The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is adding Jamie Ager to its “Red to Blue” program, promising to invest in the general election for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District if Ager is the candidate.
DCCC announced Monday that Ager is one of 12 candidates across the country selected for this program, which targets U.S. House seats the DCCC believes could flip from Republican to Democratic with more resources, training and fundraising support. It’s unclear how much DCCC plans to invest in the November race.
At the moment, Republicans hold a 218-214 majority in the House. There are three vacancies.
“House Democrats are on offense and poised to take back the majority, thanks in large part to the strength of our candidates,” DCCC chair Suzan DelBene said in a statement. “The candidates named to this first round of our Red to Blue program are united by their desire to fight for hardworking families in their districts — not the billionaires bankrolling Republicans’ corrupt and divisive machine.”
The support indicates national Democrats are backing Ager against his primary opponents and incumbent GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards, who is running for his third term.
North Carolina’s primary election takes place on March 3. Early voting runs through Feb. 28.
“I’m honored to be added to this program,” Ager said in a statement. “Our campaign is bringing people from across Western North Carolina together around our shared values and working to address the issues that matter to people here — Helene recovery, lowering the cost of living, and fighting corruption in our government.”
Ager, a fourth-generation farmer from Fairview, founded and owns Hickory Nut Gap Farms, a sustainable meat company with 25 employees and farmers across the region. He was motivated to run for office following Hurricane Helene and its aftermath, according to his campaign, but he also comes from a political family.
Ager’s grandfather Jamie Clarke represented the 11th Congressional District in Congress from 1983 to 1985 and 1987 to 1991, following a stint in the state legislature. His brother Eric serves in the state House. It’s the same seat their father John once held.
Reports filed with the Federal Election Commission show Ager has raised about $940,000 through Feb. 11, more than the rest of the candidates vying for the Democratic nomination combined. But he hasn’t been quick to spend his funds.
He’s running a fairly quiet campaign, according to Chris Cooper, a political scientist at Western Carolina University. Cooper said Ager doesn’t have a ton of ads or yard signs, and he hasn’t received any of the candidate’s campaign mailers.
“He seems to be moving from the assumption that he’s likely to win the primary, and he’s keeping his powder dry for the general,” Cooper said.
Mental health professional Zelda Briarwood, family physician Richard Hudspeth, cancer researcher Paul Maddox and civil engineer Lee Whipple are also seeking the nomination, but the DCCC announcement did not mention them.
“We are disappointed the DCCC is not acknowledging the competitive five-person primary that has a week left of voting,” Laurel Sherburne, Maddox’s campaign manager, told NC Newsline in an email.
Briarwood questioned where Ager’s loyalties lie after receiving support at the national level.
“The people of Western North Carolina are sick and tired of politics-as-usual, political dynasties and insider dealings. The working class earns everything they have while the political elites are handpicked and favored,” she wrote in an email. “Does Jamie actually want to represent WNC or just toe the party line?”
Representatives for the other candidates in the Democratic primary did not immediately respond to NC Newsline’s requests for comment.
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