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Chuck Edwards

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Chuck Edwards
Official portrait, 2025
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from North Carolina's 11th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byMadison Cawthorn
Member of the North Carolina Senate
from the 48th district
In office
August 19, 2016 – January 1, 2023
Preceded byTom Apodaca
Succeeded byTim Moffitt
Personal details
BornCharles Marion Edwards
(1960-09-13) September 13, 1960 (age 65)
Waynesville, North Carolina, U.S.
PartyRepublican
SpouseTeresa Edwards
Children2 (1 deceased)
EducationBlue Ridge Community College (attended)
WebsiteHouse website
Campaign website

Charles Marion Edwards[1] (born September 13, 1960)[2] is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 11th congressional district since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he represented the 48th district in the North Carolina Senate from 2016 to 2023.[3][4]

In 2026, Edwards was investigated by the House Committee on Ethics over allegations that he had behaved inappropriately with female staffers. Following the release of the Committee's report, which included a recommendation that he be censured, he ended his bid for re-election that fall.

Early life and education

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Edwards was born in Waynesville, North Carolina. He graduated from West Henderson High School in 1978 and studied business, accounting, and marketing at Blue Ridge Community College.[5]

Career

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Edwards' state senatorial portrait, c. 2019

Edwards joined McDonald's in 1989, working as an operations manager until 1991, senior business consultant from 1991 to 1996, and development coordinator from 1996 to 1998. He also worked as the vice president of Henderson County Partners for Economic Progress.[6] In 2013, he became a director of Entegra Financial Corporation.[7] In 2020, Entegra merged with First Citizens Bank.[8] In 2026, Edwards sold all of his holdings in McDonalds so he could focus more on his legislative career.[9]

Edwards was appointed to the North Carolina Senate in August 2016 after Tom Apodaca resigned. He defeated Democratic nominee Norman Bossert in 2016, and was reelected in 2018 and 2020.[5] In 2024, Edwards held a ceremony and awarded Donald Trump with a French Fry Certification Pin, an award that Edwards created (this is an honorary award, and not an actual certification given by the McDonald's Corporation).[10] C Edwards Group, Inc. operates McDonald's restaurants in the western North Carolina communities of Hendersonville, Brevard and Canton which have been the target of protest events.[11]

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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2022

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On November 30, 2021, Edwards declared his candidacy for North Carolina's 11th congressional district in the 2022 election.[12] The district was represented by freshman Republican incumbent Madison Cawthorn. Cawthorn faced numerous scandals, had made many controversial statements, and was criticized by Edwards as an ineffective legislator.[13] Edwards was also endorsed by U.S. Senator Thom Tillis.

On May 17, 2022, Edwards defeated Cawthorn in the Republican primary with 33.4% of the vote.[14] Although he lost 12 of the district's 15 counties, he carried Buncombe, its most populous, by over 2,000 votes, exceeding his overall margin of 1,338. Edwards also defeated Cawthorn in Henderson County, where they both lived, by 3,191 votes.[15]

In March 2025, Edwards held a town hall meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, that became contentious as constituents questioned him about federal policy and proposed government cuts. Attendees repeatedly interrupted and booed his responses during the event, and security ultimately escorted Edwards from the building.[16]

2026

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Edwards filed for re-election to his seat in December 2025.[17] On April 30, 2026, reports emerged that the House Ethics Committee was investigating him over sexual harassment allegations.[18] On August 3, the committee released its report, concluding that Edwards "fostered a hostile work environment and engaged in sexual harassment" by engaging in "persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct" towards two young female staffers. It was recommended that he be censured by Congress for his alleged misconduct. Initially, Edwards denied harassing his staffers and said he would exonerate himself;[19][20] on August 5, he announced that he would no longer be running for re-election.[21]

Committee assignments

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Source:[22]

United States House Committee on Appropriations

United States House Committee on the Budget

Caucus memberships

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Source:[22]

Political positions

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Abortion

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In 2022, Edwards stated his opposition to the 1973 Roe v. Wade court decision, and said it should be overturned.[23]

