At the beginning of May, the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into Rep. Chuck Edwards (NC-11) over allegations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate relationships with female staffers, with a focus on whether or not Edwards might have violated House rules prohibiting romantic entanglements between lawmakers and their staffs. A week after that story broke, Edwards came under further scrutiny when a staffer said she feared Edwards might retaliate against her if she went public with her allegations.
Early this morning, Edwards announced he would be ending his reelection campaign.
After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign. 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.
— Congressman Chuck Edwards (@RepChuckEdwards) August 5, 2026
In a post on X, Edwards wrote, "After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my reelection campaign. 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."
The move comes after the ethics panel released a report finding "substantial evidence" of unwanted advances toward two female staffers.
Rep. Chuck Edwards abandons reelection bid, after ethics panel finds "substantial evidence" of unwanted advances toward two female staffers https://t.co/By9uQm6UV8 pic.twitter.com/k1zgdiQENX
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) August 5, 2026
Rep. Chuck Edwards abandoned his reelection bid for a competitive North Carolina seat on Wednesday, after an ethics panel released an investigation that found “substantial evidence” the congressman repeatedly made unwanted advances toward two female staffers.
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House Republican leaders had been privately working to convince Edwards to abandon his bid for the seat after the ethics report dropped on Monday, two people familiar with internal discussions told CNN.
Top House Republicans were sent scrambling when the chamber’s ethics panel took the rare step of recommending that the full House vote to punish Edwards.
Edwards was the Republican nominee for that seat following the March 3 primary. Under North Carolina law, when a nominee drops out after the primary but before the general election, the relevant district's party executive committee will appoint a replacement.