Everything We Know About the 2026 Congressional Race in NC-11

by AG Staff

Western North Carolina’s gilded foothills are humming—not from cicadas, but from political whispers. The race for the 11th Congressional District, long thought to be safely red, is starting to show cracks in the GOP’s armor.

Republican Chuck Edwards is the sitting Congressman, first taking office on January 3, 2023, after defeating Madison Cawthorn in the 2022 primary and winning the general election that fall (Smoky Mountain News; Wikipedia). He held his seat again in 2024, beating Democrat Caleb Rudow with about 56.8% of the vote to Rudow’s 43.2% (Ballotpedia).

The district itself covers much of Western North Carolina, including Asheville—a progressive enclave—along with suburban and rural pivots. It leans Republican, with a Cook Partisan Voting Index (PVI) of R+5, making it moderately conservative but not impossible for Democrats to dream bigger (Wikipedia). Still, the Cook Political Report does not list NC-11 among competitive or Toss-Up races for 2026. Translation: it’s still leaning GOP (Cook Political Report).

That hasn’t stopped Democrats from jumping in. Jamie Ager, a fifth-generation farmer from Buncombe County, is the most visible candidate. His tractor-and-chickens campaign launch video instantly branded him as the “local, non-Washington” choice (AP News). Moe Davis, the 2020 nominee, is back for another run (Wikipedia). Zelda Briarwood, a field services technician, is also listed as a contender (Ballotpedia). Ballotpedia currently confirms Ager, Briarwood, and Davis as the declared Democratic candidates facing Edwards in 2026.

And of course, there’s drama. Four Democratic hopefuls—Moe Davis, Zelda Briarwood, Chris Harjes, and Paul Maddox—sent an open letter in early August criticizing the party for spotlighting only Ager as the keynote speaker at the NC-11 gala, calling it “deeply unfair” and a violation of neutrality (Smoky Mountain News). The fallout was swift: the local Democratic chair, Bill Baugh, resigned on August 5, and the gala lineup was reworked (BPR).

The math is simple: Edwards has incumbency and a GOP-leaning district. Democrats have a crowded primary, messy infighting, and a few candidates banking on “authentic local” appeal. For now, Cook still pegs NC-11 as safely Republican. But the story’s not over—and if Democrats can stop fighting each other long enough to mount a unified push, this district could get more interesting than expected.