North Carolina’s primary races are heating up as diverse candidates vie for positions in competitive districts.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ Before the general election battle begins, North Carolina voters will first have to decide who gets on the ballot, and in several competitive districts, those choices are anything but simple.
There are several candidates in the running, and on March 3, 2026, Democratic and Republican voters will decide which candidate will move forward to the general election on Nov. 3, 2026.
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The Republican primary
Chuck Edwards, born in Waynesville, is the incumbent Republican representing North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District. Since taking office in January 2023, he has built a reputation as a results-driven legislator, earning the rare distinction, as a freshman, of being appointed to both the House Appropriations Committee and the Budget Committee.
Before Congress, Edwards built his career in business ownership, real estate, and as director of Entegra Financial. In office, his focus has been on cutting through federal bureaucracy and delivering for western NC constituents, helping them navigate federal agencies and address everyday concerns, according to his campaign’s website.
That work was on full display recently when Edwards announced the release of more than $165 million in FEMA reimbursement funds for Hurricane Helene recovery, the result of direct engagement with Trump administration officials, Speaker Mike Johnson, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. For Edwards, it’s a tangible example of what having an experienced, well-positioned congressman can deliver for the region.
His primary challenger, Adam Smith, is a former Green Beret who founded Savage Ops, a disaster relief organization that gained national recognition, including from President Trump, for its on-the-ground response to Helene. Smith has no prior political experience, but his visibility in the hardest-hit communities has earned him a following among voters who felt the federal response fell short.
Smith has been openly critical of Edwards’ post-storm performance, positioning himself as someone who didn’t wait for Washington to act. His campaign centers on the economy, national security, immigration, and election integrity, and his pitch to Republican voters is straightforward: when western NC needed help, he showed up.
The Democratic primary
Jamie Ager is a fourth-generation farmer from Fairview, NC. He grew up on his family’s Hickory Nut Gap Farm and has built a campaign around his deep roots in western North Carolina. He’s emphasized his background in agriculture and business and said people see him less through a partisan lens and more as a friend, neighbor and community member. Ager’s platform is on supporting local farms, making healthcare affordable and accessible, expanding benefits and services for veterans and military families, reforming the immigration system, citing it needs to be clear, fair and realistic, as well as keeping the communities safe.
Zelda Briarwood is the youngest candidate in the field. As a mental health professional, she’s focused on increasing funding for rural healthcare, investing in education, cutting corporate tax breaks and protecting the right to privacy and bodily autonomy. Briarwood argued that working-class perspectives are underrepresented in Washington and that her allegiance is to people.
Richard Hudspeth is a physician and former Blue Ridge Health CEO. He is leaning on his background running a large healthcare organization as his primary credential. According to his campaign website, Hudspeth said he’s running because western NC families were struggling long before Helene, with housing costs, shrinking paychecks, and hospital closures. He argues that elected officials showed up after the disaster for the cameras and then left, while he stayed.
Paul Maddox is bringing a scientist’s approach to his congressional run. A cancer researcher and UNC-Chapel Hill professor regarded as a leader in biotechnology, Maddox is running on lowering costs, expanding healthcare access and restoring a government he believes has lost touch with the people it represents.
Lee Whipple is using his technical expertise as a licensed civil engineer to build his campaign on helping the district recover from Helene. Where other candidates speak broadly about the topic, Whipple argues his infrastructure background gives him a hands-on understanding of what that work requires.
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