A sitting Republican congressman from North Carolina has announced he will end his campaign for a new term, a decision that comes just days after a congressional investigative panel officially censured him over findings of persistent sexual harassment. Chuck Edwards made the announcement of his withdrawal from the 2026 re-election race in a public social media statement published in the early hours of Wednesday.
In his statement, Edwards framed the choice as a difficult one, reached after a period of deep personal reflection, prayer and extensive discussions with his immediate family. The announcement caps off a months-long ethics probe conducted by the U.S. House of Representatives Ethics Committee, which concluded last week that Edwards had repeatedly engaged in unprofessional and inappropriate behavior that violated House conduct standards, aligned with the sexual harassment allegations first brought against him.
Crucially, Edwards has maintained his innocence from the start of the investigation, and the committee’s censure and investigative findings do not constitute a formal legal finding of criminal or civil guilt. This story remains actively developing as new details about the race for Edwards’ now-open congressional seat emerge, and updates will be issued as more information becomes available.