Adam Smith (North Carolina congressional candidate)
Adam Smith (Republican Party) (also known as Bear) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent North Carolina's 11th Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.
Biography
Adam Smith served in the U.S. Army. His career experience includes working as a leadership consultant and public speaker. Smith has served as the director of training at Norse Tactical. He is the founder of Savage Freedoms and Savage Consulting.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: North Carolina's 11th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 11
Incumbent Chuck Edwards, Jamie Ager, Travis Groo, and John Rogers are running in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 11 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Chuck Edwards (R) | |
 | Jamie Ager (D) | |
 | Travis Groo (L)  | |
| John Rogers (Independent) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 11
Jamie Ager defeated Richard Hudspeth, Zelda Briarwood, Paul Maddox, and Lee Whipple in the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 11 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jamie Ager | 64.7 | 49,077 |
 | Richard Hudspeth | 15.9 | 12,027 | |
 | Zelda Briarwood | 13.0 | 9,852 | |
 | Paul Maddox | 5.1 | 3,842 | |
 | Lee Whipple | 1.4 | 1,071 | |
| Total votes: 75,869 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jacob Lawrence (D)
- Chris Harjes (D)
- Morris Davis (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 11
Incumbent Chuck Edwards defeated Adam Smith in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 11 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Chuck Edwards | 70.1 | 47,634 |
 | Adam Smith | 29.9 | 20,332 | |
| Total votes: 67,966 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Libertarian primary election
The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Travis Groo advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 11.
Endorsements
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Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Adam Smith did not complete Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Smith's campaign website stated the following:
ECONOMY
Western North Carolinians are being crushed by Democrat-driven inflation and reckless spending that gut our wallets. Adam will fight to slash Biden’s bureaucratic red tape, empower small businesses, and unleash free-market innovation to create high-paying jobs. Rejecting the left’s tax-and-spend disaster—like their $6 trillion spree that fueled 40-year-high inflation—Adam will deliver a thriving economy where WNC families keep more of their hard-earned money and build a future on their own terms.
ENERGY
The Biden administration’s war on American energy has jacked up costs and left us dependent on foreign tyrants. Adam will push for true energy independence—unleashing our oil, gas, nuclear, solar, wind, coal, and next-generation energy sources with zero apologies. This approach will lower gas prices, create good-paying jobs across WNC, and free America from the Democrats’ dangerous energy dependence.
NATIONAL SECURITY
From the botched Afghanistan withdrawal to underfunding our troops, Democrats have weakened America’s defenses and emboldened enemies. Adam, a Green Beret combat veteran, has firsthand knowledge of the threats we face. He will reinvest in cutting-edge military technology, arm our forces to dominate any battlefield, and restore the strength Biden has eroded.
IMMIGRATION
Biden’s open-border catastrophe has allowed millions to pour in unchecked while cartels run rampant. Adam will fight for ironclad border security, full enforcement of immigration laws, and a crackdown on human trafficking and drugs. By reversing the Democrats’ reckless policies, he’ll protect WNC communities and restore our sovereignty.
SECOND AMENDMENT
The right to bear arms is non-negotiable. While Democrats push for gun grabs and red-flag laws to disarm law-abiding Americans, Adam will defend your constitutional rights. He supports constitutional carry and will fight to ensure you remain free to protect your home, family, and liberty against any threat.
ELECTION INTEGRITY
Our elections must be secure and trusted. Adam supports commonsense voter ID laws and opposes Democrat efforts to weaken safeguards that open the door to fraud. Without secure elections, our voices are silenced, and our nation’s future is at risk.
CULTURAL INTEGRITY
The left’s Marxist agenda is tearing at America’s fabric, labeling patriots as extremists while undermining traditional values. Adam believes in the mountain culture of self-reliance and resilience—protecting the unborn, defending parental rights, keeping men out of women’s sports, and ensuring religious freedom. These values are the backbone of Western North Carolina and America itself.
CRIME & SAFETY
Democrat soft-on-crime policies have unleashed chaos, from defunding police to coddling criminals. Adam’s service as a Green Beret and his work alongside law enforcement have prepared him to keep our communities safe. He will fight violent crime, combat drug trafficking, and stand strong with law enforcement to protect WNC families.
— Adam Smith's campaign website (February 12, 2026)
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
|
Candidate U.S. House North Carolina District 11 |
Personal |
Footnotes
