Chuck Edwards' Potential Replacements after he Dropped Re-election Bid
Five candidates have emerged since Edwards withdrew after a House committee reported on his alleged inappropriate behavior.
Congressman Chuck Edwards has announced he will not seek re-election, leaving his party to choose a replacement for the position. The North Carolina Republican made the decision after the House Ethics Committee recommended he be censured for inappropriate behavior towards female staffers. Despite denying any wrongdoing, Edwards will serve out the remainder of his term which ends on January 3.
The seat is currently held by Democrat Jamie Ager, and five names have emerged as potential replacements for Edwards. Jennifer Balkcom, a North Carolina House of Representatives member, Jennifer Balkcom, Ken McKim, Matthew Burril, Kristie Sluder, and Chad Nesbitt have all expressed their intention to run in the upcoming election.
With President Donald Trump winning the district by 10 points in 2024, and no Democrat having won the seat since 2010, the race could be a significant factor in the upcoming midterms. Probabilistic forecasting from VoteHub.com shows Ager as the favored nominee with a 62 percent chance of victory, and Polymarket odds have Democrats winning with a 57 percent chance, rising to 66 percent following the ethics committee investigation.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
