Paul Maddox
Paul Maddox (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent North Carolina's 11th Congressional District. He is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.[source]
Maddox completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Paul Maddox earned a high school diploma from Enka High School. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree and Ph.D. in biology from the University of North Carolina. His career experience includes working as a researcher, teaching at the University of North Carolina, and founding two small businesses. Maddox has received the Weintraub Award for advancing cancer research.[1][2]
Elections
2026
See also: North Carolina's 11th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
The primary will occur on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.
General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 11
Travis Groo and John Rogers are running in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 11 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Travis Groo (L)  | |
| John Rogers (Independent) | ||
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| = 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, Zelda Briarwood, Richard Hudspeth, Paul Maddox, and Lee Whipple are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 11 on March 3, 2026.
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| = 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates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 and Adam Smith are running in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 11 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Chuck Edwards | |
 | Adam Smith | |
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| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
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
Paul Maddox completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Maddox's responses.
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- I am half hillbilly, half scientist. That means I know how to solve problems and get things done. There is not problem too big when it comes to the lives of Western North Carolinians and I am the candidate that can ask the questions to solve the biggest problems.
- Healthcare is a human right and it is shameful we are not treating it as one.
- I believe government, like a good scientist, should stand on three legs — integrity, accountability, and service. It’s time to restore the structural integrity of Congress and put people, not politics, first.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Media interview
Maddox stated the following in an interview with Charlotte Observer:
What would be your top priority if elected?
Our nation is in desperate need of affordable, effortless and accessible health care. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill, two rural hospitals in District 11 are at higher risk of closing and health care premiums are skyrocketing. Western North Carolinians should not have to drive hours away for medical care, go into debt from a medical emergency or be forced to go without health care due to its cost. Health care should not be treated as a luxury, but as a right.
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? Our leaders need to start working for the average American again, not their billionaire buddies. While Americans have been struggling to put food on the table due to inflation, corporations have been making record-breaking profits. Congress needs to be fighting to build our middle class up and that begins with removing tax breaks for billionaires and giving relief to the other 99%.
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 American people should not continue to be collateral in partisan politics, and members must learn how to negotiate in good faith. The current federal budgeting process could be reformed to mimic local and state government budgets. These budgets are separated between long and short term expenditures and when a project is proposed, legislators choose how to separate expenditures between the two pockets, allowing for forward-thinking budgeting and forecasting.
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?
We need to find a more sustainable solution to health care that makes it more affordable, accessible and straightforward. Having to vote to extend subsidies every three years wastes time and holds hardworking Americans who rely on Medicaid and the ACA hostage to partisan games.
Should the president go before Congress before taking military action in foreign countries? There is a reason that the War Powers Resolution was passed in 1973. Our leaders in Congress are elected to vote in the best interest of their constituency and that includes those serving in the military. It is abhorrent that this resolution has not been abided by, allowing Presidents and their unelected advisors to act as the sole authority in sending our service members to risk their lives in war.
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? I strongly oppose the Trump administration’s tactics and Republican leaders’ unwavering support of them. All affected by ICE crackdowns, including those with legal status, have been stripped of their constitutionally guaranteed due process and human rights. In addition to the indefensible violence, local economies are impacted by ICE presence, as their employees, legal or not, fear going into public at risk of being stopped or detained.
Do you believe oversight of public education should be left up to individual states? There needs to be more federal oversight to ensure students nationwide receive a sound, basic education to address disparities in education quality state-to-state. North Carolina students are victims of partisan state politics, leaving our education system ranked 51st in education funding. North Carolina is home to some of the nation’s top universities and businesses, but as our state legislature continues to devalue public education, the strength of our economy is at risk. Is there an issue on which you disagree with your party? What is your position on that issue? While I do not disagree with the Democratic Party on health care, more must be done to ensure all Americans have access to affordable and straightforward health care. The current system of voting on subsidy extensions and hoping enough Republicans sign on every few years is not sustainable nor fair to those receiving coverage through the ACA. I cannot say what that exact solution is, but we cannot keep putting recipients in limbo every few years for political games.
— Paul Maddox in Charlotte Observer interview (February 9, 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
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Candidate U.S. House North Carolina District 11 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Paul Maddox for Congress, "Meet Paul Maddox", accessed February 13, 2026
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 12, 2026
