Madison Cawthorn, 25, is the youngest member of Congress and the first born in the 1990s. A political newcomer, Cawthorn is a constitutional conservative committed to combating the rise of socialism in our culture and defending the values that have made America great.
Cawthorn said that he was inspired to run for office because he had lost faith in many of the current leaders, not just the “coastal elites and leftists,” but also Republicans. With a flair for the dramatic, he declared that he wanted “to fight for the future, to seize the high ground and retake the Shining City on a Hill.”
Cawthorn campaigned on a platform of traditional values and called himself “pro-Trump, pro-life, and pro-Second Amendment.” His emphasis on faith, family, and freedom obviously resonated in his district. His victory in the Republican primary at the minimum age of entry for a House seat was a surprising upset.
Cawthorn went on to defeat retired U.S Air Force colonel Morris Davis, a Democrat, in the 2020 general election to become the U.S. Representative for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District. That position was formerly held by Mark Meadows for seven years until his appointment as White House chief of staff, which left the seat vacant.
Political pundits declared Cawthorn to be the new face of the GOP, offering a different kind of Trumpism. However, the mainstream media never has anything good to say about Cawthorn, especially since he objected to the Electoral College certification of the 2020 presidential election.
We have seen the same character assassination tactics put forth by Democrats over and over again to destroy conservative Republicans. So, for now, let’s give Cawthorn the benefit of the doubt and concentrate on his positive accomplishments.
Early Years
David Madison Cawthorn was born on August 1, 1995, in Asheville, North Carolina, to Roger and Priscilla Cawthorn. He has an older brother named Zachary.
Cawthorn is an 8th generation resident of the area, his ancestors having served the Western North Carolina communities for over 200 years and they even fought in the Revolutionary War.
Cawthorn told North State Journal in a phone interview that he had always been interested in current events and politics, as his family raised him to discuss the big issues at their dinner table. Madison also participated in speech and debate.
Homeschooling in Hendersonville, North Carolina, the Cawthorn family was active in the local Christian homeschool community where parents organized activities such as sporting events, dances, and co-operative classes.
As a teenager, Madison was a popular all-American guy who worked at a local Chick-Fil-A restaurant. Having come from a military family, he planned to join the U.S. Marines. “My dream had always been to serve my country,” Cawthorn told NSJ.
He received a full-ride ROTC scholarship to North Carolina State University and was nominated to the U.S. Naval Academy by Rep. Mark Meadows in 2014. However, his plans to serve in the U.S. military were derailed that year, when the 18-year-old was critically injured in a tragic accident while returning from a spring break trip in Florida.
Madison was a passenger in an SUV on Interstate 4 near Daytona Beach when his friend fell asleep at the wheel and the SUV crashed into a concrete barrier. Both teens made it out of the crash alive, but only barely.
The accident left 6’3” Cawthorn paralyzed from the abdomen down. Madison now uses a wheelchair and drives a handicap-accessible vehicle, but he’s still able to lift weights and had aspirations to be a wheelchair racing athlete before going into politics.
Political Career
Madison worked as a staffer in the district office of Congressman Mark Meadows from January 2015 until August 2016. “He had been my mentor growing up; he had been my speech and debate coach; he had nominated me to the Naval Academy; so I had a great relationship with him,” Cawthorn said of Meadows.
When Madison began working for Rep. Meadows, he “really got to figure out what a congressman does day-in day-out.” Cawthorn realized that there was another way he could serve his country even though he wouldn’t be able to serve in the military.
Madison attended Patrick Henry College during the Fall 2016 semester to study political science, but dropped out after one semester. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since he now represents the 66% of North Carolinians ages 25 and up who lack college degrees. Besides, Cawthorn said, “I think that our country would probably be better-served if we had people that were wearing work boots… crafting legislation.”
Madison Cawthorn excels at motivational speaking, telling audiences how his “ordeal built his faith, made him a fighter, helped him appreciate every day, and inspired him to help everyone he encounters overcome whatever adversity they face in their daily lives.” His media savvy was on full display when he dramatically stood up from his wheelchair while reciting lines from the Pledge of Allegiance during his RNC speech.
Madison Cawthorn was sworn in and took his seat at the start of the 117th Congress on January 3, 2021. He will be serving on the House Committee of Education and Labor, as well as the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. Rep. Cawthorn intends to use his position to be a messenger rather than a legislator. “I have built my staff around comms rather than legislation,” he wrote in an e-mail obtained by Time.
“To liberals, let’s have a conversation. Be a true liberal, listen to other ideas and let the best ones prevail,” he says. “To conservatives, let’s define what we support and win the argument in areas like health care and the environment.”
As the youngest member of the 177th Congress, Rep. Cawthorn represents not only the residents of Western North Carolina, but also all of the young Americans across the nation who want their voices to be heard in the halls of government. He challenges us to have faith, work hard, play by the rules, and pursue the American dream.
Moreover, Rep. Cawthorn obviously has genuine respect for our military members. When the Democrats no longer needed the National Guard after the inauguration, they sent the troops to sleep in an unheated parking garage in near freezing temperatures. There are pictures of these men and women in uniform sleeping on the dirty concrete floor and trying to find something soft to lay on. They didn’t even have any food. Here’s a tweet from one of them:
“For the last week my battalion has been sleeping on the floor in the Senate cafeteria. Today the Senate kicked us out & moved us to a cold parking garage. 5000 soldiers. 1 power outlet. One bathroom. This is how Joe Biden’s America treats soldiers.”
But then Cawthorn came and delivered pizza to the troops! Thanks, Rep. Cawthorn!
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