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11th Congressional District · 2026 U.S. House · Unofficial result

U.S. House, 11th District: what did each candidate actually say they'd do?

IN PLAIN ENGLISH

Jamie Ager (D), a farmer, faced Republican Jennifer Balkcom, a state representative, and Libertarian Travis Groo. NC Newsline reports that Rep. Chuck Edwards "dropped his reelection bid in August" and that Republicans "picked Balkcom as Edwards' replacement on Aug. 10".2 With 100% of precincts reporting, Ager leads by 54,210 votes. Balkcom's statement says "it isn't the outcome we wanted"2 The count is unofficial until certified. Check your own address on the NC State Board of Elections voter lookup to confirm your district.

Ager leads100% of precincts reporting; unofficial until certified1
57.14%Ager (D): 195,6371
41.30%Balkcom (R): 141,4271
1.56%Groo (Libertarian): 5,3451
54,210Vote margin of 342,409 cast1

Do they have a plan?

We read every issue on each candidate's own website and checked the same six things for every one. We count what's there. We don't grade whether the ideas are good. Read the full scoring rules

Of the issues on their website, how many...Jamie AgerJennifer Capps BalkcomTravis Groo
Names a policy7 of 10
No issues page on their siteNo website found
Says how they'd do it0 of 10
No issues page on their siteNo website found
Includes a number or target0 of 10
No issues page on their siteNo website found
Says how it's paid for0 of 10
No issues page on their siteNo website found
Gives a timeline0 of 10
No issues page on their siteNo website found
Points to a record1 of 10
No issues page on their siteNo website found

The candidates, side by side

Each topic shows every candidate's own words on it, in alphabetical order, from their own website. "Nothing on this topic" means their site doesn't cover it. Topic rows are grouped by us from their headings; the scores don't change.

Jamie AgerDemocrat
Jennifer Capps BalkcomRepublican
Travis GrooLibertarian
Who they are
Jamie Ager
Farmer and business owner from Fairview, by his own account.
Jennifer Capps Balkcom
North Carolina state representative from Hendersonville. Her campaign site has no issues page.
Travis Groo
No campaign website found as of 11/5/2026.
Immigration and the border
Jamie Ager
Reforming Our Immigration System"I support reforms that treat people with dignity and give businesses the workforce they need to grow, all while keeping every community safe."3
None of the six checks
Jennifer Capps Balkcom
No issues page on their site
Travis Groo
No campaign website found
Veterans
Jamie Ager
Expanding Benefits & Services for Veterans and Military Families"I'll protect the VA from cuts and closures and push to expand clinics across the district so folks don't have to drive hours for care." Also: "I'll fight for mobile units to deliver health support and screenings for those who cannot travel."3
Names a policy
Jennifer Capps Balkcom
No issues page on their site
Travis Groo
No campaign website found
Health care
Jamie Ager
Making Quality Healthcare Affordable and Accessible"I'll push for a public option so everyone has access to quality affordable health care." Also: "I'll defend Medicare's power to negotiate drug prices and keep capping insulin and other essentials."3
Names a policy
Supporting Local Farms and a Healthy Food System"Examples are land ownership, right to repair legislation, and facilitating markets for agriculture and timber products." Also: "At Hickory Nut Gap, we partnered with the NC Department of Agriculture to get local grass-fed beef into local schools in our region."3
Names a policyPoints to a record
Jennifer Capps Balkcom
No issues page on their site
Travis Groo
No campaign website found
Energy and environment
Jamie Ager
Defending Our Environment and Public Lands"These are assets that we must cherish and protect. I'll never allow them to be sold off."3
Names a policy
Jennifer Capps Balkcom
No issues page on their site
Travis Groo
No campaign website found
Disasters and the coast
Jamie Ager
Recovering from Hurricane Helene"In Congress, my top priority will be delivering recovery funds and pushing to help our region come back even stronger than we were. Let's cut red tape and get money to where it matters most: on the ground, in the hands of the people and our small businesses."3
None of the six checks
Jennifer Capps Balkcom
No issues page on their site
Travis Groo
No campaign website found
Crime and public safety
Jamie Ager
Keeping Our Communities Safe"We need more federal funding to improve firefighter pay and our rural fire stations."3
None of the six checks
Jennifer Capps Balkcom
No issues page on their site
Travis Groo
No campaign website found
Ethics, term limits and money in politics
Jamie Ager
Stopping Government Waste and Corruption"I'll fight to ban members of Congress from stock trading, so no one is using insider knowledge for personal gain."3
Names a policy
Jennifer Capps Balkcom
No issues page on their site
Travis Groo
No campaign website found
Taxes, jobs and the economy
Jamie Ager
Lowering Costs"I'll push to expand grants and the child tax credit for young families." Also: "And I'll support reforms that help working people, like no tax on tips"3
Names a policy
Growing Small Businesses and Good Jobs"I'll fight to cut red tape and expand access to loans and grants for our small businesses affected by Helene."3
Names a policy
Jennifer Capps Balkcom
No issues page on their site
Travis Groo
No campaign website found
Their record
Jamie Ager
  • Farmer, and co-founder of Hickory Nut Gap Farm, which he says supports 25 employees, by his own account.4 Says his farm "partnered with the NC Department of Agriculture" to get local beef into schools.3 His home page now calls him Representative-elect.
Jennifer Capps Balkcom
  • Represents Henderson County in the North Carolina House, per her campaign site.5 A page labeled a credit union groups' member communication says she "helped modernize North Carolina's credit union charter laws".6
Travis Groo
None listed
In their words
Jamie Ager

