WASHINGTON — Madison Cawthorn was turning heads even before he got to Congress.
He made a splash last year by defeating a candidate in the Republican primary endorsed by former President Donald Trump, and now he’s the youngest lawmaker on Capitol Hill.
Today, Cawthorn is regularly in the spotlight.
What You Need To Know
Cawthorn represents North Carolina's 11th District
The 25 year old is the youngest lawmaker in Congress
Cawthorn has garnered a lot of attention and controversy
“He’s definitely focused on this kind of national cultural war politics,” said Western Carolina University Politics Professor, Chris Cooper.
Cawthorn, who represents the 11th District in North Carolina, appears frequently in conservative media and is often praised by Trump.
He is especially active on Twitter where he regularly fires up his 290,000 followers with provocative posts that often infuriate Democrats.
“In some ways…controversy is his brand,” Cooper said.
Cawthorn recently tweeted, “You can’t be pro-mask mandate and pro-freedom at the same time.”
“You’ve got a lot of folks who love him and a lot of folks who absolutely can’t stand him,” Cooper said.
Cooper said Cawthorn’s controversial ways have worked out well for him politically as it has for a number of other Republican newcomers in Congress.
"I think that he understands how to build a national brand. I think that the controversy surrounding him, and there certainly is a lot of controversy surrounding him, has generated money,” Cooper said. “His donor base is a national donor base, but his voting record, he hasn’t put a lot of attention there.”
According to a report by Axios in May, Cawthorn has missed the most votes of any freshman lawmaker.
While Cawthorn is outspoken on social media, Cooper said his votes are more subdued.
“His voting record looks like the average Republican in the House of Representatives…it’s just that his stances are much more extreme, at least publicly,” Cooper said.
A bill sponsored by Cawthorn that allows states to create a short-term fellowship program for unemployed veterans was passed as part of a larger GI package, and he introduced a bill to expand rural broadband access.
Despite repeated requests, his office didn’t make Cawthorn available for an interview for this story.
Cawthorn already is preparing for a battle next year. His high profile has enabled him to raise more than a $1.5 million. At the same time, his opponents on the Republican and Democratic side are stacking up, setting up a bitter and expensive race.
“We don’t know what the 11th Congressional District will look like after redistricting, but I think it’s fair to say it will lean towards the Republican Party,” Cooper said. “It doesn’t mean the Democrats can’t win, it just means it’s going to be an uphill battle.”
Related Links
Year one in D.C.: Rep. Kathy Manning reflects on first six months
'All eyes are on Congress': Rep. Deborah Ross reflects on first six months