Democrat Jamie Ager Wins North Carolina's 11th District After GOP Collapse and Edwards Withdrawal
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Jamie Ager became the first Democrat to take North Carolina's 11th Congressional District since 2010 after Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards abandoned his campaign following a House censure over misconduct findings.
Democrat Jamie Ager secured the seat in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District, a district that had been held by Republicans since 2010, according to a CBS News projection. Ager, a fourth-generation farmer, was originally set to compete against GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards, who withdrew from the race in early August after his campaign unraveled. State Rep. Jennifer Balkcom was placed on the ballot less than 90 days before the election, leaving her at a disadvantage in a difficult environment for Republicans.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report moved the contest from "lean Republican" to "toss-up" after Edwards suspended his campaign, and later shifted it to "lean Democrat" as Election Day approached.
"The committee's findings completely exonerate me under House rules," Edwards said after the House Ethics Committee censured him for "persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct" toward two young women who worked for him.
Edwards' decision to abandon his reelection bid came days after the House voted overwhelmingly to censure him in September following the bipartisan committee's report, underscoring the political and ethical fallout surrounding his campaign's collapse.