Election 2026: Rookie political candidate releases 1st ad, jabs ‘politicians’

In “Barn Dance,” as the ad spot is known, Ager says, “Politicians just dance with the lobbyists, but I’ll take a good mountain hoedown any day. In Congress, I’ll invest in western North Carolina again by taking on corporate greed that raises our costs. And I’ll fight for our Helene recovery funds.”

Balkcom’s campaign donations since she began her quest to first serve in Raleigh have included multiple donations from Duke Energy, none larger than $2,000 this past January and in 2024; and totaling $5,500 since 2022.

On Jones Street, she supported the Power Bill Reduction Act (Senate Bill 266) enacted over gubernatorial veto. This law eliminates the interim date for carbon reduction by certain electric utilities, believed to offer savings between $12 billion and $15 billion. The 2021 law called for 70% reduction of emissions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. The new law makes it 70% by 2050.

Eight Democrats in the House changed their votes from support of the law to being against it on the override.

The 11th is in the mountains, from Avery to McDowell and Polk counties north-south extending to the southwestern tip of the state. It's the heart of cleanup from Hurricane Helene’s remnants coming through in September 2024.

The district was carried by Trump three times, including by 10% in 2024. Seven times by three men, the district has gone to Republicans since the third of three consecutive wins in 2010 by Democratic Rep. Heath Shuler.

Ager has never held a political office, local or otherwise. Three opponents in the March 3 primary cried foul when the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in February put its support behind him before primary voters were heard.

Balkcom, in her second term in the state House of Representatives, grew up on a farm and has professional experience as a small business owner for mortgage loans, and serving on boards for education, healthcare and infrastructure planning. Ager works about 250 acres of farmland, some owned and some leased, raising beef cattle, pigs, chickens and turkeys.

She released her first TV ad spot in early September, highlighting her upbringing, three jobs to pay for her community college degree, and closing saying, “Hard work is all I’ve ever known.”

The seat has grown to be pivotal to majority power in the U.S. House, in part because Ager was building more strength fiscally before Republican U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards left the race, and in part because Edwards did leave the race.

Republicans' 220-215 edge won in November 2024 is today 218-214 with one independent formerly Republican caucusing with his former party, and two vacancies.