HENDERSONVILLE, North Carolina — Vice President JD Vance rallied to help three North Carolina Republicans prevail over their Democratic competitors during the November midterm elections, as the Republican Party attempts to beat back a difficult political climate.
Speaking at the Hyder Warehouse, Vance touted state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom, the 11th Congressional District nominee; Republican Laurie Buckhout, the 1st Congressional District nominee; and Senate nominee Michael Whatley as “fighters” and “warriors” for North Carolinians. But they are all facing formidable challenges from Democrats.
“The reason why we got to send Laurie and Michael and Jennifer is because we need candidates who fight for North Carolina for a change,” Vance told a crowd of roughly 500 people.
He also announced a nearly $900 million effort to help the Tar Heel State recover from the devastation of 2024’s Hurricane Helene, which will include rebuilding eight major corridors. This is in addition to the $7.5 billion the Federal Emergency Management Agency already authorized toward Helene recovery efforts.
“I’m proud to announce today that thanks to the hard work of President Trump and the advocacy of these fighters, Secretary Sean Duffy — and of course because Michael Watley would not shut up about it — we’re announcing $858 million in additional disaster relief funding for the Department of Transportation,” the vice president said to an elated crowd.
Western North Carolina is still recovering from the hurricane, the worst natural disaster in the state, two years later, with many claiming they felt abandoned by the government. But Vance’s announcement drew praise not just from the crowd but from other Republican lawmakers in the state.
“Thank you to President Trump and Vice President Vance for delivering nearly $900 million in additional Helene recovery funding, and to Jennifer Balkcom for her tireless advocacy on behalf of her community!” Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), the chairman of the NRCC, posted on social media.
Vance appeared in the 11th District, where Balkcom is running to represent the western part of the state, which encompasses Hendersonville, her hometown. The crowd rallied wildly as she took to the podium before Vance addressed the event.
Her opponent, Democrat Jamie Ager, is hoping to flip Rep. Chuck Edwards’ seat and ultimately help his party flip control of the House. Balkcom replaced Edwards after he ended his reelection due to inappropriate relationships with female staffers. He was later censured by the House.
The Cook Political Report rates the race as a “toss-up,” though the district leans Republican. Trump carried the district by nearly 10 points in 2024.
Vance told the crowd that Balkcom’s background as a hard worker and hustler would benefit her constituents in Washington, while Ager was too left for the district. “This is a woman who worked three jobs to put herself through community college and save her family farm, and she’s going to bring that same hustle,” Vance said. “She’s going to bring those mountain values. She is going to bring that work ethic to Washington, D.C. when we send her to Congress in two weeks.”
Ager, by contrast, “has shown that once he gets to Congress, the Far Left is going to own him completely every step of the way,” Vance told the crowd.
In North Carolina’s northeast, Buckhout is hoping to defeat incumbent Rep. Don Davis (D-NC) in a rematch from their 2024 contest after state Republicans redrew the district last year to make it more politically favorable. The race is also considered a toss-up despite Trump’s 11.5-point margin in the seat in 2024.
The two House races will be determinative of whether Democrats can retake the GOP-controlled House.
Democrats appear on track to win the Senate seat in North Carolina, as Republicans have paused spending in the Tar Heel State to focus on other Senate races that could be saved. Senate Majority PAC, a super PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), has stopped advertising in the state this week as it remains confident former Gov. Roy Cooper will defeat Whatley, who has also gone dark in TV ad reservations.
Whatley’s campaign received another blow on Monday when the Charlotte Observer endorsed Cooper’s Senate bid. “He’s a puppet,” one man shouted as Whatley attacked Cooper before the vice president spoke.
Many attendees told the Washington Examiner they plan to support Balkcom and Whatley but also conceded Cooper was a tough opponent to take down.
“I think she can relate to people here in Western Carolina. She’s from here. She’s worked hard, and I think she’ll represent us well,” said Christine Dodd, 47, a small business owner from Hendersonville.
VANCE ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL $858 MILLION IN DISASTER FUNDING DURING CAMPAIGN STOP IN NORTH CAROLINA
Dodd is also supporting Whatley because “I think we need all the representation we can get at this point.” Yet she also added that “I think we’re gonna have a tough … voting turnout this year.”
Some were more optimistic about the GOP’s chances in North Carolina, where Trump never lost.
Gregory Schneider, a 67-year-old retiree from Hendersonville, said he had already voted for Balkcom and Whatley. “I’m not one that likes polls, so I think he can win,” Schneider said of Whatley’s campaign.
Cooper is leading Whatley by 9.6 percentage points, 50.7% to 41.4%, according to the RealClearPolitics poll average. Cooper also raised more than $19.5 million in the third quarter, according to the latest Federal Election Commission report, while Whatley pulled in just $2.1 million.
Jan and Eddy McClure, a married retired couple from Hendersonville, attend the same church as Balkcom, whom they support along with Whatley.
“I certainly hope he beats Roy Cooper. Let’s just put it that way,” Jan McClure said of Whatley when asked about concerns she had that he may not win. “I was not happy when Roy Cooper was our governor. I don’t think he represented us well.”