"I am a patriot who believes we can do better and that we should not succumb to cynicism."

Jamie Ager, campaign Platform page3

"My job is to be a representative of all of Western NC."

Jamie Ager, campaign Platform page3
Jennifer Capps Balkcom

"For Jennifer, Western North Carolina isn't just where she lives, it's home."

Jennifer Balkcom, campaign home page (third-person bio)5

"While it isn't the outcome we wanted, I am proud of the campaign we were able to mount in such a short span of time"

Jennifer Balkcom, statement quoted by NC Newsline, 11/3/20262
Travis Groo
None
Where we read it
Jamie Ager
Website: agerforcongress.com/platform (checked 11/5/2026)
Jennifer Capps Balkcom
Website: jenniferbalkcom.com/ (checked 11/5/2026)
Travis Groo
No campaign website found (checked 11/5/2026)

The middle

Where they agree

  • Both describe Western North Carolina farm roots. Ager: "I'm a fourth generation farmer raising a family here in Western North Carolina."3 Balkcom's site: "Jennifer Balkcom is an eighth-generation Western North Carolinian who grew up on her family's apple farm in Henderson County"5
  • Both talk about helping families buy a home. Ager: "I'll support programs for first time home buyers and public service employees like teachers, firefighters, and first responders."3 The credit union groups' page says: "Jennifer believes in helping working families achieve the goal of owning a home"6

Where they really split

  • Tips: Ager backs reforms "like no tax on tips"3 and adds "real tips, not bonuses for CEOs"3 The credit union groups' page says Balkcom supports "eliminating North Carolina state income tax on tips, overtime pay, and bonuses"6
  • Taxes: Ager: "I'll push both parties to reform the tax code so the folks at the top pay their fair share."3 The same page says Balkcom wants working families to "keep more of the money they earn"6

What each one leaves out

  • Ager names a policy on seven of his ten issues but spells out how on none, and gives no numbers, costs or dates. Helene recovery, his stated top priority, names no program or amount.3
  • Balkcom's campaign site is a biography with no issue pages, so there is nothing to score. The only policy statements we found are on a page that credit union groups say they produced, which we quote but do not score.5, 6
Sources (checked 11/5/2026)
  1. NC State Board of Elections results, statewide, unofficial (100% of precincts reporting, last county upload Nov 4, 2026 4:13 PM): er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/03/2026&county_id=0&office=FED&contest=0
  2. NC Newsline, "Democrat Jamie Ager flips western North Carolina US House seat," 11/3/2026 (updated 11/4/2026): ncnewsline.com/2026/11/03/democrat-jamie-ager-flips-western-north-carolina-us-house-seat/
  3. Jamie Ager campaign, Platform: agerforcongress.com/platform
  4. Jamie Ager campaign, Meet Jamie: agerforcongress.com/about
  5. Jennifer Balkcom campaign, Home: jenniferbalkcom.com/
  6. ncneedsbalkcom.com, "Jennifer Balkcom for U.S. Congress" page (footer: member communication by credit union groups; quoted, not scored): ncneedsbalkcom.com/