Spotlight In hesitant interview, Balkcom ‘not sure’ if Edwards should resign after censure Ronni Butts The News & Observer (Raleigh) Oct 8, 2026 Oct 8, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save After Rep. Chuck Edwards, who represents western North Carolina in Congress, dropped his reelection bid amid a House ethics investigation into sexual misconduct, state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom decided to run in his place.kAm(96? 2D<65 :7 D96 36=:6G65 E92E t5H2C5D[ 2 76==@H #6AF3=:42? H9@ H2D 46?DFC65 3J E96 &]$] w@FD6[ D9@F=5 C6D:8? 7C@> @77:46[ q2=<4@> 5:5?’E 92G6 2 4=62C 2?DH6C]k^Am kAm“s@ J@F E9:?< 96 D9@F=5 C6D:8? 7C@> 9:D A@D:E:@?[ @C 2C6 J@F 4@>7@CE23=6 H:E9 H96C6 E9:?8D DE2?5 ?@Hn” $A64ECF> }6HD’ #6F36? y@?6D 2D<65 q2=<4@> :? 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]J@FEF36]4@>^H2E49nGlfwH%B86efdgQ C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmC646?E :?E6CG:6Hk^2m]k^Am People are also reading… Republicans win all the local races in McDowell County in 2026 elections Groundbreaking set for new affordable housing neighborhood in Old Fort. Here's where Marion City Council member Juanita Doggett announces resignation Will North Carolina have a cold, snowy winter? Here's what NOAA predicts Marion woman charged with trying to steal dog from McDowell County residence Could a data center bring more revenue to McDowell County? This local leader says yes Old Fort's November First Friday brings live music, art and town's first drum circle God's Pit Crew helps displaced couple move into fully furnished home in Nebo Where does Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young rank statistically after NFL Week 8 Dia de los Muertos returns Saturday to downtown Marion International champion to face hometown wrestler in Marion professional wrestling event Update: Republicans win all local races in McDowell County; Greene, Johnson, Daniel reelected Hunter's Liver Mush needs help with repairs, rising costs to keep Marion business operating Marion man charged with stealing $58,000 tractor in March, arrested in October Glen Alpine Sports Hall of Fame inducts five new members kAmp `b\D64@?5 A2FD6 =:?86C65 36EH66? 9:D BF6DE:@? 2?5 96C 2?DH6C]k^AmkAm“x’> ?@E DFC6[” D2:5 q2=<4@>[ H9@ C6AC6D6?ED w6?56CD@? r@F?EJ] “x >62?[ 96 >6DD65 FA] x E9:?< 96 ?66565 E@ 564:56 E@ C6D:8?] (6’G6 46?DFC65 9:>[ 2?5 E92E’D <:?5 @7 H96C6 x’5 =62G6 :E] x’> ?@E DFC6]”k^Am kAmxE H2D @?6 @7 D6G6C2= 2?DH6CD :? E96 :?E6CG:6H :? H9:49 q2=<4@> D2:5 D96 H2D F?564:565 @C ?66565 E@ =62C? >@C6[ :?4=F5:?8 @? H92E D96 H@F=5 5@ E@ 96=A 3C:?8 5@H? AC:46D 2?5 @? E96 AC6D:56?E’D A@H6CD E@ H286 H2C 2?5 D6E E2C:77D]k^Am kAmx? $6AE6>36C[ E96 &]$] w@FD6 46?DFC65 t5H2C5D ?62C=J F?2?:>@FD=J 27E6C E96 w@FD6 tE9:4D r@>>:EE66 C6=62D65 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?6HD@3D6CG6C]4@>^?6HD^A@=:E:4D\8@G6C?