Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The embattled North Carolina lawmaker announced his decision in a 3:30 a.m. post on X, stating, “After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign.” “I am confident the investigation will expose the facts, not politically motivated fiction,” Edwards said at the time. On Monday, the committed recommended Edwards face censure, an act registering its deep disapproval of a lawmaker’s conduct that does not meet the threshold for expulsion. In a response to the Ethics Committee's report, Edwards’ attorneys argued that the committee’s findings “exonerate” the congressman.