Disgraced Republican plots comeback—in another state
He is baaack.
Republican Madison Cawthorn, who flame From Congress after a single term of house soaked in scandals, try a return – this time in Florida. Wednesday, he announcement He presents himself for the 19th district of the State Congress, which will be open next year since the outgoing representative Byron Donalds launched an offer for the governor.
In his announcement video, Cawthorn presented Florida as “the heart of the Maga movement” and highlighted her volunteer work in southwest Florida after Hurricane Ian devastated the region in 2022.
“This community is my house,” he said. “I know what it means to be underestimated, and I know what it takes to retaliate. This same spirit is what I will wear in Washington. ”
Cawthorn represented the 11th district of North Carolina and was, at 25, the youngest member of the Congress when he entered 2021.
But his short term has become a title of tabloid in progress. He was Accused of negotiation of initiatestwice taken with a loaded pistol at the security airport, and hampered by Embarrassing disclosed videos.
Cawthorn struck the bottom in March 2022, When he claimed that he had been invited to an “orgy” of DC and that he had witnessed eminent republicans to make cocaine. The comments triggered the indignation within the GOP and earned him a public dressing From the leader of the minority of the time, Kevin McCarthy. Cawthorn later admitted that his comments were “exaggerated”.
Controversies have accumulated, but real damage may have been the feeling that he did not care about his voters. His decision to abandon west of North Carolina for a new district in the Charlotte region – before the courts threw the GRYMANDERED card of the GOP – indicated that her career was more than the people who sent him to Washington. As he presented himself to the re -election of his original district, the eminent republicans had turned against him.
North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis openly supported Now-repetitive. Chuck Edwards, describing Cawthorn as a legislator inserted without results to show for his mandate. Edwards leaned in this case, throwing himself as a reliable conservative alternative.
Voters agreed: Edwards beaten Cawthorn in republican primary 2022 by a thin margin33% to 32%.
President Donald Trump has never abandoned Cawthorn, however. In 2022, he asked voters to “Give Madison a second chance“After his” insane errors “, and Cawthorn clearly said he intended to stay by Trump while he was plotting his return. When it was launched in Florida, he promised to run “to stand with President Trump”.
Cawthorn has laid the foundations for months. Axios reported that he was spotted in Capitol Hill last month, a meeting of the Republican legislators to float his offer for the headquarters of Donalds. He moving For Cape Coral after leaving Congress, saying that his admiration for Donalds was one of the reasons for resettlement.
However, the troubles followed him. A few weeks ago, He was arrested In Florida after omitting to appear in court for driving with a suspended or revoked license. This incident added to a long list of legal skirmishes and raised questions about the question of whether the controversies that haunted it in North Carolina will once again overshadow its campaign.
The 19th district of the Florida Congress, which covers a strip of the southwest coast of the state, is deep red. Donalds Cruise to re -election In 2024, winning by more than 30 percentage points, so the seat is not at stake for the Democrats.
But the republican primary promises to be free for everyone. Several Republicans have filed documents To run, with more follow -up. Among them is another familiar name: the former representative of New York Chris Collins, who has resigned from Congress Before pleading guilty Federal accusations of initiate. Asset the forgiven In 2020, and now he also looked at a return to Washington.
Donalds remained shy to find out if he will support Cawthorn as his successor. Questioned on this subject in September by Axios, Donalds only offered a cautious hedge.
“He was 25 years old when he came to Congress. Everyone has the opportunity to grow and mature,” said Donalds.
Maybe yes. But the voters of North Carolina clearly decided that they had enough. Now, Florida Republicans will have to choose if they want the Cawthorn loyalty mixture to Trump and undertook a scandal in Washington.
If nothing else, the GOP primary promises to be disorderly and entertaining.
