{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Zelda Briarwood","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nZelda Thaker Briarwood ran as a Democrat in the 2026 primary for North Carolina's 11th Congressional District, one of five Democrats seeking to represent the western North Carolina district. She lost the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary to Jamie Ager.\n\nBriarwood ran on a 29-point progressive platform. Key positions included banning for-profit healthcare, expanding Medicare, raising the federal minimum wage to at least $20 per hour, banning private equity from purchasing residential housing, and free community college for all.\n\n## Background and education\nBriarwood grew up in Newtown, Pennsylvania. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina with a focus on psychology and outdoor recreation, and pursued advanced studies in adventure-based psychotherapy and adventure education at Prescott College.\n\n## Career\nBriarwood has lived and worked in western North Carolina since the 2010s. Her career has spanned mental health and outdoor therapeutic work: she guided backpack expeditions at Red Oak Recovery, worked in admissions at Outward Bound and CooperRiis, managed crisis services at Appalachian Community Center, and provided case management for survivors of sexual violence and human trafficking at OurVoice.\n\nBriarwood served as secretary of the Haywood County Young Democrats and has been open about her personal recovery from addiction, having achieved more than seven years of sobriety.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Get to know the 5 Democratic candidates for District 11 \u2013 WLOS](https://wlos.com/news/election/democratic-candidates-district-11-western-north-carolina-jamie-ager-lee-whipple-paul-maddox-richard-hudspeth-zelda-briarwood-key-issues-hurricane-helene-recovery-congress)\n- [2] [Zelda For Congress \u2013 Campaign Website](https://www.zeldaforcongress.org)\n","firstname":"Zelda","lastname":"Briarwood","middlename":"Thaker","suffix":null,"token":"c5b8925281232d28"},"token":"Xo9vCAY0ughNMEus"},{"candidatename":"Lee Whipple","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"**Status update: Whipple lost the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary for U.S. House, North Carolina's 11th Congressional District, finishing fifth of five candidates with 1,078 votes (1.4%); Jamie Ager won the primary with 49,193 votes (64.7%). Whipple will not appear on the November 2026 general-election ballot [3].**\n\nAccording to the North Carolina voter file, Lee  Whipple is a registered voter in Buncombe County, North Carolina, registered since 2021 (5 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Lee  Whipple's year of birth as 1969; NC publishes only the year of birth in its bulk voter export, so day and month are not part of the public record [1].\n\nThe voter history file shows 5 elections voted in since 2022, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [2].\n\nThis summary draws only from the public North Carolina voter registration and history records. No additional published biographical information was located. Voters with personal knowledge of Lee  Whipple can reach ballotproject.org with corrections or additions.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 Voter Search](https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/)\n\n[2] North Carolina State Board of Elections voter history file (`ncvhis_Statewide`), published at [dl.ncsbe.gov](https://dl.ncsbe.gov/)\n\n[3] North Carolina State Board of Elections, 2026 primary election results (`results_pct_20260303`), published at [dl.ncsbe.gov](https://dl.ncsbe.gov/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-24","firstname":"Lee","lastname":"Whipple","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"44cc70689f8cd8d7"},"token":"SekxxDNhlbpJlavK"},{"candidatename":"Chuck Edwards","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Charles Marion \"Chuck\" Edwards is the incumbent Republican U.S. Representative for North Carolina\u2019s 11th Congressional District and is seeking a second term in the 2026 election, with the general ballot slated for November 3, 2026 [2][4][20]. The district covers 15 western\u2011mountain counties and is currently represented by Edwards, who first won the seat in 2022 after defeating incumbent Madison Cawthorn in the Republican primary.\n\nEdwards was born on September 13, 1960, in Waynesville, North Carolina, and graduated from West Henderson High School in 1978. He attended Blue Ridge Community College, studying business, accounting, and marketing, though he did not complete a degree program [8]. He resides in Flat Rock, North Carolina, with his wife Teresa.\n\nBefore entering politics, Edwards built a career as a businessman. He began with McDonald\u2019s, serving as an operations manager (1989\u20111991), senior business consultant (1991\u20111996), and development coordinator (1996\u20111998). He later became vice president of Henderson County Partners for Economic Progress and owned several McDonald\u2019s franchises in western North Carolina. In 2013 he was appointed director of Entegra Financial Corporation, which merged with First Citizens Bank in 2020 [8].