Republican North Carolina Rep. Chuck Edwards announced Wednesday he would no longer seek re-election after investigators concluded he engaged in inappropriate conduct.
The House Ethics Committee recommended Monday that Edwards be censured after finding that he engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate behavior toward two female staffers. Edwards announced he ended his re-election campaign and would complete his term.
“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,” Edwards said.
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
The report detailed what investigators described as a pattern of conduct that crossed professional boundaries with two former female staffers who worked for him when he was in the state Senate. Edwards allegedly handed these staffers “lavish and recurring gifts,” including more than $1,000 worth of jewelry, vacations, designer handbags and one-on-one dinners.
The pattern of conduct gave “the appearance of a sexual or romantic advance,” the report said.
Here’s a photo of the puzzle Rep. Chuck Edwards gave one of the female staffers inviting her to attend one of Sandler’s comedy shows with him@axios reported on this in May: https://t.co/LEH7P3XBrr pic.twitter.com/8mDdokAJiX
— Kate Santaliz (@kate_santaliz) August 3, 2026
“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, make frequent comments regarding that person’s appearance and weight, send messages in the middle of the night, text staff deeply personal and seemingly romantic thoughts, intrude on personal occasions without invitation, pay for personal vacations, and spend thousands of dollars on gifts for staffers,” the Ethics Committee wrote in the report. “That Representative Edwards did all these things to two young staffers, repeatedly over a sustained period, was beyond inappropriate.”
Rep. Chuck Edwards shares a bit of insight with @jacob_wass on why he gifted handguns to two young female staffers. pic.twitter.com/fIzUd1ltq2
— TMZ (@TMZ) July 21, 2026
One of the staffers told a friend she felt “scared low-key” because she felt Edwards no longer viewed her as just a friend, according to the report. The congressman arranged a surprise birthday performance for her and said it was “from a special someone.”
Text messages from May 2025 reportedly showed Edwards attempting to take a then-female staffer to dinner, though she stated it was not a good idea, according to the report. Edwards then replied, “It’s disappointing to feel something that used to be easy has gotten complicated…I didn’t expect outside chatter to change that.”
The woman in question said she felt uncomfortable and objectified after Edwards complimented her appearance, according to the report.
The Ethics Committee opened the investigation in May after receiving complaints that he fostered a “hostile work environment.”
Republican Ohio Rep. Max Miller took steps to open an Ethics Committee investigation into himself Tuesday after his ex-wife accused him of domestic violence.
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