The Political Beat Candidate Guide: House of Representatives District 11

CHARLOTTE — District 11 includes Avery County in the United States House of Representatives.

Republican candidate Chuck Edwards is running to maintain the spot he has held since 2022.

Edwards is running for reelection against one other Republican candidate and five Democratic candidates.

Challenging Edwards in the GOP primary is Adam R. Smith. On the Democratic side, Zelda Briarwood, Jamie Ager, Lee Whipple, Paul Maddox, and Richard Hudspeth are running.

Edwards, Smith, Briarwood and Hudspeth did not respond to our candidate guide. We will update the candidate guide with their responses if we receive them

Jamie Ager (D)

What is your occupation? Farmer and Owner of Hickory Nut Gap

What should the role of the United States be in Venezuela, the Ukraine-Russia war and the Israel-Palestine conflict? The United States should lead with diplomacy, strong alliances, and a clear focus on protecting democracy and human rights, while avoiding unnecessary military conflicts.

We should not send blank checks for anyone without oversight, and we need to ban professional lobbying on foreign interests. Across all of these conflicts, our goal should be to support democracy, protect innocent lives, and use American leadership to prevent war rather than escalate it.

In Ukraine, we should continue supporting the Ukrainian people as they defend their sovereignty against Russian aggression, while working with NATO and our allies in the region toward a just and lasting peace.

In Israel and Palestine, we can support Israel’s right to defend itself while also holding bad actors accountable. We must push to end settlement expansion and occupation, expand humanitarian aid, and move back toward a negotiated two-state solution that ensures dignity, security, and self-determination for both Israelis and Palestinians.

In Venezuela, the U.S. should prioritize diplomacy, humanitarian support, and regional cooperation to encourage democratic reforms and stability. Not heavy-handed intervention.

Are you in favor of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration? What immigration reform measures do you support? I support enforcing our immigration laws, but I don’t support tactics that undermine Constitutional rights, target families, or erode trust in our government and law enforcement. Kristi Noem’s ICE is doing that in an unprecedented way, and they must be held accountable for their failure. Our enforcement should focus on violent criminals, follow due process, and be held to clear standards of accountability — just as local law enforcement officers are.

Congress has used this issue as a political football for too long. We must pass real immigration reform that provides protection for Dreamers, establishes clear pathways for citizenship while keeping families together, and properly secures our border.

What sets you apart from your opponents? I’m a fourth-generation Western North Carolina farmer and small business owner who has built something real from the ground up that created local jobs and brought people together across backgrounds and political lines.

I’m running to deliver full recovery after Hurricane Helene, lower costs for working families, and restore trust in government by putting people ahead of politics. This campaign is about practical leadership for Western NC, not party labels, Washington talking points, or political insiders.

I’m rejecting corporate PAC money and influence from special interest groups and will only be accountable to the people of Western NC. Chuck Edwards cannot say the same.

Lee Whipple (D)

What is your occupation? Licensed Civil Engineer

Over the last year, we have heard terms like “affordability crisis” and concerns from the state about health care affordability. Do you think there is an “affordability crisis,” and if so, what should be done to solve it? Wages have not risen for a long time for most of our citizens. A Federal Living Wage based on the ratio of a State’s Electoral Votes / Total USA Electoral Votes is necessary. I have created a spreadsheet as an example. If everyone has more to spend, the general economy will do better. The Federal Government should be helping to lower Health Insurance Premiums, not raise them.

What should the role of the United States be in Venezuela, the Ukraine-Russia war and the Israel-Palestine conflict? Each of these situations is different. Now that Trump has destabilized Venezuela, it is probably best to leave the current government in place. If we try to instantly call for Elections, there may be violence. Ukraine has always had corruption, but at least it is trying to embrace democracy. Since Russia invaded to try to stop this, military equipment and ISR assistance is appropriate. Israel needs to respect the peace and allow humanitarian aid. Trump seems to have moved on to other matters, but this region cannot be forgotten.

Are you in favor of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration? What immigration reform measures do you support? ICE behaviour has been despicable. Rounding up people and arresting them violently based on their appearance is Racial Discrimination and should be stopped by a Judicial Order. It seems that Trump might like to have a Paramilitary Force that is answerable only to him. Even if that is not his intention, the fact that it is within his power to do must be halted.

What sets you apart from your opponents? I am a Licensed Civil Engineer, which means that I deal with Government Agencies and Regulations more than any of my opponents. In dealing with Construction and Permitting Projects, I am also the most qualified to oversee the Recovery from Hurricane Helene.

Paul Maddox (D)

What is your occupation? Cell Biology Professor and Researcher on leave

Over the last year, we have heard terms like “affordability crisis” and concerns from the state about health care affordability. Do you think there is an “affordability crisis,” and if so, what should be done to solve it? There is absolutely an affordability crisis right now. Americans today are struggling to pay bills, put food on the table, and pay for skyrocketing healthcare premiums, but the interests of the top 1% are the priority of Washington. I will support measures to raise the federal minimum wage based on cost of living per state, incentivize affordable, climate resilient housing, ban corporate price gouging, to ensure all Americans receive health insurance, and offer comprehensive first-time homebuyer assistance.

What should the role of the United States be in Venezuela, the Ukraine-Russia war and the Israel-Palestine conflict? In Congress, my main goal is to keep the people of Western North Carolina at the forefront of my mind with every vote I cast. There are countless problems facing the average American everyday that we are not adequately addressing, but there are instances where we, as a country, need to intervene in global conflicts and wars for the sake of protecting human rights, democratic sovereignty, the world economy, and natural environment. My priority is on helping improve the lives of those in my district and ensuring the federal budget is appropriately utilized to solve domestic issues, with our last resort being international intervention in those instances of human rights violations.

Are you in favor of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration? What immigration reform measures do you support? I strongly oppose Trump, ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the border patrol’s violent and unconstitutional attacks on immigrants. Their “crackdown” is not focused solely on undocumented immigrants- it is an attack on all immigrants through profiling perpetuated by this administration’s fear mongering. Their tactics have not made our country safer. They have created widespread terror in and destabilization of communities across the country. In 2026 alone, at least eight people have been murdered at the hands of ICE and border patrol. Regardless of immigration status, immigrants are contributing members of American society, both culturally and economically. The path to citizenship must be reformed and streamlined to remove unnecessary complexities and years-long waiting periods.

What sets you apart from your opponents? NC-11 spans 15.5 counties in Western North Carolina and is far more than the political landscape of Asheville and Buncombe County alone. My family has lived in Yancey County longer than the county has existed and helped build the region into what it is today. Democrats did not win any county aside from Buncombe in 2024, 2022, 2020, or 2018 and with NC-11 being viewed as a flippable seat this year, the Democratic nominee needs to increase the margin of victory in Buncombe county and flip other counties. I believe my connections to and understanding of rural NC-11 is how Democrats win. In addition, the growth of AI without meaningful regulations is extremely concerning. As a research scientist, I have been using AI for medical research for decades and strongly believe that Congress needs legislators who understand the nuances of AI usage. AI can and has been used to modernize modern medicine and medical research, but it also can and has been used for nefarious reasons. We must regulate AI usage and data center development now and that takes leaders in Congress who have the intimate knowledge of AI that I hold.