\n\nEdwards entered public service in 2016 when Governor Pat McCrory appointed him to the North Carolina Senate to fill a vacancy. He won election to the Senate\u2019s 48th district later that year and was re\u2011elected in 2018 and 2020, serving until his swearing\u2011in to Congress in January 2023. While in the state Senate he chaired eight committees and served on 18, focusing on economic development, transportation, and education [8][2].\n\nIn the U.S. House, Edwards was assigned to the Appropriations Committee and the Budget Committee, a rare placement for a freshman lawmaker. On Appropriations he serves on four subcommittees, including Financial Services and General Government and Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies [5][19]. He has used his committee positions to bring federal resources to his district, such as securing nearly $260\u202fmillion in FEMA Public Assistance funds for hurricane recovery in western North Carolina [5]. He also received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump during his 2022 campaign [2].\n\nEdwards\u2019 public statements emphasize a \u201cmountain values\u201d agenda: growing the economy, cutting taxes and regulations, protecting election integrity, supporting American energy dominance, securing the border, and defending the Second Amendment. His campaign website outlines these priorities and highlights his work on the Appropriations subcommittee for National Security, as well as his role as a \u201cworkhorse\u201d for constituent services, a motto he uses in his district office communications [9][5].\n\nIn the 2026 cycle, Edwards won the Republican primary with 70.1% of the vote, defeating Adam Smith, and now faces Democratic nominee Jamie Ager, Libertarian Travis\u202fGroo, and Independent John Rogers in the November general election [2][4][20]. The race is rated as \u201cLikely Republican\u201d by several analysts, reflecting the district\u2019s recent voting patterns, though Democrats see an opportunity to flip the seat [3][20].\n\n## Sources\n- [2] [Chuck Edwards - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Chuck_Edwards)\n- [3] [North Carolina's 11th Congressional District election, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina's_11th_Congressional_District_election,_2026)\n- [4] [North Carolina's 11th Congressional District - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina's_11th_Congressional_District)\n- [5] [Congressman Chuck Edwards |Representing the 11th District of North Carolina](https://edwards.house.gov/)\n- [8] [Chuck Edwards - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Edwards)\n- [9] [Home page - Chuck Edwards for Congress](https://www.chuckedwardsforcongress.com/)\n- [13] [Contact Rep. Charles Edwards \u2014 Phone, Office & Staff](https://legisletter.org/legislator/charles-edwards-E000246/contact)\n- [15] [Charles Edwards - Carolina Planning](https://planning.unc.edu/faculty/edwards/)\n- [19] [Rep. Charles (Chuck) Edwards [R-NC11, 2023-2026], Representative for North Carolina's 11th Congressional District - GovTrack.us](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/charles_chuck_edwards/456914)\n- [20] [Democrats choose Ager in NC-11 primary race; Edwards wins GOP nod](https://www.bpr.org/politics-government/2026-03-03/democrats-choose-ager-in-nc-11-primary-race-edwards-wins-gop-nod)","firstname":"Charles","lastname":"Edwards","middlename":"Marion","suffix":null,"token":"c7a946150af050a7"},"token":"M9LbqwLCH47Qvh1X"},{"candidatename":"Paul Maddox","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"> **Status update.** Paul Samuel Maddox lost the Democratic primary for U.S. House District 11, finishing fourth of five candidates with 3,857 votes; Jamie Ager won with 49,193 votes (March 3, 2026). Ager advances to the November 3, 2026 general election [3].\n\nAccording to the North Carolina voter file, Paul Samuel Maddox is a registered voter in Yancey County, North Carolina, registered since 2025 (1 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Paul Samuel Maddox's year of birth as 1972; NC publishes only the year of birth in its bulk voter export, so day and month are not part of the public record [1].\n\nThe voter history file shows 12 elections voted in since 2016, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [2].\n\nThis summary draws only from the public North Carolina voter registration and history records. No additional published biographical information was located. Voters with personal knowledge of Paul Samuel Maddox can reach ballotproject.org with corrections or additions.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [North Carolina State Board of Elections -- Voter Search](https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/)\n\n[2] North Carolina State Board of Elections voter history file (`ncvhis_Statewide`), published at [dl.ncsbe.gov](https://dl.ncsbe.gov/)\n\n[3] North Carolina State Board of Elections, March 3, 2026 primary results by precinct (results_pct_20260303, dl.ncsbe.gov) -- accessed 2026-07-24; US House District 11 (DEM): Jamie Ager 49,193, Richard Hudspeth 12,063, Zelda Briarwood 9,893, Paul Maddox 3,857, Lee Whipple 1,078.","firstname":"Paul","lastname":"Maddox","middlename":"Samuel","suffix":null,"token":"1440841d1a13a2fd"},"token":"QH2eXgr3QV9HikvQ"},{"candidatename":"Adam R. Smith","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nAdam Rion Smith, known as \"Bear,\" ran as a Republican in the 2026 primary for North Carolina's 11th Congressional District, challenging incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards. He lost the March 3, 2026 primary. His campaign gained national attention for his Hurricane Helene disaster relief work in western North Carolina.