Replacement GOP nominee named after Rep Chuck Edwards drops re-election bid

North Carolina state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom has been named as the new GOP nominee for the state’s 11th Congressional District in the wake of incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards’ announcement last week that he was nixing his re-election bid.

The North Carolina Republican Party 11th Congressional District Executive Committee tapped Balkcom on Monday, reports indicate.

U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., and U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., have both endorsed Balkcom in the race.

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“I’m blessed to receive the Republican nomination for the 11th Congressional District,” Balkcom said in part of a statement, according to screenshots of the statement that reporters posted on X.

“Like many Americans, the Democrat Party left me behind when they abandoned their values and embraced extremism. We’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,” she said in the statement.

Balkcom will face Democratic candidate Jamie Ager in the general election contest.

“We are very pleased with, uh, the selection of Jennifer Balkcom to fill the ballot vacancy for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District,” North Carolina Republican Party executive director Zach Almond told Fox News Digital during a Tuesday phone call.

“Jennifer has Western North Carolina values,” Almond said, adding that she “has a background” with “ag, banking and finance, and would be a tremendous asset to Western North Carolinians in U.S. Congress.”

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Edwards, who decisively won the U.S. House GOP primary in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District earlier this year, announced last week that he was ending his run for re-election.

“After much prayer and reflection, I’ve 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,” Edwards said in a post on X last week.

He made the announcement after the House Committee on Ethics issued a report about him that noted that the committee was recommending censuring him.

The report states that the committee found that the congressman “engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers.”

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It notes that although “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.”