John Ericsson Ager

Editorial note — same-name confusion. This candidate, J. Eric Ager, is the son of John Curtis Ager Jr., a former NC House member for District 115 (2015–2023) who was the unsuccessful 2024 Democratic nominee for NC Senate District 46. They are different people with different current roles: this profile is about J. Eric Ager, the sitting District 114 representative and 2026 candidate, not his father.

Current office and 2026 campaign

J. Eric Ager (Democratic Party), whose full legal name is John Ericsson Ager, is the incumbent state representative for North Carolina House District 114 (Buncombe County), representing the district since January 1, 2023 ¹². He is running for re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election; the Democratic primary scheduled for March 3, 2026 was canceled ¹. He filed for re-election on December 1, 2025 ³.

Background and education

Ager earned a B.S. in political science and government from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1996 and a master's degree in international relations and affairs from Atilim University in Turkey in 2005 ¹².

Career

Ager served in the U.S. Navy from 1996 to 2021, including as an assistant combat direction center/operations department training officer, a helicopter squadron department head, the Europe desk officer, and a U.S. naval attaché ¹². He later worked as a professor of national security studies at the George C. Marshall Center and as executive director of Project HNG, a nonprofit ¹. He currently works as the business operations director at Hickory Nut Gap Farm in Fairview, NC, his family's farm ¹².

Office history

Ager was first elected to NC House District 114 in 2022 and took office January 1, 2023, succeeding Caleb Rudow (D) ¹.

Legislative record and accomplishments

During the 2023–2024 session, Ager served on the Agriculture, Appropriations, Appropriations on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources, Regulatory Reform, and Disaster Recovery and Homeland Security committees ¹.

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