\n\n## Background and education\n\nSmith was born in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and enlisted in the U.S. Army at 17, following a family tradition of military service.\n\n## Career\n\nSmith spent nearly 17 years on active duty in the Army, the majority of that time as a Green Beret with the 19th and 20th Special Forces Groups. He served in Bosnia, on multiple tours in Afghanistan, and traveled across Southeast Asia, Central America, and South America. After leaving active duty, he became Director of Training and Head Instructor at Norse Tactical, training law enforcement and Special Operations personnel. He later founded Savage Freedoms and Savage Consulting, advising businesses and nonprofits across the United States and Canada. When Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, he organized Savage Freedoms Relief Operations, which he describes as the largest civilian disaster relief operation in modern history \u2014 conducting over 2,500 air sorties and distributing 6 million pounds of supplies to affected communities.\n\n## Family\n\nSmith has a daughter in western North Carolina; his personal response to Hurricane Helene began when he set out to rescue her, conducting one of the first helicopter evacuations in the region after the storm.\n\n## Sources\n\n- [1] [Meet Adam R. Smith \u2013 Adam Smith for NC-11](https://adamrsmithfornc.com/meet-adam-r-smith/)\n- [2] [Former Green Beret Adam Smith to challenge Edwards in NC-11 Primary \u2013 Smoky Mountain News](https://smokymountainnews.com/news/item/40215-former-green-beret-adam-smith-to-challenge-edwards-in-nc-11-primary)\n- [3] [Man on a mission: In NC-11, former Green Beret confronts GOP incumbent \u2013 Smoky Mountain News](https://smokymountainnews.com/news/item/40867-man-on-a-mission-in-nc-11-former-green-beret-confronts-gop-incumbent-he-says-fell-short)","firstname":"Adam","lastname":"Smith","middlename":"Rion","suffix":null,"token":"a19eabe4652846a2"},"token":"_FvjqNaUMGALBMsH"},{"candidatename":"Jamie Ager","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"James \"Jamie\" Ager is the Democratic nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina\u2019s 11th Congressional District, appearing on the November 3, 2026 general\u2011election ballot. The role involves drafting and voting on federal legislation, overseeing federal agencies through committee work, and providing constituent services for the district.\n\nAger was born and raised in Fairview, North Carolina. He earned his high\u2011school diploma from A.C. Reynolds High School and went on to graduate from Warren Wilson College with bachelor\u2019s degrees in environmental studies (concentrating on sustainable agriculture) and history [2]. He has spent his adult life on the family\u2011owned Hickory Nut Gap Farm, a fourth\u2011generation operation that now employs about 25 workers and markets pasture\u2011raised meat throughout the region [5][16]. In addition to farming, Ager co\u2011founded the Hickory Nut Gap business, served on the Buncombe County Farm Bureau and the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, and has been active in local disaster\u2011recovery and economic\u2011development boards [2][4].\n\nAger comes from a long line of public servants. His grandfather, Jamie Clarke, served in the North Carolina House, Senate and U.S. Congress in the 1980s, while his father, John Ager, represented western\u2011mountain districts in the North Carolina House from 2015 to 2023; his brother, Eric Ager, is a current Buncombe County state representative [16]. Though rooted in a political family, Ager emphasizes his hands\u2011on farming experience as the foundation of his public service philosophy.\n\nIn the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary, Ager captured 64.7% of the vote (49,077 votes), defeating four opponents and securing the party\u2019s nomination for the congressional race [2][13][18]. He has since been added to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee\u2019s \u201cRed\u2011to\u2011Blue\u201d program, granting his campaign national fundraising, staffing and strategic support [9][10]. By the end of 2025, Ager had raised more cash than all other Democratic contenders in the district combined [18]. Endorsements include the DCCC, the Blue Dog Coalition, WelcomePAC and several local organizations [9][19].\n\nAger\u2019s platform centers on issues that affect western North Carolina\u2019s rural communities. He is prioritizing Hurricane Helene recovery funds, expanding affordable health\u2011care (including rural hospital support and prescription\u2011drug price reductions), lowering the cost of living for families, protecting public lands and outdoor economies, and investing in infrastructure such as roads, clean water and high\u2011speed broadband [4][5][9][11][12][14]. He also advocates for policies that support small\u2011business owners and farmers, including tax credits for sustainable agriculture and measures to preserve farmland [4][5][16]. While running as a Democrat, Ager describes himself as a pragmatic, \u201cmountain\u2011state\u201d candidate who will put people before partisan politics.