Cawthorn Flames Out

 

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

Team GOP lost one of its all-stars last night with the defeat of freshman Congressman Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina in that state's primary election.   Cawthorn, the youngest person ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, earned a reputation in the House as someone who was quick to make headlines for all of the wrong reasons.  He had been endorsed for re-election by Donald Trump.

Cawthorn lost to North Carolina State Senator Chuck Edwards in a five-man primary race by 1,319 votes or 33.4% to 31.9 percent.  The other three candidates trailed far behind.  North Carolina voting laws do not require a run-off election if the leading candidate received more than 30% of the total vote.

During Madison Cawthorn's very brief time in Congress he has been both gotten married and divorced and was involved in numerous misadventures that managed to make their way into the press.  He was twice stopped for trying to board a passenger plane with a gun, he was recently pulled over on a traffic violation where it was discovered that he was driving on a revoked license, and old pictures of him modeling lingerie at a party have emerged, as have photos which suggested some sort of odd relationship between himself and his male second cousin who happens to be a paid member of Cawthorn's congressional staff.  Cawthorn has also been accused of sexual harassment and insider trading.

But the story which seems to have caused the most political damage to the candidate was one that he intentionally initiated.   Two months ago Cawthorn was a guest on the "Warrior Poet Society" podcast hosted by John Lovell when he made the following statement (as quoted from CNN):

"The sexual perversion that goes on in Washington . . . being kind of a young guy in Washington, where the average age is probably 60 - 70 - - (you) look at all these people, a lot of them that I've looked up to through my life, I've always paid attention to politics . . . Then all of a sudden you get invited - - 'We're going to have a sexual get together at one of our homes, you should come.'  . . . What did you just ask me to come to?   And then you realize they're asking you to come to an orgy.  . . .  Some of the people leading on the movement to try and remove addiction in our country, and then you watch them do a key bump of cocaine right in front of you.   And it's like, this is wild."

Many important figures within the Republican Party were very unhappy with Cawthorn's characterization of social life among the politicos of Washington, DC, and some seemed to be focused on helping to defeat him.   The congressman blamed his primary loss last night on a coordinated attack by "establishment" Republicans.

Clearly Chuck Edwards is unlikely to be any more concerned with the general public good than Madison Cawthorn was,  but many in the Republican Party are hopeful that Edwards can at least keep from making a spectacle of himself.

And meanwhile Madison Cawthorn still has over seven months to serve in Congress - and no re-elcction to worry about.   A smart guy like him could have some fun and do a whole lot of damage in seven months.   Perhaps he could start by sharing some names and details from those cocaine-fueled orgies.

This is your golden opportunity, Maddie.  Do unto them like they did unto you!