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John Ericsson Ager

John Ericsson Ager
Candidate for None None, None None

John Ager is a Democratic candidate for the North Carolina State Senate in District 46 in the November 3 2026 election. Ager previously served eight years (four terms) in the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 115, representing western Buncombe County from 2015 until 2023, and he was the Democratic nominee for the same Senate seat in 2024, losing to incumbent Republican Warren Daniel [1][16].

Born John Curtis Ager Jr. on February 26 1949 in Atlanta, Georgia, he earned a B.A. in American History from Williams College and a teaching certificate from the University of North Carolina‑Asheville [10][19]. He and his wife Annie have raised four sons on their family farm, Hickory Nut Gap, in Fairview, NC, where he also serves as land manager and co‑founder of several community initiatives [10][19].

Before entering politics, Ager worked as a history teacher at the Newfound School, a carpenter, and a farmer. He has authored a book on Western North Carolina agriculture, We Plow God’s Fields, and contributed to a regional history volume [19]. He has held leadership roles with the Buncombe County Agricultural Advisory Board, the Fairview Town Crier, and numerous nonprofit boards.

In the House, Ager served on a range of committees, including Agriculture, Appropriations (General Government and Agriculture & Natural Resources), Local Government, Regulatory Reform, Wildlife Resources, and Education‑K‑12, among others [1][6]. He sponsored legislation on topics such as school nurses (HB 347), marijuana justice and reinvestment (HB 576), food waste reduction (HB 938/939), pollinator protection (HB 828), and the NC Healthy Soils Act (HB 798) [5].

Ager’s campaign platform emphasizes public‑education funding, support for small farms and soil health, clean water and air, election‑law reform to end gerrymandering, and protecting reproductive‑health choices. In a 2024 voter guide he described himself as a “Jim Hunt Democrat” focused on fixing roads, paying teachers, and expanding affordable housing [16][17]. He also advocates for a non‑partisan redistricting commission and for using state surplus funds for emergency needs and targeted education scholarships [16][19].

Although his 2024 Senate bid was unsuccessful, Ager remains active in the community and appears to be seeking the Senate seat again in 2026, continuing his long‑standing involvement in Western North Carolina politics.

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