A new report has revealed widening divides within North Carolina’s Republican Party over Rep. Madison Cawthorn’s plan to change districts.
Cawthorn, already a divisive figure within congress, revealed his plan to move from North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District to seek reelection in the state’s adjacent 13th District last month. In his announcement on Twitter, Cawthorn added that the change would prevent a “go-along-to-get-along Republican” from winning the seat. The announcement also prompted Tim Moore, the longest-serving speaker in the history of the North Carolina House, to drop out of the race.
Cawthorn’s plans have not, however, won the approval of the North Carolina GOP. A new report by the Citizen-Times details internal rage at Cawthorn’s announcement, as party leaders fear his run could actually cost the party a valuable seat.
“This isn’t a noble effort. This is ambitious cowardice at its worst,” Charles Jeter Jr., an influential former Republican state representative, said of Cawthorn’s run. “He’s an embarrassment that we need to defeat.”
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Other Republicans attacked Cawthorn’s allegiance to Donald Trump over party unity, and his increasing extremism.
“We are in this divide of us-versus-them in the party,” Catawba College professor and political commentator Michael Bitzer told the Citizen-Times in an interview. “And you cannot pursue the middle ground because there is no middle ground in the Republican Party.”
“What Cawthorn and others are attempting to do is to put a target on the back of anyone who isn’t a follower of Trumpism,” added Bitzer. “And not only on your back; you’ve got a target on your front side.”
Related: Another one of Madison Cawthorn’s dumb tweets just blew up in his face
CEO and president of the John Locke Foundation John Hood derided Cawthorn’s plan over his lack of legislative achievements.
“Madison Cawthorn is a callow and appallingly ignorant young man who regularly embarrasses conservatives and Republicans, whether they admit it or not,” Hood said.
“What conservative policy has Cawthorn ever delivered for his district? He’s barely even a lawmaker,” GOP legislative attorney Brent Woodcox echoed. “He just plays one on TV.”
Cawthorn’s announcement to change districts has actually prompted more support for Karen Bentley, a former Mecklenburg County commissioner who intends to oppose him in the primary. At least one party insider has predicted Cawthorn “may have a fight on his hands.”
Since his entry into Congress, Madison Cawthorn has become well known for his incendiary rhetoric, as well as for a series of scandals that have plagued his tenure. Earlier this year, reports emerged that Cawthorn sexually assaulted multiple women while attending college. Cawthorn has also made racist comments and expressed homophobic sentiments. The 26-year-old congressman has also faced accusations that he faked details of his biography to win election, and, perhaps most damningly, been named as a possible co-conspirator in the January 6 Capitol Insurrection.
barryaksarben
HE went to DC and has done exactly NOTHING except spout insane conspiracies and send self exposing tweets. He is an idiot but hey the regular decent GOPers refuse to stand up for what is right for fear of trump which is so cowardly
johncp56
It is almost a year 1/6/21 and guys like this are still spewing crap, shame he is so very hot, some crazy gay eye candy is all he is to me, GOP racist homophobic wht backwardisum
Openminded
Isn’t this story all about “regular decent GOPers” standing up against Cawthorn?
Cam
@Openminded
What a shock, one of the anti-LGBTQ troll screenames is here trying to talk about how decent and good Republicans are.
Since the last platform the party came up with was completely against LGBTQ rights, and all the Republicans are pretty much on board with that, it’s adorable you keep trying to play this troll game here. Since they all buy into the hate and bigotry, let them eat their own and attack each other.
Chrisk
Openminded
We’ve always know that allot of the GOP is against Donnie being their defacto leader but too coward to say it till they’re out of office and on a book tour. I wouldn’t call them ‘decent” though.
Openminded
Cam, It would really be nice if you could read and comprehend an article before you troll the comment section. You are an obnoxious piece of Sh*t.
Sqwoah
@Openminded…..lol. you nailed it exactly right.
Cam
@Sqwoah
LOL!!!! you couldn’t even wait 5 minutes before trying to come in and defend your other screename’s comment.
Wow, PLEASE tell Putin or the RNC to pay more so they can afford smarter trolls.
Openminded
CAM, please borrow your mama’s dictionary and look up the definition of a troll and then look in the mirror. Then…. go F*uck yourself.