Foreign policy

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In March 2026, Edwards said he supports Trump's decision to enter the 2026 Iran war.[24][25] Edwards said Trump did not require congressional authorization for the war.[25] In June 2026, he voted against a war powers resolution intended to limit the war in Iran while it lacked authorization from Congress.[26][27]

Immigration

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In January 2024, Edwards introduced legislation which would prevent immigrants from being counted by the United States census, for the purposes of determining the United States congressional apportionment.[28] In February 2024, Edwards posted a picture on X of a large migrant caravan in Mexico to criticize the immigration policies of the Biden administration, suggesting that Joe Biden was at fault for the migrants in the picture immigrating to the United States. However, the picture was taken in 2018, during the administration of Donald Trump.[29][30]

Electoral history

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U.S. House of Representatives

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North Carolina's 11th congressional district, 2022 Republican primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Chuck Edwards 29,496 33.4
Republican Madison Cawthorn (incumbent) 28,112 31.9
Republican Matthew Burril 8,341 9.5
Republican Bruce O'Connell 6,037 6.8
Republican Rod Honeycutt 5,775 6.5
Republican Michele Woodhouse 4,668 5.3
Republican Wendy Nevarez 4,525 5.1
Republican Kristie Sluder 1,304 1.5
Total votes 88,258 100.0
North Carolina's 11th congressional district, 2022 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Chuck Edwards 174,232 53.8
Democratic Jasmine Beach-Ferrara 144,165 44.5
Libertarian David Coatney 5,515 1.7
Total votes 323,912 100.0
Republican hold
North Carolina's 11th congressional district, 2024 General Election[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Chuck Edwards (incumbent) 245,546 56.8
Democratic Caleb Rudow 186,977 43.2
Total votes 432,523 100.0
Republican hold

Controversies

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Attacks against Joe and Hunter Biden

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Acting on a complaint filed by the Henderson County (North Carolina) Democratic Party, Edwards was sanctioned by the House Communications Standards Commission on April 24, 2024, for making personal attacks against Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, in email newsletters sent to constituents in May, June, July, and December 2023.[32] Such attacks are prohibited by federal law and by rules of the House of Representatives when they are sent out as "mass communications" at taxpayer expense.[33]

Behavior with female staffers

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On April 30, 2026, it was revealed that allegations against Edwards of inappropriate behavior with female staff members were being investigated by the House Ethics Committee.[18][34][35] On August 3, the Ethics Committee released its report. Edwards was found to have sent gifts, intimate texts and poems, and a guitarist with a message from a "special someone" to two junior staffers; to have had dinners with the staffers which he preferred were kept private; and to have taken the staffers on separate vacations to New York City and Las Vegas, with the second staffer, having left his office, feeling like she had been pressured into agreeing. It was recommended that he be censured for violating the House's rules against sexual harassment.[36]

On August 5, announcing that he had undertaken "much prayer and reflection", Edwards ended his campaign for re-election.[37]

Personal life

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Edwards and his wife, Teresa, have had two children. In 2018, his 36-year-old son died by suicide via firearm after a lengthy period of untreated depression, leaving a baby daughter and wife behind.[38]

