A DCCC social media post endorsing Jamie Ager over his rivals in the Democratic primary for N.C.'s 11th Congressional District. (Image: DCCC)
Three candidates in the Democratic primary for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District are calling out the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for backing another contender in the race.
The DCCC announced Monday it was adding Jamie Ager to its “Red to Blue” program, which targets U.S. House seats the group believes could flip from Republican to Democratic with more resources, training and fundraising support. There are 12 candidates in the first round of the initiative.
Republicans currently hold a 218-214 majority in the House, with three vacant seats.
But a coalition of 17 political hopefuls across the country, each running in a primary against a DCCC-backed candidate, are criticizing the group for what they say is interference early on in the election cycle.
“Such early institutional backing also carries significant influence in the primary process — often shaping fundraising pipelines, access, and perceived viability before voters have had the opportunity to evaluate the full field,” the coalition wrote in a Tuesday letter.
“Across the country, Democratic candidates are raising concerns about a growing pattern of early intervention in primary elections from the DCCC — a trend they say risks weakening voter trust and diminishing the role of voters in selecting their own nominees,” the letter continued.
NC-11 candidates mental health professional Zelda Briarwood, family physician Richard Hudspeth and cancer researcher Paul Maddox signed the letter.
Ager, a fourth-generation farmer who comes from a political family, has raised more money than the rest of his opponents combined. Still, the race isn’t over yet. The eventual nominee in the western North Carolina district will face incumbent GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards in November.
Hudspeth’s team told NC Newsline in a statement they’re disappointed in the decision, but remain confident that voters will be the ones to pick the outcome.
“As more coverage of the candidates rolls out, it’s becoming clear that some party officials are prioritizing fundraising totals over grassroots energy, local excitement, and proven ability to do the job,” the statement read. “But numbers on a spreadsheet don’t vote. People do.”
Maddox said the announcement is symptomatic of the wealth gap in the country.
“I would really love for the voters to be able to voice their opinions, and I know they will, it’s just there should be a little more level playing field,” he told NC Newsline.
Briarwood had similar concerns about the lack of input from the general public.
“Before a single ballot was recorded, Washington insiders told western North Carolina to sit down and shut up,” she wrote in an email. “We do not need another dynasty.”
In North Carolina, early voting began last week and runs through Saturday. The primary election takes place March 3.
Chris Cooper, a political scientist at Western Carolina University, said it’s challenging to determine when to share an announcement like the DCCC’s when different states hold their primaries at varying times.
“The question is whether parties should play a part in selecting the best candidate, or whether they should be agnostic until the primary is over,” he said. “Our primary season in America is long, and so if they were to wait until every primary was over before coming out with this list, it would definitely shorten the fundraising window,” he said.
Some states included on the DCCC’s list have their primary elections much later, like Virginia on Aug. 4. It’s unclear how many more rounds of candidates the group will add to the program, or if their states’ primary dates played a role in the timing.
While an individual candidate may resonate more with a party’s base, the DCCC also has to consider who’s most electable in the general election, Meredith College political scientist David McLennan said.
He described the western North Carolina region as fairly conservative and in a more populist area of the state.
“The Democrats have made a decision that this is the kind of candidate they think can win in District 11 and beat Chuck Edwards,” McLennan told NC Newsline.
Civil engineer Lee Whipple, the fifth candidate in the NC-11 Democratic primary, did not sign the letter or immediately respond to a request for comment.
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