A group of Republican leaders from across North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District will meet on Monday, Aug. 10, to select a candidate to replace Rep. Chuck Edwards (R) on the November ballot.
Several Republicans have already signaled they would like to replace Edwards, who dropped his reelection bid Wednesday after the House Ethics Committee recommended he be censured for inappropriate conduct toward two female staffers.
State Sen. Tim Moffitt (District 48) said in a post on X Wednesday that he’s considering a run.
“The 11th District needs a conservative who will stand shoulder to shoulder with President Trump, champion Western North Carolina values, and run a campaign that's ready to win from day one — with the organization, the coalition, and the resources to hold this seat,” Moffitt said in the post. “Over the next few days, I'll be talking with leaders and neighbors across the district about my potential candidacy to represent Western NC in Congress.”
U.S. Army veteran Adam Smith, who unsuccessfully ran against Edwards in this year’s primary, also said in a Facebook post that he may be interested in running.
“Since the news broke, my phone hasn't stopped. I'm grateful for every patriot who reached out,” Smith said. “I'm in communication with district leadership and with the potential candidates the 11th District Executive Committee may consider when it meets Monday evening. Nothing is off the table.”
Mortgage broker Christian Reagan, who lost to Edwards in the 2024 Republican primary, told the Smoky Mountain News he is “definitely” interested.
Several General Assembly members from western North Carolina have said they don’t want to run for the seat. They include state Sen. Kevin Corbin (District 50), who announced on Facebook Wednesday he won’t be a candidate; state Sen. Warren Daniel (District 46), who told The Assembly he’s not running; and state Reps. Mark Pless (District 118) and Jennifer Balkcom (District 117), who told The Assembly they’re taking a pass on the race. Balkcom said she is supporting Moffitt.
Other state legislators have not yet signaled their intentions, including state Sen. Ralph Hise (District 47) and state Reps. Karl Gillespie (District 120), Anna Ferguson (District 119), Jake Johnson (District 113) and Dudley Greene (District 85).
Merry Guy, who chairs the 11th District Republican Party, said in a Facebook post that the committee plans to announce its choice immediately after Monday night’s meeting.
“While this kind of rapid-fire political moment can feel complex, our Party is energized and ready to get to work to elect the strongest candidate possible who will fight for the people of Western North Carolina,” she said.
One wrinkle in the process: If the committee chooses a current state legislator to replace Edwards on the ballot, that person will have to give up their current campaign for reelection to the General Assembly. North Carolina state law prohibits candidates from running for two separate offices at the same time.
Constituents react
A few hours after Edwards announced he was dropping his reelection bid, residents in downtown Hendersonville reacted with a mix of frustration and dismay at the congressman’s behavior toward his staff members.
Hendersonville resident Karen Pachete is a registered Republican who has voted since she was 18 years old. She said she was planning to cast her ballot for Edwards.
“I’m shocked. I thought he was a good politician. And I’m very disappointed,” Pachete said in an interview on Main Street Wednesday afternoon, a few blocks away from the congressman’s district office.
Pachete said there is a chance she may vote for Democrat Jamie Ager. Still, she liked how Edwards kept the community informed after Hurricane Helene, but the allegations are hard to ignore.
“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” she said. “I’m sorry, but these things just don’t come out of the woodwork. There has to be a basis for it. Which is very sad. Very sad.”
In general, Pachete said she wants to see more cooperation between members of both parties to improve the lives of community members.
Of the roughly one-dozen people BPR spoke with, most voiced similar disappointment with Edwards and said they want a candidate who will prioritize the people over their own personal interests.
Richard Mummert, another Hendersonville resident, said he was surprised by the Edwards news and is frustrated with members of both parties.
“We need to vote out all incumbents – Democrat, Republican, across the board,” Mummert said. “We’re in a mess. And the incumbents got us here.”
