“It’s not a good news cycle for Chuck Edwards.”
That’s how Chris Cooper, professor of political science and public affairs at Western Carolina University, summed up the latest allegations involving the 65-year-old congressman.
That’s after new reporting by Axios that Edwards “expressed deep personal affection” for a staffer in a three-page handwritten note.
“They are baseless allegations designed to impact the campaign driven by those who want to settle old political scores,” Edwards responded Tuesday in a statement from his D.C. office.
Axios’ Kate Santaliz reported that two sources confirmed details of a trip the Republican congressman for North Carolina’s 11th congressional district took with the staffer to Las Vegas in November 2025. Three sources told Axios that Edwards bought gifts for young female staffers and invited them to “one-on-one” dinners.
The House Ethics Committee is investigating the allegations of misconduct. NC Newsline has not independently confirmed Axios’ reporting on the details of the investigation.
Edwards’ campaign strategist Paul Shumaker told NC Newsline on Monday the investigation is “nothing about nothing.”
Tuesday afternoon, Edwards reiterated that position.
“We welcome the ethics inquiry because it allows for facts to be entered into the record, not public allegations designed to drive media interests.” Edwards said.
Cooper said the problem is that Edwards has yet to put the story behind him.
“What we’ve seen is a few different drips now. This is the third sort of iteration of this story,” said Cooper.
NOTUS reported last week that the ethics panel was looking into allegations of Edwards in a long-term affair with his former deputy chief of staff.
North Carolina Congressman Chuck Edwards subject to House Ethics investigation
Cooper says the congressional investigation does not mean that Edwards is at risk of losing his seat or that voters will necessarily be swayed, but it does draw negative attention as the second-term congressman works to demonstrate his commitment to serving the people of Western North Carolina.
“It might also make it tougher for him in the fundraising battle that is going on. Obviously, what matters is votes, not fundraising, but it is tougher to raise large, sizable chunks of money when you are under congressional investigation. So, it matters,” said Cooper.
Even before news of the ethics probe broke, Edwards’ fundraising was lagging behind that of his Democratic challenger, Jamie Ager, who has already raised $1.6 million for the race. Cooper believes this year may be the best chance Democrats have had to win the 11th congressional district since Heath Shuler, a former NFL quarterback, represented the district from 2007 to 2013.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced in February that it would back Ager, viewing the U.S. House seat as one that could be flipped from Republican to Democratic by offering more financial resources.
Six months from the 2026 midterms, Cooper said it’s hard to say if the allegations or the ethics investigation will be a game changer.
“We don’t know if any of this is true yet,” said Cooper. “But it may just kind of diminish turnout among Republicans.”
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