Jamie Ager (D) defeated Jennifer Balkcom (R) in the general election for North Carolina's 11th Congressional District on November 3, 2026.

Incumbent Chuck Edwards (R) suspended his re-election campaign on August 5, 2026, after the House Ethics Committee recommended that the full House censure him following allegations of inappropriate behavior around female staffers.

In 2024, President Donald Trump (R) defeated Kamala Harris (D) 54.2%–44.7% within the boundaries of the 11th District. That year, Edwards defeated Caleb Rudow (D) 56.8%–43.2%. Although North Carolina adopted new district maps ahead of the 2026 elections, the boundaries of the 11th District did not change. As of November 2026, major election forecasters rated the general election Lean Democratic or Toss-up.

Ager was, as of the 2026 election, the owner and operator of Hickory Nut Gap, which he described as a sustainable meat producer. In a campaign ad, Ager said, "Rising costs hurt our businesses and our families. Medicaid insures my neighbors and my friends and now it's being ripped away. And the weather that batters us is only getting worse. Helping the rich get richer on the backs of hardworking Americans isn't working. In my humble opinion, it doesn't have to be this way."

Balkcom was, as of the 2026 election, a mortgage loan officer. She was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2022. In a campaign ad, Balkcom said, "Protecting family farms is personal to me. That's why I led the effort in Raleigh to stop China and other enemies from owning or buying our farmland. ... Our farmland is precious. I won't let our enemies—or anything else—put it at risk."

As of November 2, 2026, Ager had raised $5.87 million and Balkcom had raised $399,000.

The outcome of this race affected the partisan balance of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 120th Congress. All 435 U.S. House districts were up for election.

At the time of the election, Republicans had a 219-214 majority with two vacancies in the U.S. House.