 A scathing new editorial in Congressman Chuck Edwards’ hometown paper is putting the vulnerable Republican on blast for making big promises to Western North Carolina families and repeatedly leaving them out to dry.
The Smoky Mountain News has bestowed Edwards with its 2025 “Nothingburger” Award for putting out self-congratulatory press releases, despite failing to secure meaningful relief for his community after it was devastated by Hurricane Helene. North Carolina received just $9 billion out of the $100 billion in federal disaster relief Congress passed in December 2024.
“That’s like asking for a 10-piece McNuggets but only getting one,” they write. Ouch.
The editorial concludes: “Edwards has delivered a master class in empty calories. Big branding. Greasy fealty. Zero nutrition. Western North Carolina ordered disaster relief and got a Happy Meal toy and a few napkins instead.”
REMINDER: Last month, the DCCC added Edwards to the 2026 “Districts in Play” list due to the vulnerable position he has placed himself in by voting to rip away health care from thousands of hardworking North Carolina families.
Read the full editorial for yourself:
Smoky Mountain News: 2025 A Look Back: Nothingburger award
- Western North Carolina pulled into the congressional drive-thru after Hurricane Helene, placed a large order and waited. And waited. And waited.
- What Rep. Chuck Edwards finally handed his constituents was an empty paper bag containing a rather large nothingburger — heavy on branding, light on substance and nowhere near the $60 billion recovery order his storm-famished district actually placed.
- Sure, Congress served up a whopping $100 billion continuing resolution/disaster relief bill in December 2024 — Edwards claimed authorship — but for some damn reason, the meat of it wasn’t designated for Edwards’ constituents. Estimates put North Carolina’s piece of the pie at between $9 billion and $15 billion. In fast food terms, that’s like asking for a 10-piece McNuggets but only getting one.
- Days ago on social media, Edwards claimed he was “fighting for Western North Carolina” and bragged about the $6.5 billion he says he’s dished out; not exactly a supersized Big Mac meal with large fry — more like a few stray ketchup packets, leaving people who’ve lost their livelihoods and homes asking, “Where’s the beef?”
- In Swannanoa and within sight of some of those damaged homes, Edwards famously gave Trump a McDonald’s fry cook pin — a fitting gesture from a congressman who owns multiple franchises and seems more comfortable serving up symbolism than substance.
- In the end, Edwards has delivered a master class in empty calories. Big branding. Greasy fealty. Zero nutrition. Western North Carolina ordered disaster relief and got a Happy Meal toy and a few napkins instead.
- While somebody should congratulate Edwards on his award by offering him a steaming hot beverage from the McCafe menu, technically, no one can — because coffee is for closers.
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