AXIOS (Kate Santaliz) - Chuck Edwards' abrupt exit leaves Republicans scrambling
For Speaker Mike Johnson, Rep. Chuck Edwards ' decision to drop his re-election bid just trades one problem for another. Why it matters: Instead of trying to hold a vulnerable seat with a scandal-ridden candidate , Republicans now have to scramble for a replacement who'll be starting at square one three months out from Election Day against a well-funded Democrat. - North Carolina's 11th District already was in Democrats' sights long before Edwards became the target of a House Ethics probe this spring — and things were not trending Republicans' way. - Sabato's Crystal Ball shifted the race from "lean Republican" to "toss-up" last Thursday, after Edwards' Democratic opponent, Jamie Ager, significantly outraised him in the second…