You probably haven’t heard the last of Madison Cawthorn.
The freshman GOP member of Congress was defeated in a primary Tuesday.
But he’s pledging to continue fighting for the conservative cause, addressing his future for the first time since his defeat.
“I am on a mission now to expose those who say and promise one thing yet legislate and work towards another, self-profiteering, globalist goal,” said Cawthorn, taking aim at the establishment of the Republican Party.
Cawthorn announced his plans in a caption on an Instagram post expressing gratitude to many of his supporters, former President Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz and Tucker Carlson among them.
“It’s time for Dark MAGA to truly take command,” said Cawthorn, who is the youngest member of Congress.
“We have an enemy to defeat, but we will never be able to defeat them until we defeat the cowardly and weak members of our own party.”
Dark MAGA is a reference to an internet meme shared by supporters of President Trump, often alluding to the possibility of Trump returning to the office.
Will Cawthorn make a comeback?
Cawthorn’s tenure in Congress was seized upon by partisan leftists, who saw the personal life of the congressman as a distraction from the failed governance of the Democratic Party.
Supporters of the freshman congressman — who became a paraplegic after a tragic car accident at the age of 18 — were scandalized by the release of compromising and inappropriate videos and photos of the young man.
Cawthorn was also criticized for receiving a series of speeding tickets, as well as an incident in which he allegedly brought a loaded gun to an airport.
North Carolina Republicans, including Sen. Thom Tillis, organized a well-funded primary challenge to Cawthorn.
A more experienced state senator, Chuck Edwards, defeated Cawthorn with 29,411 votes to 28,092.
Cawthorn’s fiery words suggest he’s already considering a political comeback. The 26-year-old North Carolinian has ample time to lay out a return to federal or state office.
It’s a serious possibility that national Republicans could see more from Cawthorn, once he’s put a few more years of experience in front of his youthful indiscretions.
