Chuck Edwards of North Carolina Announced He Will Not Seek Reelection, Two Days After the House Ethics Committee Recommended He Be Censured

Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards of North Carolina announced he will not seek reelection, two days after the House Ethics Committee recommended he be censured for inappropriate conduct toward two young female aides. Edwards, 65, made the announcement in a 3:30 a.m. post on X, saying he would complete his current term and that serving Western North Carolina was "the honor of my life.

The Ethics Committee launched an investigation in May into allegations that Edwards created a hostile work environment and engaged in sexual harassment. The panel detailed improper actions, including lavish gifts, comments about appearance, and invitations to intimate dinners and vacations. The committee said his behavior would "lead a reasonable observer to interpret it as such, though it found no evidence he explicitly propositioned anyone. Edwards' attorneys argued the findings "exonerate" him and called the censure recommendation extraordinarily harsh.