North Carolina’s 11th District race

D Democratic Jamie Ager

Supports small farmers and local food systems

Ager advocates for policies that support small entrepreneurial farmers, right-to-repair legislation, and expanding local agricultural markets. He emphasizes sustainable farming, forest resource management for the timber industry, and maintaining safety net programs like SNAP and WIC.

• Promotes small, entrepreneurial agriculture and local food supply chains
• Supports right-to-repair legislation and land ownership programs for young farmers
• Advocates for timber industry resource management and safety net programs like SNAP and WIC

“As a small farmer, I believe that US agriculture should promote small farmers doing entrepreneurial agriculture.”

R Republican Jennifer Balkcom

Protects American farmland from foreign ownership

Balkcom emphasizes her upbringing on a family apple farm and highlights her legislative leadership on farmland security. In the state legislature, she introduced the NC Farmland and Military Protection Act to block foreign adversaries from purchasing agricultural land and sponsored $475 million in crop loss disaster grants.

• Introduced NC Farmland and Military Protection Act to ban foreign ownership of U.S. farmland
• Sponsored a proposed $475 million grant program for agricultural disaster relief and crop losses
• Supported efforts to prevent financing discrimination against agricultural producers

“That's why I led the effort in Raleigh to stop China and other enemies from owning or buying our farmland.”

“Our farmland is precious. I won't let our enemies—or anything else—put it at risk.”

D Democratic Jamie Ager

Demands fast-tracked federal Helene recovery funds

Ager makes delivering promised federal Hurricane Helene recovery funds his top priority in Congress. He criticizes politicians for unfulfilled promises and advocates cutting red tape to deliver direct aid to residents, small businesses, and damaged infrastructure.

• Prioritizes securing promised federal funding for Hurricane Helene recovery
• Urges cutting bureaucratic red tape to speed up grants and loans to small businesses and residents
• Focuses on rebuilding damaged public infrastructure, homes, and bridges across Western NC

“In Congress, my top priority will be delivering recovery funds and pushing to help our region come back even stronger than we were.”

“Let’s cut red tape and get money to where it matters most: on the ground, in the hands of the people and our small businesses.”

R Republican Jennifer Balkcom

Supports disaster relief and local infrastructure

Balkcom highlights her state legislative work providing disaster relief for mountain communities and farmers affected by natural disasters. She lists securing critical infrastructure and funding for Henderson County as a primary campaign focus.

• Supported state legislative disaster relief initiatives for farmers affected by natural disasters
• Prioritizes securing infrastructure and critical funding for local mountain communities

“Jennifer's key initiatives in NC agriculture include legislation to provide disaster relief for farmers affected by natural disasters, such as the proposed $475 million grant program for crop losses”

D Democratic Jamie Ager

Supports middle-class tax relief and corporate regulation

Ager calls for addressing the gap between wages and rising expenses across housing, utilities, childcare, and food. He proposes tax credits for energy savings, housing support for public service workers, expanding the Child Tax Credit, banning taxes on tips, and cracking down on corporate monopolies.

• Supports tax credits for energy efficiency and removing taxes on tips for working people
• Advocates expanding childcare grants and the Child Tax Credit
• Proposes housing programs for first-time home buyers and public service employees
• Calls for reforming the tax code so top earners pay their fair share and taking on industry monopolies

“Rising costs hurt our businesses and our families.”

“The math doesn’t work between wages and the high cost of living.”

R Republican Jennifer Balkcom

Promotes lower taxes and cost relief

Balkcom emphasizes her record in the North Carolina House working to lower state property and sales taxes while providing state employees with pay raises to address affordability.

• Voted to lower state property taxes and sales taxes in North Carolina
• Supported pay raises for state employees to address affordability

“We have worked to help with property, lowering property taxes, lowering the sales tax. We've also given state employees more raises, so we need to be [focused on] affordability.”

D Democratic Jamie Ager

Supports increased funding and training for law enforcement

Ager calls for better training, higher compensation, and proper equipment for law enforcement and first responders in mountain terrain. He supports hiring more officers, boosting rural firefighter pay, and funding programs targeting root causes of crime.

• Supports hiring more law enforcement officers and increasing pay and training
• Advocates federal funding for rural fire stations and improved firefighter compensation
• Promotes funding for programs that address the root causes of crime

“We must invest in better pay and training for our law enforcement officers, as well as programs that help tackle the root causes of crime.”

R Republican Jennifer Balkcom

Supports tougher criminal penalties and child protections

Balkcom highlights her legislative record sponsoring public safety legislation, including HB 805 (Prevent Sexual Exploitation of Women and Minors Act) and criminal justice reforms. She sponsored bills strengthening penalties for violent offenders, tougher sentencing for felons with firearms, and privacy safeguards for deceased minors' autopsy records.

