Jennifer Balkcom
RMember, North Carolina House of Representatives, District 117 (since 2023)
Selected by the North Carolina Republican Party to replace Chuck Edwards on the general-election ballot after he ended his re-election campaign following an Ethics Committee censure recommendation. Balkcom had won her own re-election primary for her state House seat but will not appear on that ballot in November.
Jennifer Balkcom is the Republican nominee for North Carolina's 11th Congressional District, a Henderson County mortgage loan officer and member of the North Carolina House of Representatives since 2023.[5]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
On the record — official actions
- billSponsored North Carolina House Bill 805 (Prevent Sexual Exploitation of Women and Minors Act), which was signed into state law.[6]
- billSponsored the North Carolina Farmland and Military Protection Act, to restrict foreign ownership of North Carolina farmland.[6]
- actionElected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2022, representing District 117; served on the Agriculture, Banking, House Finance, Local Government, and State Government committees.[5]
Positions on the issues
- SupportsIncrease police funding and staffing
Sponsored state legislation strengthening penalties for violent offenders and felons caught with firearms.[6]
“She also advanced four additional criminal justice and public safety reforms that were signed into law. These measures strengthen penalties for violent offenders, ensure tougher sentencing for felons caught with firearms.”
In their words — priorities
- Points to sponsoring House Bill 805, the Prevent Sexual Exploitation of Women and Minors Act, and other criminal justice measures as a legislative priority.[6]
- Says protecting North Carolina farmland from foreign ownership and securing disaster relief for farmers are among her legislative priorities, drawing on growing up on a family farm in Henderson County.[6]
- In a campaign ad, said she led an effort in the state legislature to prevent foreign ownership of North Carolina farmland.[4]
Background
- Born in Henderson County, North Carolina; earned a high school diploma from East Henderson High School and an associate degree from Blue Ridge Community College in 2016.[5]
- Career experience includes working as a small business owner and mortgage loan officer; has served as vice president of the Hendersonville Women's Club and the Hendersonville Lions Club, and as treasurer of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Western North Carolina.[5]
- Has served on the boards of the Henderson County Education Foundation, the AdventHealth Foundation Board, and the Henderson County Planning Board.[5]
- Elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2022, representing District 117; assigned to the Agriculture, Banking, House Finance, Local Government (Land Use, Planning and Development), and State Government committees in the 2023-2024 session.[5]