>6?E^2CE:4=6b`efda_hc]9E>=Q C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmad\A286 C6A@CEk^2m[ DE2E:?8 E92E :E 925 “DF3DE2?E:2= C62D@? E@ 36=:6G6” E92E t5H2C5D 925 D6IF2==J 92C2DD65 9:D 76>2=6 DE2776CD]k^Am kAm%96 C6DA@?D6 92D 5C2H? 324<=2D9 7C@> E96 s6>@4C2E:4 r@?8C6DD:@?2= r2>A2:8? r@>>:EE66]k^AmkAm“y6??:76C q2=<4@> 42?’E 6G6? D2J E92E C6A62E D6IF2= 92C2DD6C r9F4< t5H2C5D D9@F=5?’E 36 :? r@?8C6DD] q2=<4@> :D 4=62C=J @< AC@E64E:?8 23FD6CD — ?@H E96 BF6DE:@? :D :7 D96 H@F=5 G@E6 H:E9 96C 76==@H #6AF3=:42?D E@ 9:56 E96 tADE6:? 7:=6D[” srrr DA@<6DA6CD@? |25:D@? p?5CFD D2:5 :? 2 AC6DD C6=62D6] “'@E6CD 2C6 D:4< 2?5 E:C65 @7 A@=:E:4:2?D AC6E6?5:?8 =:<6 E9:D 3692G:@C :D 2446AE23=6] %96J H2?E C62=[ =6256CD9:A C@@E65 :? E96 4@>>@? D6?D6 >@F?E2:? G2=F6D E92E y2>:6 p86C H2D C2:D65 @?]”k^Am kAm%9@F89 t5H2C5D 6?565 9:D 42>A2:8?[ 96 92D ?@E C6D:8?65 7C@> 9:D A@D:E:@? 2D 2 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6] r6?DFC6D 2C6 @?6 @7 E96 9:896DE =6G6=D @7 AF?:D9>6?E :? E96 &]$] w@FD6 3FE 5@ ?@E =625 E@ 6IAF=D:@?] t5H2C5D’ E6C> 6?5D :? y2?F2CJ]k^Am kAmt2C=:6C :? E96 :?E6CG:6H[ q2=<4@> D2:5 E92E :7 D96 H6C6 :? r@?8C6DD[ D96 H@F=5 92G6 G@E65 E@ 46?DFC6 9:>] $96 42==65 9:D 24E:@?D “5:D2AA@:?E:?8]”k^AmkAmq2=<4@>’D 2?DH6C E@ $A64ECF> 23@FE H96E96C t5H2C5D D9@F=5 C6D:8? DE2?5D :? DE2C< 4@?EC2DE E@ E92E @7 96C @AA@?6?E[ y2>:6 p86C @7 qF?4@>36 r@F?EJ[ E9@F89 ?6:E96C 5:C64E=J 2?DH6C65 E96 BF6DE:@?]k^Am kAm“x H@?56C H9J 96’D ?@E C6D:8?:?8[” p86C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]J@FEF36]4@>^H2E49nGlb+=$cyaw>>tQ C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmE@=5 $A64ECF> }6HDk^2m]k^AmkAmp86C D2:5 E92E E96 C6DF=ED @7 E96 6E9:4D C6A@CE >256 9:> “D25” 7@C E96 J@F?8 H@>6? :?G@=G65]k^Am kAmt5H2C5D 4@?E:?F6D E@ 56?J E96 2==682E:@?D 2?5 92D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?6HD@3D6CG6C]4@>^?6HD^A@=:E:4D\8@G6C?>6?E^A@=:E:4D\4@=F>?D\3=@8D^F?56C\E96\5@>6^2CE:4=6b`fadgcg_]9E>=Q C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm492==6?865 E96 w@FD6 tE9:4D r@>>:EE66 =6256CDk^2m H9@ =65 E96 :?G6DE:82E:@? :?E@ 9:>[ 4=2:>:?8 E92E E96J 5:5 ?@E 7@==@H E96 4@>>:EE66’D AC@465FC6D H96? C64@>>6?5:?8 9:> E@ 36 46?DFC65]k^Am kAm“%96J 4@F=5 ?@E AC@G6 E92E x G:@=2E65 E96 =2H @C :56?E:7J D6IF2= 4@?5F4E[” t5H2C5D D2:5 =2DE >@?E9 :? 2 AC6DD C6=62D6] “$@ E96J C6=:65 @? :?D:?F2E:@?[ D6=64E:G6 6G:56?46[ 2?5 DF3;64E:G6 2DDF>AE:@?D — H9:=6 56?J:?8 >6 E96 G6CJ AC@46DD E96:C CF=6D 6DE23=:D9 7@C D6A2C2E:?8 724ED 7C@> 244FD2E:@?D] %96J :?G@<65 E96 ‘DA:C:E’ @7 E96 CF=6D E@ 4@?56>? >6 H9:=6 G:@=2E:?8 E96 F?>:DE2<23=6 =6EE6C @7 E96:C @H?]”k^Am kAm%96 r@@< !@=:E:42= #6A@CE[ H9:49 AC@G:56D ?@?A2CE:D2? A@=:E:42= 2?2=JD:D[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]4@@<A@=:E:42=]4@>^9@FD6^C246^cgbfdeQ C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm4=2DD:7:6D E96 ``E9 r@?8C6DD:@?2= s:DEC:4E 2D 2 “E@DD\FA”k^2m 2?5 4:E6D q2=<4@>’D ?6H?6DD E@ E96 C246 2D 2 D6E324<] p86C 92D 366? 3F:=5:?8 9:D 42?5:52E6 AC@7:=6 7@C >@C6 E92? 2 J62C]k^Am kAm%96 5:DEC:4E :D 2=D@ 4@?D:56C65 2 E@DD\FA 3J %96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^46?E6C7@CA@=:E:4D]@C8^4CJDE2=32==^a_ae\9@FD6^Q C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmr6?E6C 7@C !