Lee Whipple
Lee Whipple (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent North Carolina's 11th Congressional District. Whipple lost in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.
Biography
Lee Whipple earned a high school diploma from Northeastern Preparatory School and a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Georgia Tech. Whipple's career experience includes working as an engineer. He has also worked as a chess coach, chef, and customer service representative in the health care industry. Whipple has been affiliated with the American Society of Civil Engineers.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: North Carolina's 11th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 11
Incumbent Chuck Edwards (R), Jamie Ager (D), Travis Groo (L), and John Rogers (Independent) 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
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 11
Jamie Ager (D) defeated Richard Hudspeth (D), Zelda Briarwood (D), Paul Maddox (D), and Lee Whipple (D) 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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jace Bingham (D)
- Morris Davis (D)
- Chris Harjes (D)
- Jacob Lawrence (D)
Republican primary
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 11
Incumbent Chuck Edwards (R) defeated Adam Smith (R) 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 Party primary
The Libertarian Party primary scheduled for March 3, 2026, was canceled. Travis Groo (L) advanced from the Libertarian Party primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 11 without appearing on the ballot.
Endorsements
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Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Lee Whipple did not complete Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Media interview
Whipple stated the following in an interview with Charlotte Observer:
What would be your top priority if elected?
Obtaining funds already allotted by the state and federal governments to quickly help WNC Residents hurt by Hurricane Helene.
Republican and Democratic candidates often explain the state of the economy differently. How do you see it and what, if anything, would you do that you believe would improve it? The commodities and exchange markets have been soaring wildly. In general, this does not continue without a bust cycle. In order to mitigate a possible recession, a minimum wage increase should be enacted. This increase could be based on a ratio of a state’s electoral votes to the total U.S. vote count. In the short term, this would also help people to deal with inflation.
In 2025, Congress caused the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. What should members of Congress do to prevent this in the future and how important is it for Congress to pass a budget? The real problem in this country is the size of the debt, almost $40 trillion. It is a tremendous source of instability to us and the world. Something needs to be done now. I have a plan that would involve at least one Constitutional amendment and bi-partisan support. Supposedly, both Republicans and Democrats are concerned about this issue. If we could erase the debt, we would save $1 Trillion dollars that goes to interest every budget year. That money could help our citizens.
Lawmakers have been at odds on Capitol Hill over health care coverage for Americans. Where do you stand on Medicaid coverage and Affordable Care Act subsidies?
The United States of America is the richest country in the world. It is astonishing that our health care system neglects so many in the midst of such wealth. If you lose your job, it might not be easy to get work again, and that is the time you need Medicaid the most. Phasing in health insurance for all citizens is critical.
Should the president go before Congress before taking military action in foreign countries? Well, Congress is supposed to allocate funds for military action. But, the President is the civilian head of the military. If there is an emergency situation, our response needs to be swift, effective and achieve surprise. I believe the President should inform members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees as well as the Chiefs of Staff. Just taking unilateral action without relying on advisors is dangerous and irresponsible.
Do you support the tactics that the Trump administration has used in immigration enforcement? Do you believe the immigration crackdown has had collateral effects for residents with legal status? Absolutely not! The enforcement is racist; it is destroying our communities; it is sweeping up targeted “foes” of the Trump administration, and even detaining citizens without charge. I fear that Trump is trying to create a federal military force that he controls. What would be the limits on what he could do with such a force? I’ve heard that the number of federal agents in Minneapolis exceeds the number of police by four times.
Editor’s note: The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported in mid-January that a potential 3,000 federal agents deployed across Minnesota from Immigration and Custom Enforcement and Border Patrol is five times the number of Minneapolis police officers, but it would be about 500 people larger than the 10 largest police departments in the metro area combined.
Do you believe oversight of public education should be left up to individual states? Control of education is not specifically designated in the Constitution, so states are understood to control it. However, I believe there are some policies that could be instituted by the federal government that would be beneficial to schools. For instance, teachers that excel in their subjects could instruct classes of other teachers after the school year is over. Two paid weeks of continuing education could help all teachers reach their students more effectively.
Is there an issue on which you disagree with your party? What is your position on that issue? It seems obvious that trans girls cannot compete in sports. Anyone who has ever really rooted for a team (which includes a lot of independents) understands this. However, trans students have a right to try out for sports just like anyone else. If they make the team, they can practice with the team (without displacing anyone), use the sports facilities, get exercise and learn about teamwork. They just can’t compete in the actual matches. This is the best compromise that I can come up with.
— Lee Whipple in Charlotte Observer interview (February 9, 2026)
Campaign finance summary
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See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Personal |
Footnotes
