Democrat Jamie Ager Takes North Carolina's 11th District After Edwards Withdraws from GOP Race
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Jamie Ager won North Carolina's 11th Congressional District after Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards ended his campaign following a House censure, leaving Republicans with a late and difficult replacement effort.
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. State Rep. Jennifer Balkcom was placed on the ballot less than 90 days before the election, leaving her at a disadvantage in a challenging 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, a development that complicated the GOP effort in the district.