Jamie Ager

Jamie Ager
Personal details
Born (1977-11-18) November 18, 1977 (age 48)
Fairview, North Carolina, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
SpouseAmy Ager
Children3
RelativesJames McClure Clarke (grandfather)
John Ager (father)
Eric Ager (brother)
EducationWarren Wilson College (BA)
OccupationFarmer, businessman
Known for
Hickory Nut Gap

Jamie Ager (born November 18, 1977) is an American farmer, businessman, and politician. He is the co-founder and chief executive of Hickory Nut Gap, a regenerative farm and locally sourced meat distributor based on his family's farm in Fairview, North Carolina. Ager is the Democratic nominee for North Carolina's 11th congressional district in the 2026 election.

Early life and education

Ager grew up on Hickory Nut Gap Farm in Fairview, North Carolina, in Buncombe County. The farm was established in 1916 by Jim and Elizabeth McClure, founders of the Farmers Federation agricultural cooperative, and passed through the Clarke family to the Agers. His grandfather, James McClure Clarke, represented North Carolina's 11th congressional district from 1983 to 1985 and from 1987 to 1991. His father, John Ager, represented the 115th district in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023, and his brother, Eric Ager, has represented the 114th district since 2023.

Ager graduated from A.C. Reynolds High School in Asheville and earned degrees in environmental studies and history from Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, with a focus on sustainable agriculture.

Farming and business career

After college, Ager visited the farmer and author Joel Salatin to study pasture-based livestock production. Ager and his wife, Amy, married in 2001 and founded Hickory Nut Gap Meats, a business that direct-markets grass-fed beef and pastured poultry, sourcing meat from its own farm as well as from other local producers. The company began with a single restaurant customer in Asheville and later expanded to source from a network of partner farms across the region. As of 2025, the company employed about 25 people.

Hickory Nut Gap Farm was badly damaged by Hurricane Helene in September 2024, which struck during the farm's harvest season, when it typically earns more than half of its annual revenue. Afterward, Ager hosted community cookouts for neighbors affected by the storm, and the farm store reopened by mid-October 2024. In March 2025, the company lost its contract to supply beef to Buncombe County schools after the United States Department of Agriculture ended the pandemic-era Local Food for Schools program, which had funded purchases from local farms.

2026 congressional campaign

Ager announced his candidacy for North Carolina's 11th congressional district on July 31, 2025, his first run for elected office. In the March 3, 2026, Democratic primary, he won 64.7 percent of the vote against four opponents. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added him to its "Red to Blue" program for competitive Republican-held seats.

Ager describes himself as a "Mountain Democrat." He has said he does not accept corporate political action committee money, and he signed the centrist "Promise to America" pledge, which drew criticism from some on the party's left. His campaign has emphasized Hurricane Helene recovery funding, cost of living, health care, immigration reform, and anti-corruption measures. On energy and the environment, he has said he supports the cheapest available energy sources including solar, and opposes cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He has said he supports a short-term moratorium on new data center construction in Western North Carolina. Between July 2025 and February 2026, Ager raised more than $940,000, outpacing incumbent Republican Chuck Edwards.

Ager was originally set to face Edwards in the general election. In August 2026, Edwards withdrew from the race after the House Ethics Committee recommended he be censured over allegations of inappropriate conduct toward two female aides. On August 10, 2026, the district's Republican executive committee selected state representative Jennifer Balkcom as the replacement nominee. Sabato's Crystal Ball moved the race to "Toss-up" in late July 2026, while the Cook Political Report rated it "Lean Republican" as of September 2026. The general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026.

Electoral history

2026 Democratic primary, North Carolina's 11th congressional district
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jamie Ager 49,077 64.7
Democratic Richard Hudspeth 12,027 15.9
Democratic Zelda Briarwood 9,852 13.0
Democratic Paul Maddox 3,842 5.1
Democratic Lee Whipple 1,071 1.4
Total votes 75,869 100.0

Personal life

Ager lives in Fairview with his wife, Amy, with whom he has three sons. The couple hosts monthly barn dances at their farm.

References

  1. 1 2 "Today is a very special day – it's Jamie Ager's birthday!!". Facebook. Hickory Nut Gap. November 18, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Western NC farmer Jamie Ager is running for Congress". USA Today Network (via Cardinal & Pine). March 16, 2026. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Zhu, Christine (March 3, 2026). "Ager wraps up Dem nomination in NC-11, Buckhout takes NC-01 Republican primary". NC Newsline. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Hensley, Dean (March 3, 2026). "Jamie Ager is projected to win Democratic nomination for N.C. House 11". WLOS. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Gazdziak, Sam (October 18, 2021). "Hickory Nut Gap Meats grows a business and a movement". The National Provisioner. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Visiting Our Past: Hickory Nut Gap's McClure was ardent about beauty". Asheville Citizen-Times. April 22, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 "Fairview Farmer Jamie Ager Announces Campaign for Congress in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District" (Press release). Ager for Congress. July 31, 2025. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  8. 1 2 Wilder, Alice (October 18, 2024). "How one North Carolina farm is coping post-Helene". Marketplace. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Farmer's congressional bid highlights rural issues, community resilience". WSOC-TV. August 18, 2025. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  10. ↑ DiOrio, Ed; Annas, Ruby (March 19, 2025). "Local farm has beef with USDA cuts, loses funding to provide food to schools". WLOS. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  11. ↑ "North Carolina House District 11 Primary Results 2026". NBC News. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  12. 1 2 Sonmez, Felicia (July 2, 2026). "Edwards vs. Ager 11th District contest could be toss-up by November, experts say". Blue Ridge Public Radio. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  13. ↑ Calder, Thomas (April 16, 2026). "Jamie Ager shares his environmental stances and how they inform his campaign for U.S. 11". Mountain Xpress. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  14. ↑ Carnevale, Chris (September 4, 2026). "Jamie Ager on Climate & Energy: Where the Candidates Stand". Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  15. ↑ Liverman, Marc (August 5, 2026). "Jamie Ager discusses Edwards' exit, what's next for the NC-11 race". WLOS. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  16. 1 2 Zhu, Christine (August 10, 2026). "NCGOP selects Balkcom as NC-11 candidate after US Rep. Edwards' withdrawal". NC Newsline. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  17. ↑ "NC-11 race rating". The Cook Political Report. September 25, 2026. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Jamie Ager". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  19. ↑ Zhu, Christine (September 30, 2026). "NC-11 candidates offer competing 'mountain values' in unique ads". NC Newsline. Retrieved October 3, 2026.