GOP leaders privately push embattled Rep. Chuck Edwards to abandon reelection bid

(CNN) — 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 Monday, two people familiar with internal discussions told CNN.

Top House Republicans were sent scrambling when the chamber’s ethics panel released a monthslong investigation that found “substantial evidence” the congressman repeatedly made unwanted advances toward two female staffers. The panel took the rare step of recommending that the full House vote to punish Edwards.

House members are in their home districts for August recess. The earliest a vote would take place would be in September, but GOP leaders believe it will succeed and would further damage his reelection prospects. The fears come as they’re increasingly worried his western North Carolina seat could flip in November.

It’s not yet clear whether Edwards will heed the calls. A spokesman for his campaign said Monday that 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,” said Paul Shumaker, a spokesperson and strategist for the campaign.

CNN has reached out to request comment from Edwards on the push by GOP leaders.

There are other potential hurdles for party leaders: Republicans are still sorting out the procedural questions of replacing him on the ballot so late in the cycle. Edwards easily defeated a GOP challenger to win his primary in March.

Inside the party, there was already palpable anxiety over 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.

The ethics panel said Monday that “there was substantial reason to believe Representative Edwards violated House Rules related to sexual harassment and hostile workplaces.”

The committee recommended the House vote to censure Edwards. A censure is one of the most severe forms of punishment in the chamber, though it does not remove a member and carries no explicit penalties beyond a public admonition.

The congressman denied that his behavior was “intended as a sexual or romantic advance,” according to the committee’s report, which also said it found no evidence that Edwards “engaged in sexual activity” with the women.