Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., announced that he is ending his campaign for another term in Congress just days after a House Ethics Committee report concluded that he violated congressional standards related to sexual harassment.
In a statement posted on X, Edwards said he reached the decision after careful consideration.
“After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign,” Edwards wrote. “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.”
Despite stepping away from his re-election effort, Edwards said he intends to finish the remainder of his current term representing North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District.
The announcement follows the release of a House Ethics Committee report that found Edwards failed “to adhere to the spirit of rules prohibiting sexual harassment of and unwanted advances to House staffers.” According to Axios, the committee recommended that the North Carolina Republican be censured.
The report capped months of scrutiny surrounding Edwards, who has faced multiple allegations involving his interactions with female staff members.
Additional claims surfaced this week after The Charlotte Observer’s deputy opinion editor, Paige Masten, posted on X about an alleged interaction involving the congressman and a female staffer. According to Masten, Edwards told the staffer he was “beyond thrilled” to skip House votes and cancel town hall meetings in order to help her decorate her Christmas tree.
Other allegations were detailed in reporting by Axios journalist Kate Santaliz. Among those claims were accusations that Edwards gave female staffers personalized handguns as gifts and, in another instance, recited a poem to a young woman who reportedly appeared uncomfortable during the encounter.
The Ethics Committee’s findings and the subsequent reporting have intensified attention on the congressman, although Edwards has consistently denied wrongdoing throughout the investigation.
In comments to Axios in May, the 65-year-old lawmaker dismissed the sexual harassment allegations in blunt terms, calling them “horsesh*t.”
The House Ethics Committee investigation into Edwards was part of a broader review involving several current and former members of Congress. According to the report, lawmakers who have also recently been investigated by the committee include Reps. Lance Gooden, R-Texas; Eric Swalwell, D-Calif.; Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla.; Tony Gonzales, R-Texas; Cory Mills, R-Fla.; and Nancy Mace, R-S.C.
Edwards first won election to Congress in November 2022 after defeating former Rep. Madison Cawthorn in the Republican primary. He has since represented North Carolina’s 11th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
His decision to withdraw from the race leaves the future of the district’s Republican nomination uncertain while bringing an abrupt end to his campaign for another term. Although Edwards will not seek re-election, he has made clear that he plans to remain in office through the completion of his current term.
The Ethics Committee’s findings, combined with the allegations that emerged during its investigation, preceded Edwards’ decision to step aside from the campaign. While he continues to reject the accusations against him, his withdrawal marks the latest development in a controversy that has drawn significant attention on Capitol Hill.
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