{"biography":"Jennifer Capps Balkcom is the incumbent Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 117 and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election\u202f[1][2]. The 117th district covers most of Henderson County in western North Carolina. As a state legislator she serves a two\u2011year term that began on January\u202f1,\u202f2023 and runs through January\u202f1,\u202f2027\u202f[1][2].\n\nBalkcom was born and raised in Henderson County, graduating from East Henderson High School before earning an associate degree in Business Administration/Banking and Finance from Blue Ridge Community College in 2016\u202f[1][9]. She has spent her professional career in the banking and mortgage\u2011lending industry, advancing from teller to branch manager and later to mortgage loan officer, most recently with ALCOVA Mortgage\u202f[11].\n\nHer community involvement is extensive. She has held leadership positions as vice president of the Hendersonville Women\u2019s Club and the Hendersonville Lions Club, and served as treasurer of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Western North Carolina\u202f[1][11]. Balkcom also sits on the boards of the Henderson County Education Foundation, the Advent Health Foundation, the Henderson County Planning Board, and the non\u2011profit The Store House, among others\u202f[1][11][20].\n\nIn the legislature Balkcom has been assigned to several key committees, including Agriculture, Banking, House Finance, Local Government \u2013 Land Use, Planning and Development, and State Government during the 2023\u20112024 session\u202f[1][15]. She has sponsored a range of bills, such as the \u201cBack the Blue Pay Act\u201d (HB\u202f42) and the \u201cFarmers Protection Act\u201d (HB\u202f62), reflecting interests in public safety, agricultural preservation, and property rights\u202f[6].\n\nBalkcom\u2019s campaign platform emphasizes conservative priorities: returning to paper ballots and ballot inspection, strict border enforcement, eliminating the state income tax, protecting Second Amendment rights, defending the unborn, supporting parental rights, school choice, and opposing critical race theory\u202f[10]. She describes herself as a \u201cproven conservative fighter\u201d who grew up on a family farm and has deep roots in Henderson County\u202f[10][20].\n\nIf re\u2011elected, Balkcom will continue to represent the interests of Henderson County residents in the state House, drawing on her banking expertise, legislative experience, and long\u2011standing community service.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Jennifer Balkcom - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jennifer_Balkcom)\n- [2] [Jennifer Capps Balkcom - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jennifer_Capps_Balkcom)\n- [3] [Michael O'Shea (North Carolina) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Michael_O'Shea_(North_Carolina))\n- [4] [Representative Jennifer Balkcom - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/DistrictRepresentation/H/117)\n- [5] [Representative Jennifer Balkcom - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/820)\n- [6] [Representative Jennifer Balkcom's Introduced Bills - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/IntroducedBills/H/820)\n- [9] [Jennifer Balkcom - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Balkcom)\n- [10] [Jennifer Balkcom for State House](https://www.votebalkcom.com/)\n- [11] [Jennifer Balkcom's Biography](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/202758/jennifer-balkcom)\n- [14] [Jennifer Balkcom - Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124668538)\n- [15] [Jennifer Balkcom \u2013 North Carolina State Representative](https://repbio.org/jennifer-balkcom/)\n- [18] [Jennifer Balkcom - North Carolina House Republican Caucus](https://www.nchouserepublicans.com/members/jennifer-balkcom/)\n- [19] [Jennifer Balkcom - Representative from North Carolina](https://sengov.com/states/north-carolina/jennifer-balkcom/)\n- [20] [Get to know Rep.-elect Jennifer Balkcom - NC Tribune](https://nctribune.com/news/2022/dec/09/get-to-know-rep-elect-jennifer-balkcom/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_117","county":"buncombe","county_count":6,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 117"},{"contest":"state_house_117","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 117"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Jennifer","fullname":"Jennifer Capps Balkcom","lastname":"Balkcom","middlename":"Capps","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_117","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 117","county":"buncombe","county_count":6,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},{"contest":"state_house_117","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 117","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"state_house_117","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 117","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Jennifer Capps Balkcom is the Republican incumbent for North Carolina House District\u202f117, running for re\u2011election in 2026.","terms":[],"token":"48bf2461c322d4da"}