House Republican leaders are privately working to convince Rep. Chuck Edwards to abandon his reelection bid for a competitive North Carolina seat after an ethics report dropped against the congressman. The report found substantial evidence that Edwards repeatedly made unwanted advances toward two female staffers, leading to a recommendation that the full House vote to punish Edwards.
Edwards’ Response
A spokesman for Edwards’ campaign said the ethics committee’s findings completely exonerate Representative Edwards under the House rules governing sexual misconduct or harassment and that its conclusion showed the congressman did not violate federal sexual harassment law. Edwards looks forward to having his name cleared and will work to ensure that the full light of day is brought on this process.
The ethics panel’s report has raised concerns among GOP leaders about Edwards’ ability to win in a district that Trump won by 9.5 points in 2024. The Democrat in the race, farmer Jamie Ager, outraised Edwards by nearly 9-to-1 last quarter.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