References

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  1. ↑ Quay, Grayson (May 19, 2022). "Meet the man who defeated Madison Cawthorn". The Week. Archived from the original on February 22, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  2. ↑ "North Carolina New Members 2023". The Hill. November 17, 2022. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Chuck Edwards replaces Tom Apodaca, will complete Apodaca's term". WLOS News 13. Associated Press. August 24, 2016. Archived from the original on October 6, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Senator Chuck Edwards - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly". North Carolina General Assembly. Archived from the original on August 27, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Chuck Edwards". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on December 22, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  6. ↑ Moss, Bill (January 29, 2013). "Henderson County Business: Small business background preps Edwards for Chamber role". Hendersonville Lightning. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Charles Edwards' Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  8. ↑ "First Citizens Bank Completes Merger With Entegra Financial Corp., Entegra Bank". First Citizens Bank (Press release). January 1, 2020. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  9. ↑ "North Carolina congressman exits McDonald's ownership after decade". Fox News. July 14, 2026.
  10. ↑ Nicholls, Flynn (October 22, 2024). "Donald Trump given McDonald's award in hurricane-"obliterated town"". Newsweek. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  11. ↑ Pridgen, Dee (November 27, 2025). "Protesters to boycott McDonald's owned by Rep. Chuck Edwards". 828 News NOW. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  12. ↑ King, Kimberly (November 30, 2021). "Republicans eye open seats after Sen. Edwards announces congressional run". WLOS News 13. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  13. ↑ DeChalus, Camila (May 6, 2022). "Rep. Madison Cawthorn's primary challenger Chuck Edwards wants to focus on results for North Carolina — not his opponent's many scandals". Business Insider.
  14. ↑ Ulloa, Jazmine (May 18, 2022). "Madison Cawthorn loses his re-election bid after a deluge of scandals". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  15. ↑ "NC SBE Election Contest Details". NC SBE Contest Results. NC State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on November 19, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  16. ↑ Ibssa, Lalee (March 14, 2025). "GOP lawmaker booed at North Carolina town hall, escorted from building". ABC News.
  17. ↑ "Rep. Chuck Edwards, Jamie Ager file bid for Congress in North Carolina". Citizen Times. December 1, 2025.
  18. 1 2 Grayer, Annie; Lee, MJ (April 30, 2026). "House Ethics Committee investigating allegations of sexual harassment against GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards". CNN.
  19. ↑ Sprunt, Barbara (August 3, 2026). "House Ethics panel recommends censure for Chuck Edwards after harassment allegations". NPR News. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
  20. ↑ Stein, Chris (August 3, 2026). "US House ethics panel recommends censure for Republican Chuck Edwards". The Guardian. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
  21. ↑ Robertson, Deeanna (August 5, 2026). "Rep. Chuck Edwards abandons re-election bid". WYFF. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
  22. 1 2 "Committees and Caucuses". edwards.house.gov. January 3, 2023. Archived from the original on March 5, 2025.
  23. ↑ Burgess, Joel (May 5, 2022). "Roe Supreme Court draft opinion splits District 11 candidates on abortion, need for law". Asheville Citizen-Times. Retrieved July 24, 2026. Chuck Edwards | SCOTUS must rule based on our Constitution, not the mobs they see out their window. If they do that, the abominable decision of 1973 will be overturned. We pray the 1973 abomination is about to end.
  24. ↑ King, Kimberly (March 2, 2026). "Democratic, Republican candidates for NC-11 react to Trump's strike on Iran". WLOS. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  25. 1 2 Hofmann, Will (March 16, 2026). "Here's what Chuck Edwards has to say about Iran war, FEMA reform, more". Asheville Citizen-Times. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  26. ↑ Dougherty, Danny (June 3, 2026). "How Each Member of the House Voted on the War Powers Bill". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  27. ↑ Wu, Ashley; Gómez, Martín González (June 3, 2026). "How Each House Member Voted on the Iran War Powers Resolution". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  28. ↑ King, Kimberly (January 25, 2024). "Congressman Chuck Edwards introduces legislation targeting immigrants". WLOS. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  29. ↑ Zurick, Maura (February 13, 2024). "Republican Congressman's Meme About Border on Biden's Watch Backfires". Newsweek. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  30. ↑ Moye, David (February 14, 2024). "GOP Rep. Blames Biden For Border Issues Using Pic Taken During Trump Era". Yahoo. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  31. ↑ "11/05/2024 OFFICIAL GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS - STATEWIDE". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on January 26, 2025. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  32. ↑ WLOS Staff (April 25, 2024). "Rep. Chuck Edwards sanctioned by House commission over communications rules violation". WLOS. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  33. ↑ "The House of Representatives Communications Standards Manual" (PDF).
  34. ↑ Santaliz, Kate (May 4, 2026). "Scoop: Rep. Chuck Edwards singled out young female aides for special attention". Axios. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
  35. ↑ "LegiStorm: Congress Revealed". www.legistorm.com. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
  36. ↑ "Statement of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics Regarding Representative Chuck Edwards". House Committee on Ethics. August 3, 2026. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  37. ↑ Santaliz, Kate (August 5, 2026). "Rep. Chuck Edwards drops re-election bid after censure recommendation". Axios. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
  38. ↑ "Today@NCCapitol: Moment of silence". WRAL.com. May 22, 2018. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
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