Five potential candidates are being considered to replace Congressman Chuck Edwards as the Republican nominee for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District ahead of a committee meeting on Monday, Aug. 10.
The North Carolina Republican Party's 11th Congressional District Executive Committee will choose between:
Jennifer Balkcom, a Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Ken McKim, a Republican political figure who notably ran as a candidate for the North Carolina State Senate in 2006 and briefly filed as a congressional candidate in 2021–2022.
Chad Nesbitt, a Republican activist and president of Skyline News in Asheville.
Matthew Burril, a Republican who ran for the U.S. House to represent North Carolina's 11th Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on May 17, 2022.
Kristie Sluder, a Republican who ran for election to the North Carolina State Senate to represent District 49. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
The person selected will take Edwards’ place on the Republican ticket for November’s midterm election.
The list of potential candidates comes after state Sen. Tim Moffitt announced he would not seek the nomination. Moffitt had been viewed as a potential frontrunner for the seat.
“It is surprising,” said Chris Cooper, director of Western Carolina University’s Public Policy Institute. “This is obviously moving very, very quickly, but I think a lot of folks, myself included, thought that Tim Moffitt was probably the leading candidate.”
Moffitt announced his decision on X, writing that his responsibilities to his family and businesses would not allow him to commit to more than a few years in Congress.
NCGOP executive director Zach Almond told News 13 he is confident the committee will reach a decision Monday night.
“I think that coming out of tomorrow night, they'll select someone who will do really well in the November election,” Almond said.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. Monday.
“Really, it could be anybody,” Cooper said. “Let’s remember, this is not like a normal election. State law says the executive committee gets to make this decision.”
STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOS.
