Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) dropped his reelection campaign after the Ethics Committee recommended the House censure him for sexual harassment violations.
The Ethics Committee determined Edwards failed “to adhere to the spirit of rules prohibiting sexual harassment of and unwanted advances to House staffers.”
Edwards faced allegations of skipping two House votes to help a staffer decorate her Christmas tree, spending over $1,000 on luxury gifts, trips to Las Vegas, and intimate dinners.
The Cook Political Report moved its rating from Likely R to Lean R after Edwards’ announcement.
The University of Virginia’s Center for Politics moved the district to Toss-Up earlier this week.
Democratic nominee Jesse Ager raised $1.4 million, according to the second-quarter finance reports, giving him $2.2 million on hand.
Those reports showed that Edwards raised only $155,000. He had $486,000 cash on hand.
The local Republican party must choose a replacement by early September.
The House could still vote to censure Edwards when members return from the recess at the end of August.
A censure is only an official reprimand for bad behavior. Edwards might lose official voting power or committee chairs. In other words, he might not be able to perform his normal job.
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