• Sponsored HB 805 to strengthen protections against sexual exploitation and child abuse
• Passed legislation imposing tougher sentencing for felons possessing firearms and violent offenders
• Established parental consent requirements for releasing autopsy information of deceased children

“She also advanced four additional criminal justice and public safety reforms that were signed into law. These measures strengthen penalties for violent offenders, ensure tougher sentencing for felons caught with firearms”

D Democratic Jamie Ager

Supports stock trading bans and campaign finance reform

Ager proposes banning members of Congress from trading individual stocks to prevent insider trading. He supports campaign finance reform to increase transparency around dark money, enacting stricter Congressional ethics rules, and addressing political polarization driven by social media algorithms.

• Fights to ban members of Congress from trading stocks
• Supports campaign finance reform to restrict dark money and special interest influence
• Advocates cutting bureaucratic red tape and streamlining federal agency efficiency

“I’ll fight to ban members of Congress from stock trading, so no one is using insider knowledge for personal gain.”

“I’ll back campaign finance reforms that shine a light on dark money and reduce the outsized influence of special interests in Washington.”

R Republican Jennifer Balkcom

Supports congressional term limits pledge

Balkcom signed the U.S. Term Limits Pledge, expressing commitment to limiting terms for elected federal officials.

• Signed the U.S. Term Limits Pledge

D Democratic Jamie Ager

Supports small business loans, broadband, and middle-class growth

Ager advocates expanding federal loans and grants for small businesses damaged by Hurricane Helene. He supports expanding rural broadband, cellular coverage, and local manufacturing investments to build a strong middle class.

• Advocates expanded loans and grants for small businesses impacted by Helene
• Supports expanding rural broadband and mobile cell coverage across Western NC
• Promotes local economic development and manufacturing investments

“I’ll fight to cut red tape and expand access to loans and grants for our small businesses affected by Helene.”

R Republican Jennifer Balkcom

Promotes free enterprise and small business support

Balkcom emphasizes her 25-year career in banking and mortgage financing helping local small businesses and families. She earned endorsements from the National Federation of Independent Business and the NC Chamber.

• Brings over 25 years of experience as a mortgage loan officer and small business owner
• Earned endorsements from small business advocacy groups including NFIB

“Jennifer began her career in banking and finance in 1998 and has spent more than 25 years helping families and small businesses throughout Western North Carolina.”

D Democratic Jamie Ager

Supports public option and defending Medicare/Medicaid

Ager advocates creating a public healthcare option, defending Medicare's ability to negotiate drug prices, and protecting Medicaid from federal cuts. He calls for expanding Medicare coverage to include dental, vision, and home care, as well as enhancing mental health resources.

• Pushes for a public option for affordable healthcare
• Defends Medicare drug price negotiation and insulin price caps
• Proposes expanding Medicare to include dental, vision, and home-based care
• Opposes cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, pointing to rural hospital preservation

“I’ll push for a public option so everyone has access to quality affordable health care.”

“Medicaid insures my neighbors and my friends and now it's being ripped away.”

R Republican Jennifer Balkcom

Opposes transgender participation in women's sports

Balkcom led the passage of House Bill 574 (the Women's Sports Act) in the North Carolina House to restrict athletic competition based on biological sex, successfully leading the effort to override a gubernatorial veto.

• Primary sponsor of House Bill 574 (Women's Sports Act)
• Led effort to override governor's veto to enact restrictions on women's athletic participation

“She gained statewide recognition as the primary sponsor of House Bill 574, the Women’s Sports Act, which ensures fairness and equal opportunity for women and girls in athletic competition.”

D Democratic Jamie Ager

Supports expanding rural VA clinics and mobile health units

Ager opposes cuts or closures to VA facilities, advocating for expanded rural clinics so Western NC veterans do not have to drive long distances for care. He supports mobile health support units and funding for the Fisher House in Asheville.

• Protects VA facilities from budget cuts and closures
• Pushes for mobile health units and additional rural clinics across the district
• Supports the Fisher House in Asheville to house families of veterans receiving care

“I’ll protect the VA from cuts and closures and push to expand clinics across the district so folks don’t have to drive hours for care.”

D Democratic Jamie Ager

Supports comprehensive immigration reform

Ager calls for realistic, comprehensive immigration reform that treats people with dignity, ensures community safety, and provides businesses with the workforce they need.

• Supports comprehensive immigration reform balancing business labor needs with community safety
• Emphasizes treating immigrants with dignity while clarifying legal pathways

“Our immigration system needs to be clear, fair, and realistic. I support reforms that treat people with dignity and give businesses the workforce they need to grow, all while keeping every community safe.”

D Democratic Jamie Ager

Opposes selling public lands and supports conservation

Ager pledges never to allow public lands—such as Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and national forests—to be sold off. He views public lands as vital economic and cultural assets requiring wise stewardship.

• Opposes selling off federal public lands and national parks
• Supports protecting Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, and national forests
• Views environmental protection as essential for the regional tourism economy

“These are assets that we must cherish and protect. I’ll never allow them to be sold off.”