Madison Cawthorn versus The World

The first rule about the (alleged) secret sex parties is apparently: don’t talk about the (alleged) secret sex parties.

That’s the lesson freshman congressman and youngest member of the House Madison Cawthorn is learning ahead of his primary election, less than a week away, as he faces the unrestrained wrath of the North Carolina and national Republican Party establishment over comments he made to a right-wing podcast about supposedly being invited to an orgy by fellow members of Congress.

The backlash the first-term representative of the Asheville and Hendersonville areas of North Carolina is facing is some of the most brutal political warfare the GOP or the nation in general has seen in a while. Major figures in the party, including his state’s two US senators, are openly criticising his character while one, Thom Tillis, has even endorsed a challenger in the crowded race. And seemingly every week new images and videos of the congressman are being leaked to media outlets and an anti-Cawthorn super PAC, FireMadison.com, which have shown the 26-year-old in wild or compromising sexual situations in an obvious attempt to drive a wedge between him and the conservative voters of western North Carolina.

It’s also remarkable because the reaction from his fellow Republicans far outpaces any backlash faced by his fellow right-wingers who have previously gotten into hot water for much more serious issues including attendance at a conference hosted by a white nationalist and the use of racist rhetoric. Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of the House’s most prolific conspiracy theorists who was stripped of her committee memberships over past comments espousing the idea of violence against Nancy Pelosi, is on course to regain those memberships next year if the GOP retakes the chamber.

With his primary election on Tuesday, it’s unclear if Mr Cawthorn will actually be forced out of office over any of this. He retains Donald Trump’s endorsement (though the former president is reportedly weirded out by the recent revelations), and that alone could be enough to propel him to a second term given the strong chance a Republican will win the deep red NC-11 district in the fall. He may face criticism from other party members like Kevin McCarthy, but that’s not likely to move the needle too much in Mr Cawthorn’s district.

Even so, Mr Cawthorn’s race is likely only competitive due to this recent scandal as well as his other personal issues, like being charged with a DUI while driving on a revoked license. If he loses next Tuesday, the message to his successor will be clear: keep your mouth shut about the orgies. Allegedly.

Yours,

John Bowden

Washington DC correspondent