Cawthorn calls for NC Republicans to rally behind GOP ticket in November after primary loss

Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) called for Republicans in his district to “rally behind the Republican ticket” in November after he lost the GOP primary for his seat on Tuesday. 

“Congratulations to @ChuckEdwards4NC on securing the nomination tonight,” Cawthorn tweeted late Tuesday.

“It’s time for the NC-11 GOP to rally behind the Republican ticket to defeat the Democrats’ nominee this November,” he added.

The first-term congressman lost the Republican primary for his seat to Edwards, despite having the backing of former President Trump, who earlier this week urged North Carolina voters to give Cawthorn a “second chance.”

“When Madison was first elected to Congress, he did a great job,” Trump said in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social. “Recently, he made some foolish mistakes, which I don’t believe he’ll make again…let’s give Madison a second chance!”

In recent months, Cawthorn found himself caught among a slew of controversies, including remarks he made calling the Ukrainian government “evil” and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, a “thug.” 

In a podcast episode, he also claimed he had been invited to orgies in Washington and had seen people do cocaine.

And when a leaked video tape came to light earlier this month showing the congressman nude, he called it “blackmail.”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has called Cawthorn “wrong” about his remarks on Zelensky and said “that’s not becoming of a congressman” following Cawthorn’s podcast appearance.