North Carolina Republicans plan to replace U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards on the ballot as soon as next week following the incumbent’s decision Wednesday to end his reelection campaign, party leaders said Wednesday — and already at least one influential legislator is weighing whether to seek the nomination.
Edwards on Wednesday withdrew from the race for his 11th Congressional District seat — an announcement that came two days after the U.S. House Ethics Committee recommended he be sanctioned after releasing a report that alleged he harassed two aides.
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State law allows members of the North Carolina Republican Party to replace Edwards on the ballot. Top party officials from the Western North Carolina district plan to meet on Monday to start that process, according to Jason Simmons, the state GOP’s chairman.
The party “is prepared to move through this process quickly and efficiently," Simmons said in a statement. He added: "The District Executive Committee will fulfill its responsibility under our rules to nominate a candidate who will fight for lower taxes, secure our border, strengthen our economy, and stand up for the values of the people of the 11th District.”
NC Sens. Kevin Corbin and Tim Moffitt, who represent western North Carolina in the chamber, each said Wednesday that they’re interested in running for the seat but stopped short of committing to a run. Corbin then abandoned the idea Thursday evening, saying in a statement that he wanted to continue working on unfinished business in the Senate.
“I am incredibly grateful to the friends and colleagues who have put my name forward for consideration to represent Western North Carolina in Congress. It is especially humbling to know that people I respect have such confidence in my ability to serve our region,” Corbin said.
He continued: “I have made commitments, including serving as co-chair of the Governor’s task force on Helene recovery, that I have a duty to fulfill. … and believe that these responsibilities are too important to leave unfinished, and for that reason, I do not believe the timing is right for me to seek federal office.”
In a social media post earlier in the day, Moffitt said he’s being encouraged to run.
“The 11th District needs a conservative who will stand shoulder to shoulder with President Trump, champion Western North Carolina values, and run a campaign that's ready to win from day one — with the organization, the coalition, and the resources to hold this seat,” Moffitt said.
He continued: “Over the next few days, I'll be talking with leaders and neighbors across the district about my potential candidacy to represent Western NC in Congress.”
Moffitt has served more than 10 years in the legislature, with terms in the House and Senate. He currently chairs the Senate’s committee on regulatory reform.
If any legislator replaces Edwards on the ballot, Republican Party officials would need to nominate a new candidate for that senator’s district. Corbin and Moffitt are each running for reelection in their districts, which heavily favor Republicans.
Corbin faces Democrat Tom Downing in a district that spans Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain and Transylvania counties. Moffitt faces Democrat Doyle Brown Jr. in a district that includes Henderson, Polk, and Rutherford counties.
Edwards’ departure
Edwards, 65, won the seat representing western North Carolina in 2022 after defeating former U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn in the GOP primary. Edwards was favored to win a third term this fall: voters in the district supported President Donald Trump by a 9 percentage point margin in the 2024 election.
However, House Republicans started to worry about Edwards’ ability to defeat Democrat Jamie Ager amid the investigation into the congressman’s conduct with staff members. National Democrats have identified Edwards' district as one of their top targets nationwide to try to flip in the November midterms, WRAL reported earlier this year.
On Monday, the U.S. House Ethics Committee announced that it reviewed allegations that Edwards created or fostered a hostile work environment and engaged in sexual harassment, finding enough evidence to suggest that Edwards broke rules prohibiting sexual harassment of and unwanted advances toward House staffers. The committee has recommended the full House adopt the report and censure Edwards.
Edwards said his actions didn’t warrant sanctions, pointing to the committee’s report that it found no evidence that Edwards engaged in sexual activity with or explicitly propositioned any members of his staff.
The committee “concluded that the allegations in this matter do not implicate quid pro quo sexual harassment. They concluded he did not violate federal sexual harassment law,” Edwards’ committee said in a statement Monday.
The statement continued: “However, the committee staff has taken it upon themselves to write their own rules based upon an interpretation that is inconsistent with the written rule of law or House rules. Representative Edwards looks forward to having his name cleared and will work to ensure that the full light of day is brought on this process and that every member of Congress and the public can see the attempt to harm the Congressman who has brought no harm to others.”
By Wednesday’s early morning hours, Edwards had changed his mind. In a social media post at 3:32 a.m., Edwards said: “After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign.”
By 4 p.m., Edwards had filed paperwork with the North Carolina Board of Elections to end his candidacy. He didn’t immediately respond to a WRAL request for comment.
WRAL state government reporter Caroline Yaffa contributed.