Chair resigns, Democratic gala lineup revised after NC-11 candidates protest
Months before the candidate filing period begins, the NC-11 Democratic Primary Election is already getting heated.
NCDP photo
A blistering letter signed by four Democratic candidates for Congress in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District is raising questions about party neutrality in primaries, calling the party’s decision to include only one congressional candidate — Jamie Ager — as the keynote speaker at the NC-11 Democratic gala “deeply unfair” and fundamentally at odds with core party values.
“We, the undersigned Democratic candidates for Congress in North Carolina, write to express our collective and unequivocal disgust,” the Aug. 1 letter begins, before taking aim at what the candidates view as a party-sanctioned attempt to tip the scales in favor of Ager, a Buncombe County farmer and political newcomer who announced his candidacy in late July.
Signatories to the letter, which was addressed to the North Carolina Democratic Party, the NC-11 Democratic Party and Buncombe County Democrats, include candidates Moe Davis, Zelda Briarwood, Chris Harjes and Paul Maddox.
Their criticism centers on the decision to give Ager the spotlight at the Aug. 23 gala in Asheville while excluding other Democratic candidates from the event’s speaking program, a move the authors claim undermines “transparency, inclusion and neutrality” — principles they argue are essential for the party’s credibility, especially during a contested primary leading to a high-stakes election.
“Let us be clear: It is not the role of any Democratic Party entity, whether it’s county, district or state, to anoint a nominee before voters have had their say,” the letter reads. “Showcasing a single candidate sends a clear and dangerous message that the primary is already decided.”
The controversy has already sparked wider discussion among Western North Carolina Democrats, some of whom view the letter as a necessary challenge to perceived backroom dealing and insider politics. Others fear it may deepen existing divisions and distract from the party’s ultimate goal — capturing what they believe is a winnable seat currently held by Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson).
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Ager, who entered the race touting his business acumen, agricultural roots and bipartisan appeal, has drawn early praise from party insiders eager to consolidate support behind a candidate they believe can win in November.
But the letter warned that such early preference “suppresses debate, diminishes grassroots momentum and undermines the hard work of candidates and volunteers across the district.”
The authors also raised concerns about potential legal implications, noting that if the gala is being organized by a nonprofit entity, “electioneering, where one candidate is promoted, may be illegal in this circumstance.”
Federal election law generally prohibits tax-exempt organizations from endorsing or supporting political candidates, especially during a primary; however, the North Carolina Democratic Party plan of organization doesn’t strictly prohibit it.
Though the letter does not cite specific statutes or evidence of wrongdoing, it called on the NC-11 Executive Committee to “immediately amend the gala program to include all qualified Democratic congressional candidates.”
Absent such action, the authors warned they would “picket and boycott the event unless level heads prevail.”
The threat of a public protest at a major Democratic gathering signals what could be a growing rift within the party. Davis, who won the NC-11 Democratic Primary Election in 2020 and lost to Republican Madison Cawthorn in the General Election, had been perceived as a frontrunner in the upcoming Primary Election until the entry of Ager, while Briarwood and Harjes have been campaigning for months.
By contrast, Ager is viewed by some as a fresh-faced moderate with crossover appeal. His early campaign messaging has emphasized unity and pragmatic problem solving, a theme echoed by Ager’s campaign consultant, Grayson Barnette.
“We welcome anyone to the race and believe in the Democratic primary process and the exchange of ideas that take place in that process,” Barnette said Aug. 2. “Jamie’s job is to run the strongest campaign he can and I’m confident he’s going to get through this primary.”
When reached for comment on Aug.2, NC-11 Democratic Party Chair Bill Baugh said the party was reconsidering the speaker lineup and that he anticipated a statement on the matter would come quickly.
That statement came Aug. 3, signed by executive officers, called the situation “a misstep” and noted that NC-11 Dems had been searching for a speaker for weeks, with no luck. Ager’s entry into the race seemed like a good solution, although some officers did not agree, so the letter claims NC-11 officers contacted the North Carolina Democratic Party.
“In retrospect, this was not the impartial way to handle this task,” it reads. “We have reached out to all the District 11 candidates for the U.S. House, and all have been invited to speak at the gala. We are hoping they all accept our invitation. It is our sincere wish that for those of you who were offended and angry that this will be sufficient to allow the district to move forward and elect a candidate to defeat Chuck Edwards.”
Ager had been removed from the event’s website by Aug. 3.
For now, the incident has placed the spotlight not just on the candidates vying for the nomination, but on the mechanisms of party power that shape their prospects.
Baugh resigned from his post on Aug. 5 and will return to precinct organizing.
With the NC-11 Democratic Gala still on the calendar, the next moves by both party leaders and the candidates themselves may offer insight into whether the district’s Democrats can reconcile internal tensions — or whether the road to November will be marred by deeper discord.
