Friends, I’m excited to share a recording from the live discussion I held earlier this afternoon with Jamie Ager, who gave us an update on his race to flip NC-11 in Western North Carolina. This was Jamie’s third time joining us, and as you will see if you haven’t met him yet he is one of our very best and most compelling candidates this cycle.
Here’s Jamie in our discussion:
I'm a fourth-generation farmer. Here, the district is the sixteen most mountainous counties, here in Western North Carolina. I’ve lived here all my life. You know, we have a farm. We have a farming operation selling pasture based meats and we sell wholesale to a lot of grocery stores and restaurants, really all over the East Coast at this point. So we've got a farming operation. We work with other farmers and have a wholesale meat company. Our business is built on deep values — we call it “building community through agriculture,” recognizing that in business, oftentimes businesses win when they externalize costs on poor treatment of the land, or poor treatment of their employees, and my wife Amy and I have always said, let’s not do that. Let’s acknowledge that community is how we win here.
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We’ve been running for Congress now for 15 months, so that’s a big deal. Our biggest update is we have a new opponent. Our previous opponent dropped out about six weeks ago.
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Everybody here in Western North Carolina asking me what my thoughts on it are and I’ve said look, we’re entrepreneurs. We’re farmers. We're good at having to pivot at any given moment. And so we really are running the exact same campaign we've always been running.
Here’s a map of NC-11. It is Cook GOP +5, well within the range of districts we are targeting this cycle”
You can support Jamie today by making a contribution to our core Winning The House Fund or by giving to his campaign directly here. You can learn more about Jamie by visiting his campaign website where you can also sign up to volunteer. This is the most competitive and expensive races in the country and Jamie needs your help today!
More from our discussion:
We're focused on the fact that Western North Carolina is a little unique from an issue standpoint because we had Hurricane Helene hit us almost two years ago. September 27, 2024. And the federal government has done a poor job getting us money down here to get ourselves back on our feet. And so people are frustrated about that. It's been a real slow trickle getting money for communities all over Western North Carolina. And we need a fighter here in Western North Carolina who wants to go get it. And, if there's anything I've learned in the last 15 months since I've been running for Congress, it’s that people in Western North Carolina are pretty independent-minded folks, and they want leaders who are independent-minded as well. And that's the kind of leader I want to be for this community here.
Here are Jamie’s most recent ads. They are really good and he is a very good candidate:
Friends, enjoy this update from Jamie Ager, another remarkable, inspiring candidate, and let’s do what we can to help bring another leader of good character and strong values to Washington next year. Please share this interview with others, hit like so more will see it, throw a contribution Jamie’s way, and keep working hard all. For we have a country to save, and elections like this one in NC-11 to win this November, together! - Simon
From** **AgerForCongress.com:
I’m Jamie. I’m a fourth-generation farmer, entrepreneur, and proud son of Western North Carolina. Born in Fairview and raised on my family’s Hickory Nut Gap Farm, I’ve spent my life growing food, building community, and working with people. From a young age, my family taught me the values of public service, hard work, and neighborliness.
My great-grandparents helped launch one of the region’s first farm cooperatives. My granddad, Jamie Clarke, served western North Carolina in the U.S. Congress and the state legislature, balancing running the farm with working for the people in office. In fact, he was instrumental in helping to shape early programs like Medicare and Medicaid. I watched those values play out not in politics, but in the lives of our neighbors. My father John served in the State House seat that my older brother, Eric, currently serves in.
I graduated from A.C. Reynolds High School and earned degrees from Warren Wilson College in Environmental Studies with a concentration in sustainable agriculture and History. That’s also where I met Amy, my wife and partner in life and business. From 2004 – 2006, I participated in an Agriculture Leadership Development Program through NC State. Together, Amy and I returned to Fairview to raise our family and built Hickory Nut Gap, a sustainable meat company that today supports 25 employees and works with dozens of farmers across the region.
I know firsthand the stress many small business owners and families face — navigating health insurance, making payroll, managing cash flow, and contending with rising costs. I understand why people feel abandoned by both parties, and I’m running to make sure no one feels unseen.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, our community was tested in ways we’d never imagined. Our family lost power and water for weeks, fences were destroyed, livestock scattered, and communication lines were down. But when things were bad, our neighbors showed up and strangers lent a hand.
I was so proud to see how people organized, shared what little they had, and rebuilt together. That experience reaffirmed my belief in the generosity of our community and highlighted how the government often lags behind in times of crisis. It also deepened my resolve to push for smarter, faster, and more responsive systems that actually meet people’s needs.
As the proud father of three sons — Cyrus, Nolin, and Levi — I care deeply about our future. I’m concerned about big challenges like recovering from Hurricane Helene, affordability for working families, and preserving our environment and culture. I’m also outspoken about the need to support local businesses and putting Western North Carolina first. I’ve never been afraid to stand up for what’s right, even if it means speaking out against my own party or taking on extremists.
Western North Carolina deserves a representative who fights for the people, and I’m ready to serve.
