Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) announced early Wednesday that he was ending his bid for a third House term, two days after the House Ethics Committee recommended he be censured by his colleagues for “unprofessional and inappropriate conduct” toward two female staffers.
“After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign,” Edwards wrote in a statement posted on X at 3:30 a.m. “I will complete my current term. Serving Western North Carolina has been the honor of my life. Thank you for your trust, prayers, and support. God bless WNC and America.”
Edwards, a 65-year-old married father and grandfather, “went beyond norms of professional behavior by giving both women lavish gifts,” “commenting on the two women’s appearance,” and “inviting them to intimate dinners and vacations,” according to the 20-page report released Monday. At the time, both women were in their early 20s.
On one occasion, the lawmaker arranged for a professional singer to attend a birthday party for one of the women and perform Ed Sheeran’s song “Hills of Aberfeldy” — and tell her only it was a gift “from a special someone,” the report stated.
“The Committee received evidence that [the staffer] told a friend this led her to believe that the Congressman did not view her as ‘just a daughter figure’ and that she was ‘scared lowkey.’”
Edwards has represented North Carolina’s Republican-leaning 11th District since 2023, after unseating right-wing Rep. Madison Cawthorn in a primary the previous year.
