Madison Cawthorn and the future of the GOP
ROBIN HUANG: At just 25 years old, Representative Madison Cawthorn is the youngest member of Congress. Despite this impressive feat, Cawthorn’s short-lived career is already embroiled in controversy.
Born and raised in North Carolina, Cawthorn defeated Republican primary opponent Lynda Bennett in a contested party primary to win the House seat for North Carolina’s 11th district. Bennett, who held endorsements from then-President Donald Trump, Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and former 11th district Representative Mark Meadows. Despite support from the Republican Party, a leaked audio of Bennett portrayed as a “never Trumper'' was released, which Cawthorn’s campaign took advantage of to criticize his opponent and rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars to support his election, eventually securing the seat for the 11th district.
The cause of Cawthorn’s paralysis has been a subject of inquiry. On a spring break trip, Cawthorn and his friend, Bradley Ledford, were in a car accident which led to Cawthorn’s paralysis from the waist down. In subsequent videos, Cawthorn suggested that Ledford abandoned him at the site of the crash, to which Ledford has asserted is false and “hurt very badly.” One campaign video ad raised the false claim that the car accident was the reason that Cawthorn was unable to attend the Naval Academy. In reality, Cawthorn was rejected from the Naval Academy before the car accident took place.
Several allegations of sexual misconduct have also emerged against Cawthorn. As a college student at Patrick Henry College following the car accident, at least three women have alleged that he engaged in sexual harassment before his campaign for Congress. In October 2020, over 160 classmates and community members at Patrick Henry College signed an open letter describing his “gross misconduct” toward women, alongside violations of the student honor code and “self-admitted academic failings.”
Although he defeated Trump’s endorsed candidate in the party primary, Cawthorn has become one of Trump’s staunchest allies. On Twitter, Cawthorn peddled false claims that the presidential election was fraudulent, even encouraging his supporters to “lightly threaten” his political opponents. In the hours before the January 6 riot, Cawthorn was one of several speakers featured at President Trump’s rally. Cawthorn later condemned the riot and conceded the election to President Joe Biden. Nonetheless, his campaign team continued to promote stories disputing the legitimacy of the election.
From his car accident to his admission in the Naval Academy to his role in the Capitol riots, Cawthorn has navigated political hot water with half-apologies and wavering messaging, similar to Trump. Additionally, like the former president, Cawthorn’s public messaging is central to his political success. With a short resume including a mere semester in college and virtually no career experience before Congress, Cawthorn was an unlikely candidate for the House of Representatives. His inconsistent messaging—from tweeting “Cry more, lib” to insisting on bipartisanship in media interviews—has allowed Cawthorn to attract a loyal base while slipping away from accountability. As a result, Cawthorn’s political strength mirrors that of President Trump through his use of inflammatory statements and his outrageous behavior.
Given Cawthorn’s divisive personality, his brief career has already attracted great scrutiny. In a scathing column, the editorial board of the Charlotte Observer labelled Cawthorn as “a “Republican creation and North Carolina embarrassment.” Republican officials from his home Henderson county have criticized Cawthorn for his inflammatory speech at the Stop the Steal rally prior to the Capitol riot. Nonetheless, Cawthorn has largely escaped accountability amid the backlash for his behavior. Following former President Trump’s second impeachment trial, the North Carolina Republican Party quickly censured Senator Richard Burr for voting to convict the president; however, it has not acted on the range of accusations leveled against Cawthorn.
The Republican Party’s failure to hold Cawthorn accountable for his past history of misconduct and present behavior of threatening political opponents bodes poorly for its future. His continual rise demonstrates the GOP’s tolerance of figures who have flatly lied to the public, whether about his own political experience or the legitimacy of public elections. Surrounded by controversy, Cawthorn’s meteoric rise signals the enduring nature of Trumpism in the GOP beyond President Trump.
Robin Huang is a sophomore in the Walsh School of Foreign Service. Her interests include local government and public health.