Who is Madison Cawthorn? Know all about the RNC speaker running for US Congress

Madison Cawthorn, who addressed the Republic National Convention on August 26, is a 25-year-old seeking to become one of the youngest members of Congress. As per reports, Cawthorn was in a car accident as a teenager which left him parlayed from the waist down. While speaking at the convention, he said that his injury inspired him to enter politics. 

The 25-year-old Republican is running to replace former Rep. Mark Meadows, now US President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District. He has pitched himself as a conservative answer to ‘the Squad’, which is a group of young, progressive members of the house that includes, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib. If elected, Cawthorn would become the youngest members in Congress, a title currently held by AOC. 

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As per reports, Cawthorn owns a real estate investment company. He unexpectedly beat Lynda Bennett, a real estate agent and activist, in the race to claim the Republican nomination for the 11th District lead, which Meadows abdicated to become Trump’s chief of staff. Back in July, the 25-year-old had reportedly said that he ran for Congress because he was disappointed by how the Republican Party handled full control of the White House and Congress in 2017. Since winning the Republican nomination, Cawthorn has gained attention and have also been embroiled in controversies. 

Earlier this month, he was reportedly forced to address photos posted on Instagram during a 2017 trip to the top of Eagle’s Nest, Adolf Hitler’s mountaintop chalet. While in the caption Cawthorn referred to Hitler both as the ‘Fuhrer’ and ‘supreme evil’, he was asked to take down the post. As per reports, his campaign was also forced to address the allegation of sexual misconduct from multiple women who accused the Republican candidate of unwanted sexual advances towards them when they were teenagers. 

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Cawthorn’s to face off Moe Davis  

Meanwhile, Cawthorn’s website outlines his conservative views on health care, immigration, abortion rights and gun control. He reportedly stated that he is running because he believes that the country’s faith, freedom, values are ‘under assault’ from coastal elites and leftists like Nancy Pelosi and AOC. He will face off against Democratic candidate and retired US Air Force colonel Moe Davis in the upcoming weeks. 

(Image: @Yedois/Twitter) 

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