Russo Wins North Carolina House District 117
Republican Lynne Russo defeated Democrat Chelsea Walsh in a race reshaped by Chuck Edwards's withdrawal from his congressional reelection campaign.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Lynne Russo won North Carolina House District 117 with 51.7% of the vote to Chelsea Walsh's 48.3%, with all precincts reporting. Results remain unofficial until Nov. 13.
Why it matters
The race followed Chuck Edwards's abandonment of his reelection campaign after a House Ethics Committee investigation, which forced Republicans to name replacement candidates. The shake-up left Russo, who had campaigned for 16 months, facing a newly chosen opponent in North Carolina.
Russo's 51.7% share compares with the district's 2016-2022 Democratic average of 40.4%, and Walsh had lost the 2022 Republican primary to Jennifer Balkcom by 158 votes. Final totals depend on certification set for Nov. 13.
The players
Lynne Russo
Lynne Russo is the Republican who won North Carolina House District 117 after a 16-month campaign.
Chelsea Walsh
Chelsea Walsh is the Democrat who lost the District 117 race after being selected as a replacement candidate and having previously lost the 2022 Republican primary to Jennifer Balkcom.
Chuck Edwards
Chuck Edwards is the congressman who abandoned his reelection campaign after a House Ethics Committee investigation into sexual harassment and hostile workplace conduct.
The details
Edwards abandoned his reelection campaign on Aug. 5 after the House Ethics Committee investigated him for sexual harassment and hostile workplace conduct, and the House later censured him 413-2. Republican leaders selected Jennifer Balkcom for the 11th Congressional District ballot, and Henderson County Republicans then chose Walsh three days later to replace Balkcom in District 117.
Timeline
Aug. 5: Edwards abandons his reelection campaign.
Three days after Balkcom's selection: Henderson County Republicans choose Walsh.
Nov. 13: Election results become official.
Political Context
The censure vote passed 413-2, a rare near-unanimous House rebuke, and its outcome forced a chain of replacement nominations that reshaped the District 117 contest. Opposition to the replacement process centered on whether party-selected substitutes reflected the voters who had backed the original candidates.
Voters in District 117 will be represented by whoever wins the race once the Nov. 13 official results are certified. Residents who backed Walsh or Russo should confirm their registration details ahead of certification if they expect to contest any counting issues.
The takeaway
A late candidate change can reshape a district race, so voters should track certified results rather than preliminary counts. Confirming final totals after Nov. 13 gives the clearest picture of the outcome.
What happens next
Election results become official on Nov. 13.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in North Carolina Elections for context on how district contests are shaped.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Asheville Citizen Times.
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