Madison Cawthorn


David Madison Cawthorn is an American motivational speaker, businessman, and politician. A member of the Republican Party, Cawthorn is the Republican nominee for North Carolina's 11th congressional district in the 2020 elections, after winning the primary in June.

Early life and education

Cawthorn was born in Asheville, North Carolina to Priscilla and Roger Cawthorn in 1995. He was home-schooled in Hendersonville, North Carolina. After high school, he was nominated to the United States Naval Academy by then-Congressman Mark Meadows, for whom Cawthorn had interned, and received a Reserve Officers' Training Corps scholarship from the United States Marine Corps to North Carolina State University.
In 2014, at age 18, Cawthorn's plans for a military career were derailed while returning from a spring break trip in Florida. He was a passenger in an SUV on Interstate 4 near Daytona Beach when his friend fell asleep at the wheel, and the vehicle crashed into a concrete barrier. The injuries left Cawthorn partially paralyzed, and he now uses a wheelchair. He accrued US$3 million in medical debt during his recovery.
Cawthorn attended Patrick Henry College during the fall 2016 semester.

Career

Cawthorn is the chief executive officer of SPQR Holdings, LLC, a real estate investment firm located in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
In the June 2020 Republican primary for North Carolina's 11th congressional district, Cawthorn defeated Lynda Bennett, who had been endorsed both by President Donald Trump and Cawthorn's former mentor, Mark Meadows, who had resigned from his seat to serve as the 29th White House Chief of Staff. Cawthorn gained the support of many local leaders and was endorsed by Mark Walker, the vice chairman of the House Republican Conference. Cawthorn's victory has been described as an upset in the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections.
If elected, Cawthorn will become one of the youngest members ever elected to the House of Representatives, with the distinction of youngest currently believed to be held by William C. C. Claiborne of Louisiana, who was elected in 1797.
Cawthorn has stated that he would "like to be the face of the Republican Party when it comes to health care."

Personal life

Cawthorn describes himself as a Christian and a constitutional conservative. He is engaged to Cristina Bayardelle, a college student and competitive CrossFit athlete. He has an older brother, Zachary.