strip powers from incoming Democrats and gerrymander another Republican congressional seat at the behest of President Donald Trump. 

To the Editor:

In response to guest columnist Walter Cook’s recent article, “Don’t expect better results with the same choices,” (Dec. 31 edition of SMN) Mr. Cook accurately describes a political reality in Western North Carolina: for far too long, many voters have cast ballots strictly along party lines — then wondered why so little changes, or why things get worse.