@=:E:4D 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 ':C8:?:2k^2m[ 2 C2E:?8 E92E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^?4?6HD=:?6]4@>^a_ae^_f^b`^EH@\?@CE9\42C@=:?2\FD\9@FD6\C246D\2C6\?@H\E@DD\FAD\E@A\7@C642DE6C\D2JD^Q C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm52E6D 324<k^2m E@ H96? t5H2C5D H2D DE:== :? E96 C246]k^Am kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?6HD@3D6CG6C]4@>^?6HD^A@=:E:4D\8@G6C?>6?E^A@=:E:4D\4@=F>?D\3=@8D^F?56C\E96\5@>6^2CE:4=6b`edhabgh]9E>=Q C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmr2>A2:8? 7:?2?46 C6A@CED E9C@F89 yF?6 D9@Hk^2m E92E p86C 925 C2:D65 9F?5C65D @7 E9@FD2?5D @7 5@==2CD >@C6 E92? t5H2C5D 367@C6 96 =67E E96 C246] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]764]8@G^52E2^4@>>:EE66^r__hdgfgd^n4J4=6la_aeQ C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmq2=<4@>’D 42>A2:8? 7:?2?46 C6A@CEk^2m :D ?@E J6E 5F6 E@ E96 u656C2= t=64E:@? r@>>:DD:@?]k^Am 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Democrat Roy Cooper flips North Carolina's U.S. Senate seat Democrat Roy Cooper has defeated Republican Michael Whatley in North Carolina's U.S. Senate race, flipping a seat Republicans have held since 2015. JD Vance joked protester was here illegally. 19-year-old says he was born and raised in NC “I wouldn’t call it anger, but it’s this passion, almost, that you just need to do something.” Fact check: Where NC’s Senate candidates stand on the Iran war and gas prices Here’s where each of North Carolina’s U.S. Senate candidates stand on the Iran war and gas prices. NC’s Michael Whatley pauses TV ads as campaign rethinks strategy North Carolinians who have been inundated with TV campaign commercials may start noticing a gap in ads for Senate candidate Michael Whatley. Watch Now: Related Video Democrat James Talarico Flips Texas Senate Seat After Defeating Ken Paxton Democrats Make History With Record Midterm Victory Democrats Make History With Record Midterm Victory 'A generational win' for Dems as blue wave sweeps midterms 'A generational win' for Dems as blue wave sweeps midterms Iran war, Epstein, impeachment? What will Democrats do with control of Congress? Iran war, Epstein, impeachment? What will Democrats do with control of Congress? Recommended for you
Democrat Roy Cooper flips North Carolina's U.S. Senate seat Democrat Roy Cooper has defeated Republican Michael Whatley in North Carolina's U.S. Senate race, flipping a seat Republicans have held since 2015.
JD Vance joked protester was here illegally. 19-year-old says he was born and raised in NC “I wouldn’t call it anger, but it’s this passion, almost, that you just need to do something.”
Fact check: Where NC’s Senate candidates stand on the Iran war and gas prices Here’s where each of North Carolina’s U.S. Senate candidates stand on the Iran war and gas prices.
NC’s Michael Whatley pauses TV ads as campaign rethinks strategy North Carolinians who have been inundated with TV campaign commercials may start noticing a gap in ads for Senate candidate Michael Whatley.