Cawthorn to seek re-election in WNC; will face primary opposition

North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn announced in a press release on Monday that he intends to seek re-election in North Carolina’s 11th District. 

While he has not yet filed with the North Carolina Board of Elections, Cawthorn made the announcement after his campaign submitted candidacy paperwork to the Federal Election Commission that showed the congressman would run in the 11th Congressional District. 

“I am excited to run for reelection in North Carolina’s newly solidified 11th congressional district and represent nearly all of my current constituents in the 118th Congress. The counties I had previously lost in redistricting are now included in the new maps that will be used in the 2022 election cycle, and today, I filed to represent them again,” said Cawthorn. 

In November, Congressman Cawthorn announced he would seek reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina’s 13th congressional district under district maps originally proposed by the N.C. legislature. 

While Rep. Cawthorn’s announcement said his decision was due to the map changes — the actual maps don’t support that statement. When Cawthorn announced he would not be running for election in his current district — he claimed that half of the counties that were originally moved into District 13 were counties he currently represents in District 11. Polk and McDowell counties and a slice of Rutherford County would have moved from District 11 to District 13 and accounted for around 100,000 residents. The remaining area of District 13 would have included Burke, Cleveland, Gaston, and a slice of Mecklenburg County all of which would have be new territories for Cawthorn. Although Cawthorn planned to seek election in a new district, it was a district he didn’t live in. 

Now, Rep. Cawthorn says because Polk, McDowell, and a piece of Rutherford County are back in District 11 — despite now losing Mitchell and Avery— he will run in District 11. 

“Western North Carolinians want a fighter in Congress. With their support, I look forward to returning to Washington as a sophomore member and helping enact major change with a historic Republican majority,” Cawthorn said in a statement.

Rep. Cawthorn faces several primary challengers including Bruce O’Connell, Wendy Marie-Limbaugh Nevarez, Matthew Burrill, and Chuck Edwards. 

Filing across North Carolina closes at Noon on Friday, March 4.