Eugene man
First of all I want to say that his eyes look evil. That young ma did not go to DC to be a legislature to govern, he went to play make believe. He doesn’t have a clue what he is doing.
kish
“Madison Cawthorn is a callow and appallingly ignorant young man who regularly embarrasses conservatives and Republicans, whether they admit it or not,” Hood said.
Exactly!
Essie
The people who elected him must be “appallingly ignorant” also and that is what needs to change. Every legislator needs to speak up and speak out about this person and remind voters that he is uneducated and dumb as a rock and that there has to be someone else who could do more for the people of North Carolina.
Heywood Jablowme
A “wonky” political story that’s surprisingly interesting. I’d expect to see this in Politico or the NYT, but after checking I see neither of them has mentioned it. Finally some Republicans see the drawbacks of electing attention-seeking a-holes who just want to be on TV a lot, not do any legislative work, and insult the local “RINOs.” Now Mad Caw is insulting them in two districts and his handpicked successor in the original district, Michele Woodhouse, would be more of the same. Would be cool if both she and Mad Caw lose.
Brian
I’m amazed by how common this is becoming in national politics. (Marjorie Taylor Greene did the same thing already. Mehmet Oz is in the process of faking a new address.)
In our local races around here, candidates *always* brag about how long they’ve lived in the town/county, where they went to high school, how many kids they currently have in the district, etc. But on the national level, people bounce around and voters just do not care.
gregg2010
Madison is an idiot elected by idiots. We are doomed at the midterms and in 2024.
Creamsicle
Dems are doomed in the midterms, but it’s not because of Madison Cawthorne, it’s because they’re deliberately sabotaging themselves by refusing the pass the kind of legislation they promised during the election.
I’m personally convinced they’re doing it on purpose. Then they don’t need to defend programs, they can pretend that it’s typical partisan gridlock and act like they’re just as frustrated as their base.
Both major parties LOVE being the opposition party. It means they can spew meaningless rhetoric without ever being held accountable to policy.
We need to break the duopoly. Contact local election boards about adopting Ranked Choice Voting for local elections. It will give 3rd parties a chance and improve representation, since no candidate can win office unless and until they have at least 51% support.
butchqueen
Bury him like the turd he is.
Gay Thomas
I remember when Sarah Palin was considered extremist, intellectually challenged, and just plain crazy. She has spawned a slew of brainless nutjobs.
cuteguy
Next yr is going to be a $hit show if the Repubes win back the House. God help us all
TheAbsoluteTRUTH
If we could get rid of the Cawthorns and AOC’s of politics life would go back too some sensibilities
Cam
@TheAbsoluteTRUTH
As always the right wing troll account tries to deflect off of the ignorant, lying, Hitler supporting bigot by attacking …(checks Notes)….a woman of color.
You’re troll game is, as always, boring and predictable.
Chrisk
TheAbsoluteTRUTH
What exactly do you hate about AOC? Her policies seem sensible to me.
Openminded
If you will be honest, you will realize what Absolute Truth posted is accurate. It is the extremist in both parties that are muddying the water. Neither political party can, nor should, have it all their way. There must be compromise towards the middle to be fair to ALL Americans. The extremist beliefs only serve to divide the country and get absolutely nothing done. Biden has been hobbled by extremist GOPer and not been able to accomplish much good. I truly believe if you could boot out the extreme Trump followers and the AOC radical leftist you would see those left behind accomplishing a lot for this country with the vast majority of citizens much happier with the results and much less hatred towards “the other side”. Finally, CAM, you can go F yourself before you start calling me a troll.
Openminded
P.S. Cam, AOC being a woman of color isn’t what people have an issue with her about. Playing the race and/or gay card is an old tired game you play when you can’t defend yourself calling other’s trolls.
Cam
@Openminded @TheAbsoluteTruth
Sweetie, you’ve been busted hundreds of times over the years for switching screenames and coming i to defend your comments under your other names.
The sad thing is, you keep doing it and think it will work.
As always, your troll game is sad and weak.
Openminded
CAM, please provide proof that anyone has ever “busted” me for doing something I have never done. It’s impossible to defend “my other screenname” when I only have one screenname. Don’t forget to wish your Mama a Merry Christmas before you head to the basement.
Yidan
why is he getting so much time on here? He’s Racist to the point where he wants people dead and you glorify him because he looks like a token Gay Sean Cody model. Wow you yall need some standards.