Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards of North Carolina has announced he is abandoning his bid for re-election, shortly after a House Ethics Committee report recommended he be censured. Edwards said he would serve out his current term but would not seek another, framing the decision as the product of "prayer and reflection". The move removes an incumbent from a competitive western North Carolina seat ahead of the 2026 midterms, adding to a growing list of House Republicans opting not to run again.

Edwards posted the announcement on X early on Wednesday morning, thanking constituents for their "trust, prayers, and support" and calling his service to Western North Carolina "the honor of my life". The decision follows scrutiny of his business dealings, including the earlier sale of the McDonald's franchise he and his wife Teresa had run for decades, and comes as the Ethics Committee's censure recommendation adds political pressure heading into the election cycle.