By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-05 18:03:44 | Updated at 2026-08-05 23:04:15
9 hours ago
An embattled GOP congressman is abandoning his reelection bid days after the House Ethics Committee recommended he be censured over allegations that he harassed two young female staffers.
Representative Chuck Edwards of North Carolina announced early Wednesday morning that he was withdrawing from the November race "after much prayer and reflection."
The lawmaker made clear he has no intention of resigning, saying he will serve out the remainder of his term. It could put his seat in jeopardy in the upcoming November midterm elections.
The Ethics Committee recommended on Monday that Edwards be censured for 'persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers.'
Edwards had been found to send notes about his 'effusive affection' with young junior staffers and make 'comments' about the women's 'appearance and dress.' The committee also determined that Edwards would shower the female staffers with 'lavish and recurrent gifts' and invite them to 'intimate dinners and vacations.'
On one occasion, Edwards reportedly had roughly 30 different tubs of ice cream delivered to a female staffer's home after he noticed she appeared upset.
According to the ethics committee's report, Edwards texted the aide in June 2024 saying he was having something dropped off that he'd heard might help cheer her up. When she responded with a photo of the cartons crowding her kitchen counter, writing, 'Thank you, but this seems a bit excessive.'
Investigators found that Edwards seemingly deleted that photo and her reply from his phone, part of a pattern of missing messages the committee flagged in its report. He testified to the committee that he would delete messages 'at a whim.'
North Carolina Republican Congressman Chuck Edwards, 65, has been recommended for punishment after the House Ethics Committee determined he broke sexual harassment rules when dealing with two female staffers in their twenties
Donald Trump had endorsed Edwards earlier this year for his upcoming race in November
On one occasion, Edwards reportedly had roughly 30 different tubs of ice cream delivered to a female staffer's home after he noticed she appeared upset
The two female staffers had worked for Edwards for several years. They have both since left his office.
'Both women received numerous gifts from Representative Edwards, including jewelry totaling over $1,000, designer purses, guns, shoes, flowers, a laptop and cell phone, KitchenAid mixer, robotic vacuum, vacations, tickets to performances, and one-on-one dinners,' the report states.
The report also states that the Republican would persistently comment on the women's appearances, a claim he didn't deny when pressed by Ethics Committee investigators.
Edwards told investigators that on Capitol Hill 'it's almost an issue if you don't make some comment about [one another's clothing].'
The report claims Edwards commented on the weights of his young female staffers; he'd also called them 'pretty' or 'breathtaking' around the office.
He claimed that the relationships were 'platonic' despite many feeling the relationships were 'far from professional.'
Overall, the report found no evidence that Edwards engaged in sexual activity or 'explicitly propositioned' staffers but noted that the women were 'made uncomfortable with his behavior.'
Democrats, meanwhile, have already rallied behind a formidable challenger: Jamie Ager, a fourth-generation farmer with deep political roots in the North Carolina mountains.
Both his father and brother have served in the state legislature, and his grandfather represented western North Carolina in Congress.