\n\nIf elected, Ager would join Congress, where members serve two\u2011year terms, vote on federal legislation, and provide constituent services for their districts. His experience as a farmer, small\u2011business owner and community leader positions him to argue for rural interests on the national stage.\n\n## Sources\n- [2] [Jamie Ager - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jamie_Ager)\n- [3] [J. Eric Ager - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/J._Eric_Ager)\n- [4] [Democrats Work For America - Jamie Ager](https://democratsworkforamerica.org/candidates/2026/NC/Ager.html)\n- [5] [Jamie Ager for US Congress](https://agerforcongress.com/)\n- [8] [James \"Jamie\" Ager | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/people/james-ager-d761a847-ceea-4a3f-a439-847cd8b6b2a4)\n- [9] [National Dems eye North Carolina's 11th District, add candidate to 'Red to Blue' program](https://wlos.com/news/local/north-carolina-11th-congressional-district-2026-jamie-ager-chuck-edwards-republican-red-blue-program-democratic-congressional-campaign-committee)\n- [10] [NC-11 Democrats rebuke DCCC over early support for Ager \u2022 NC Newsline](https://ncnewsline.com/2026/02/26/nc-11-democrats-rebuke-dccc-over-early-support-for-ager/)\n- [11] [Democrat Edges Out Incumbent Republican in New Internal Campaign Poll - Newsweek](https://www.newsweek.com/north-carolina-democrat-edges-out-republican-campaign-poll-jamie-ager-11316985)\n- [12] [Jamie Ager: North Carolina farmer enters race for Congress in western part of state - ABC11 Raleigh-Durham](https://abc11.com/post/jamie-ager-north-carolina-farmer-enters-race-congress-western-part-state/17586288/)\n- [13] [Jamie Ager is projected to win Democratic nomination for N.C. House 11](https://wlos.com/news/local/democratic-nomination-north-carolina-11-congressional-district-primary-election-jamie-ager)\n- [14] [Jamie Ager projected to win Democratic primary in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District - CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/north-carolina-jamie-ager-11th-district-democratic-primary-results-2026-midterm-electins/)\n- [16] [Jamie Ager enters NC-11 race with message of rural roots, business acumen](https://smokymountainnews.com/news/item/39939-jamie-ager-enters-nc-11-race-with-message-of-rural-roots-business-acumen)\n- [18] [Democrats choose Ager in NC-11 primary race; Edwards wins GOP nod](https://www.bpr.org/politics-government/2026-03-03/democrats-choose-ager-in-nc-11-primary-race-edwards-wins-gop-nod)\n- [19] [The Jamie Ager, Shannon Bird, Christina Bohannan, and Sarah Trone Garriott Endorsements](https://www.welcomestack.org/p/the-jamie-ager-shannon-bird-christina)\n","firstname":"James","lastname":"Ager","middlename":"Peterson","suffix":null,"token":"3c34257757905def"},"token":"ZNCeLL-zIkMsk4Gs"},{"candidatename":"Richard Hudspeth","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nDr. Richard William Hudspeth (Democrat) ran for NC's 11th Congressional District (western NC) in the 2026 Democratic primary.\n\nHe campaigned on expanding rural healthcare access, lowering costs for families, and moving toward a national health system guaranteeing affordable care for all Americans.\n\n## Background and education\nHudspeth earned a bachelor's degree from Duke University and an M.D. from the UNC School of Medicine [1].\n\n## Career\nHudspeth practiced as a family physician in western North Carolina for more than two decades and later served as CEO of Blue Ridge Health, a federally qualified health center providing primary care across nine rural counties in Western North Carolina [1].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [About Dr. Richard Hudspeth \u2014 Campaign Website](https://web.archive.org/web/20260306144434/https://richardhudspethforcongress.com/about/) (original site is offline as of July 2026; archived via Wayback Machine, captured 2026-03-06)\n- [2] [5 Democratic Candidates Debate NC-11 \u2014 WLOS](https://wlos.com/elections/district-11-democratic-candidates-border-security-immigration-north-carolina-jamie-ager-zelda-briarwood-richard-hudspeth-lee-whipple)\n","firstname":"Richard","lastname":"Hudspeth","middlename":"William","suffix":null,"token":"b818949dccc1c795"},"token":"_VBZb0KcNWRAGHNU"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"us_representative","o.office":"us_house","office":"us_house","officedescription":"A United States Representative represents a single congressional district in the lower chamber of Congress, serving a two-year term. Representatives write and pass federal law, originate revenue bills, fund and oversee the executive branch, and serve constituents in dealings with federal agencies.","officequalities":"- Legislative craft at the federal level: reading, drafting, and amending federal statute, and knowing the law being changed.\n- Understanding of the district's economic and everyday concerns, and constituent-service capacity for casework with federal agencies.\n- Persuasion and coalition-building across party and factional lines to form working majorities.\n- Integrity: acting for constituents and the public good rather than personal gain, independent of undue influence.\n- Oversight judgment: the House funds and oversees the executive branch and the military.","officeterm":2,"officetitle":"U.S. Representative","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Us House Of Representatives District 11"}