North Carolina Rep. Chuck Edwards announced early Wednesday he was dropping his reelection bid, two days after a House Ethics Committee recommended he be censured for engaging in “persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct” toward two female staffers.
The move comes as some Republicans have expressed concern over retaining his 11th District seat in North Carolina’s western corner, which Democrats are targeting this cycle.
“After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign,” the second-term congressman posted on social media. “I will complete my current term. Serving Western North Carolina has been the honor of my life.”
The Ethics Committee’s 25-page report found there was “substantial reason to believe” Edwards violated sexual harassment and hostile workplace rules. The North Carolina Republican spent thousands of dollars on lavish gifts for the women and sent deeply personal texts, according to the report.
“That Representative Edwards did all these things to two young staffers, repeatedly over a sustained period, was beyond inappropriate,” the report states.
