Election 2026: Edwards, reelection bid already withdrawn, censured by U.S. House

(The Center Square) – North Carolina Republican U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards apologized to family and staff from the floor of the House of Representatives on Tuesday ahead of being censured for ethics complaints on his behavior.

Edwards requested yeas and nays, producing a 413-2 embarrassment. Edwards withdrew his bid for reelection following a report from the chamber’s Committee on Ethics and has been replaced on the Nov. 3 ballot by state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom against Democrat Jamie Ager.

In addition to Edwards’ vote, South Carolina Republican Rep. Ralph Norman provided the other nay. All 14 representatives from North Carolina voted.

“I am imperfect,” Edwards said on the House floor Tuesday ahead of the vote. “I have made mistakes, but I do not believe I committed sexual harassment. The factual findings of this investigation do not justify branding me as though I did.”

He had moments ahead of the vote alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., as well. The timing with all 435 seats on the midterm ballot made voting against a sexual harassment resolution a lightning rod for almost anyone.

Norman had already declined reelection and lost in the June primary running for South Carolina governor, and last month lost in the special election primary to fill the ballot spot of the late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Edwards withdrew his reelection bid last month, leading it off the process with a social media post at 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 5. Two days earlier, the Committee on Ethics report details interactions with two “young female staffers” that included gifts considered lavish, trips and recitation of a poem.

The report said in part, “While Representative Edwards denied that any of his conduct was intended as a sexual or romantic advance, his pattern of behavior would lead a reasonable observer to interpret it as such, including providing the young women with lavish and recurrent gifts, making comments regarding their appearance and dress, inviting them to intimate dinners and vacations, sending notes regarding his effusive affection, and inviting them to other activities as a way to spend time together.”

Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., said Edwards was not involved in “quid pro quo sexual harassment,” acknowledged Edwards’ denials, and said “his pattern of behavior would lead a reasonable person to interpret it” as sexual and romantic.

Other staffers for Edwards testified of an uncomfortable atmosphere. Edwards agreed he could tell. The four months of investigation included 16 interviews.

Edwards, a parent and grandparent, owns McDonald’s franchises in Henderson, Transylvania and Haywood counties, including the one where he began working as a 16-year-old while at West Henderson High. The second-term congressman previously had three terms in the state Senate.

Edwards’ district in the mountains, from Avery to McDowell and Polk counties north-south extending to the southwestern tip of the state, is in the heart of cleanup from Hurricane Helene’s remnants coming through in September 2024.

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The district was carried by Trump three times, including by 10% in 2024.

Twenty-eight others have been censured in the U.S. House. And it's been a rough year shy of that formality.

Earlier this year, Reps. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, resigned before their ethics cases possibly reached votes on expulsion. On Aug. 17, the Ethics Committee said it is reviewing Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., for inappropriate sexual contact.

The 11th Congressional District has been building into intrigue this election cycle.

Considered a district drawn to produce a Republican winner, as it has for seven cycles, the 11th is now considered fully in play for a seat flip by Democrats. Ager and his fiscal foundation were already greatly outpacing Edwards.

The seat is pivotal to majority power in the U.S. House. Republicans' 220-215 edge won in November 2024 is today 218-212 with one independent formerly Republican caucusing with his former party, and four vacancies.

The Republican representatives since Democratic Rep. Heath Shuler won in 2010 have left a trio of reputational bruises and black eyes.

Rep. Mark Meadows won the next four elections after Shuler and rose to White House chief of staff for the first term of Donald Trump. He eventually became mired in racketeering charges in Georgia tied to the 2020 election and conspiracy, fraud and forgery charges in Arizona also tied to the 2020 election.

Meadows faces state-level charges in each state, has a federal pardon from Trump, and has had his venue change – from state to federal court – request in Georgia denied.

Rep. Madison Cawthorn’s one term succeeding Meadows made him, at 25, the first person born in the 1990s to reach Congress. He left after one term dragging traffic infractions, airport gun citations, accusations tied to a social media post involving Adolf Hitler, and yet another social media post after losing to Edwards saying it was “time for Dark MAGA to truly take command.”

Cawthorn has convictions for minor criminal and traffic cases but none that major on the federal level.