{"id":39357,"date":"2026-08-11T21:35:30","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T16:35:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=39357"},"modified":"2026-08-11T21:35:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T16:35:30","slug":"north-carolina-state-lawmaker-tapped-after-us-rep-chuck-edwards-drops-bid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=39357","title":{"rendered":"North Carolina state lawmaker tapped after US Rep Chuck Edwards drops bid"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div id=\"beyondwords-wrapper\" data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"beyondwords-wrapper\">\n<p><span class=\"label-bg\">NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1407091\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/us-regions\/southeast\/north-carolina\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">North Carolina<\/a> state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom has been named as the new GOP nominee for the state&#8217;s 11th Congressional District in the wake of incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards&#8217; announcement last week that he was nixing his re-election bid.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">The North Carolina Republican Party 11th Congressional District Executive Committee tapped Balkcom on Monday, reports indicate.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">U.S. Sen. <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1407092\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/person\/ted-budd\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Ted Budd<\/a>, R-N.C., and U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., have both endorsed Balkcom in the race.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1407093\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/gop-rep-chuck-edwards-drops-re-election-bid-house-ethics-report-recommends-censure\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>GOP REP CHUCK EDWARDS DROPS RE-ELECTION BID AFTER HOUSE ETHICS REPORT RECOMMENDS CENSURE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/11b2309e-chuck-edwards-march-2025.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/11b2309e-chuck-edwards-march-2025.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/11b2309e-chuck-edwards-march-2025.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/11b2309e-chuck-edwards-march-2025.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/11b2309e-chuck-edwards-march-2025.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Rep. Chuck Edwards\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., leaves the Capitol Hill Club after a meeting of the House Republican Conference on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.<\/span> <span>(Tom Williams\/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;I&#8217;m blessed to receive the Republican nomination for the 11th Congressional District,&#8221; Balkcom said in part of a statement, according to <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1407094\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/APDillon_\/status\/2086974478152536223\/photo\/1\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">screenshots of the statement<\/a> that reporters posted on X.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;Like many Americans, the Democrat Party left me behind when they abandoned their values and embraced extremism. We&#8217;re seeing that extremism play out across the country, as their party nominates radical socialists who want to raise taxes, open our borders, and do away with our way of life. We must prevent that radical agenda from reaching our government, and that starts right here in the Eleventh District,&#8221; she said in the statement.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Balkcom will face Democratic candidate Jamie Ager in the general election contest.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;We are very pleased with, uh, the selection of Jennifer Balkcom to fill the ballot vacancy for North Carolina&#8217;s 11th Congressional District,&#8221; North Carolina Republican Party executive director Zach Almond told Fox News Digital during a Tuesday phone call.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;Jennifer has Western North Carolina values,&#8221; Almond said, adding that she &#8220;has a background&#8221; with &#8220;ag, banking and finance, and would be a tremendous asset to Western North Carolinians in U.S. Congress.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1407095\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/gop-lawmakers-gifts-effusive-affection-toward-young-staffers-detailed-explosive-ethics-report\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>GOP LAWMAKER&#8217;S GIFTS, &#8216;EFFUSIVE AFFECTION&#8217; TOWARD YOUNG STAFFERS DETAILED IN EXPLOSIVE ETHICS REPORT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/jennifer-balkcom-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/jennifer-balkcom-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/jennifer-balkcom-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/jennifer-balkcom-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/jennifer-balkcom-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"North Carolina state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>North Carolina state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom<\/span> <span>(North Carolina General Assembly website)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Edwards, who decisively won the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1407096\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/house-of-representatives\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">U.S. House<\/a> GOP primary in North Carolina&#8217;s 11th Congressional District earlier this year, announced last week that he was ending his run for re-election.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;After much prayer and reflection, I\u2019ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign. I will complete my current term. Serving Western North Carolina has been the honor of my life. Thank you for your trust, prayers, and support. God bless WNC and America,&#8221; Edwards said in a <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1407097\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RepChuckEdwards\/status\/2084905422482178109\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">post<\/a> on X last week.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">He made the announcement after the House Committee on Ethics issued a report about him that noted that the committee was recommending censuring him.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1407098\" href=\"https:\/\/ethics.house.gov\/press-releases\/statement-of-the-chairman-and-ranking-member-of-the-committee-on-ethics-regarding-representative-chuck-edwards-2\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">report<\/a> states that the committee found that the congressman &#8220;engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1407099\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/republican-lawmaker-welcomes-house-ethics-probe-sexual-misconduct-allegations\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER WELCOMES HOUSE ETHICS PROBE INTO SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/chuck-edwards-july-2026.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/chuck-edwards-july-2026.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/chuck-edwards-july-2026.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/chuck-edwards-july-2026.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/chuck-edwards-july-2026.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Rep. Chuck Edwards\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., departs from a House Republican Conference meeting in the U.S. Capitol Building on July 21, 2026, in Washington, D.C.<\/span> <span>(Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">It notes that although &#8220;Edwards denied that any of his conduct was intended as a sexual or romantic advance, his pattern of behavior would lead a reasonable observer to interpret it as such, including providing the young women with lavish and recurrent gifts, making comments regarding their appearance and dress, inviting them to intimate dinners and vacations, sending notes regarding his effusive affection, and inviting them to other activities as a way to spend time together.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-bio\">\n<p>Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! North Carolina state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom has been named as the new GOP nominee for the state&#8217;s 11th Congressional District in the wake of incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards&#8217; announcement last week that he was nixing his re-election bid. The North Carolina Republican Party 11th Congressional District Executive&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/11b2309e-chuck-edwards-march-2025.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39357","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=39357"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39357\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/39358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=39357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=39357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=39357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}