ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Local activist groups are calling for a boycott of McDonald’s restaurants owned by U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., with two demonstrations scheduled this weekend.
The Asheville Fights Back Network (AFBN) said it will hold events at Edwards’ McDonald’s franchise on Four Seasons Boulevard in Hendersonville at 3:30 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Sunday. The restaurant is one of seven Edwards owns in Hendersonville, Brevard and Canton.
Leslie Boyd, a co-founder of AFBN, said the boycott is a response to Edwards’ voting record.
“He says he stands for us, but he voted to reduce the availability of health care and food assistance for millions of Americans, including his own constituents,” Boyd said. “He also voted for the torment of immigrants we’re seeing in the streets of North Carolina right now. That looks to me like he is the enemy.”
AFBN is urging consumers to avoid eating at Edwards’ restaurants, using the slogan, “Don’t feed the billionaires.”
Edwards voted with fellow Republicans to end Affordable Care Act subsidies, cut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and increase funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Border Patrol. Critics say these policies have contributed to increased hardship for low-income residents and immigrants.
Boyd also criticized Edwards for delays in distributing federal recovery aid following Tropical Storm Helene, which hit Western North Carolina in September 2024.
In a statement last week, Edwards defended his record, saying, “Unleashing American energy is an important step towards strengthening our economy and getting us out of this cost-of-living crisis.”
In a separate statement, Edwards said he voted with Republicans to lower costs by reversing Biden-era energy regulations, expanding U.S. liquefied natural gas production and increasing refining capacity.
“We understand that decreased energy costs don’t just reduce electric bills and gas prices — they also mean cheaper groceries and everyday necessities,” Edwards said.
Edwards also highlighted his engagement with constituents during the recent government shutdown and his focus on fiscal accountability.
“From roundtables with tourism leaders, to welcoming our nation’s heroes returning from Honor Flights, to days spent on the Carolina Cruiser and in Chats with Chuck, I enjoyed the opportunity to hear directly from my neighbors about what matters most to them,” he said.
Edwards added that he is reviewing Congressional Budget Office practices to ensure accurate and transparent reporting.
The Asheville Fights Back Network is a coalition of social justice advocacy groups, including Indivisible Asheville, the Western Circle of the NC Poor People’s Campaign, Good Trouble WNC, the Party for Socialism and Liberation and Brass Your Heart. The network focuses on raising awareness of public policies it says harm communities in the region.
