US Congress seats: Another Democrat launches campaign to represent NC 11th district

Yahoo

4 days ago

At least one more Democratic candidate is planning to run to represent North Carolina's 11th Congressional District, a seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, a second-term Republican from Henderson County.
Jacob Lawrence, 26, filed a statement of candidacy form with the Federal Elections Commission on July 21. He released a tongue-in-cheek campaign video July 28 playing on his relative youth in politics, saying he was 'hip enough for your grandkids,' yet 'square enough for your grandparents.'
Lawrence is originally from Mooresville, which is north of Charlotte in Iredell County, in North Carolina's 10th Congressional District. He earned an economics degree from Brigham Young University, he said.
Most recently, Lawrence said he has been working in Nairobi, Kenya as project manager for the United Nations World Food Programme, helping with food security initiatives. He is currently looking for an apartment in Asheville and plans to campaign full time, he told the Citizen Times on July 25.
Describing his run as one that falls into the 'concerned citizen' type, Lawrence said he will focus on 'upstream issues' like political disenfranchisement and corruption, specifically gerrymandering and campaign finance reform, if elected.
'Like a lot of people, I'm aware there's a lot of issues to be faced — a lot of issues to be tackled,' Lawrence said. 'And while I might not be the perfect person, you look at who's currently sitting in office, and you say, 'Well, I can't do a worse job?''
Lawrence also said he'll focus on local issues like Tropical Storm Helene recovery and veterans' affairs
Earlier in July, Jamie Ager, CEO and co-founder of Hickory Nut Gap Farm, confirmed he would also be vying for the seat.
'My hope is to bring working class roots to the Democratic party,' Ager said July 15, citing his business experience and deep roots in the community.
In June, Moe Davis, a retired Air Force colonel-turned author and podcaster, announced his bid for Congress. Davis, 66, ran for the same seat in 2020, losing to Republican Madison Cawthorn. Chris Harjes, a Buncombe County real estate investor and nurse practitioner, announced his run for Congress in May. Zelda Briarwood and Marcus Blankenship have also announced their bids for the seat.
North Carolina's 11th Congressional District is typically a Republican stronghold. The last Democrat to win was former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler in 2006. Shuler defeated Charles Taylor, a long-time Republican member of Congress from Transylvania County.
More: Jamie Ager, Hickory Nut Gap Farm CEO and co-founder, running for Congress
More: Roy Cooper, former NC governor, launches US Senate campaign
More: Asheville Citizen Times staff recognized for journalism excellence in Helene coverage
Jacob Biba is the Helene recovery reporter at the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [e-mail]
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: US Congress: Another Democratic candidate launches bid for NC seat
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