ASHEVILLE – A Trump-aligned super PAC canceled future advertising reservations in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District, according to the Washington Sun, which said it independently confirmed the cancellation.
The outlet reported Wednesday that No Going Back PAC canceled its remaining reservations in the district on Tuesday. It said Punchbowl News first reported the cut and that a separate source familiar with the group confirmed the cancellation to the Washington Sun.
The Federal Election Commission lists No Going Back PAC Inc. as an active, unauthorized independent-expenditure-only committee registered Sept. 1. The FEC record establishes the committee’s identity and status, but it does not show canceled future ad reservations. Those reservations are booking plans that can change; canceling them does not reverse money already spent or reported as an independent expenditure.
The Washington Sun said the cancellation reflects growing Republican concern about the open-seat contest between Democrat Jamie Ager and Republican Jennifer Balkcom. It also reported that the National Republican Congressional Committee remained scheduled to spend in the district, so the No Going Back decision does not mean all Republican advertising has stopped.
One Republican strategist told the outlet the race should be considered Likely Democratic based on early voting, while other Republicans still described a difficult but winnable contest. Those assessments are political judgments, not vote counts or election results.
Reuters separately described the western North Carolina district as a battleground and reported $14.5 million in outside spending in the Ager-Balkcom race. That figure covers spending activity and should not be treated as the amount of the canceled reservations.
The district became more competitive after U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards ended his reelection campaign and Republicans selected Balkcom as their replacement nominee. Ager, a farmer, is the Democratic nominee.
President Donald Trump highlighted Balkcom at a Greenville rally Tuesday, calling her contest a close race and urging supporters to back her. The election is Nov. 3.
Sources
- Washington Sun: How rough is it for Republicans? Look at this North Carolina district
- Reuters: Trump, in North Carolina, says Republicans will defy midterm odds
- Federal Election Commission: No Going Back PAC Inc. committee overview
Photo Credit: National Park Service Digital Image Archives via Wikimedia Commons, public domain. Blue Ridge Parkway landscape in western North Carolina. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Editor’s Note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.