David Madison Cawthorn is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for North Carolina’s 11th congressional district from 2021 to 2023. Born on August 1, 1995, Cawthorn became the first member of Congress born in the 1990s. He describes himself as a Christian and a constitutional conservative. Cawthorn is a member of the Republican Party.
Before his political career, Cawthorn worked as a staffer for U.S. Representative Mark Meadows. In 2020, he was elected to succeed Meadows in Congress. However, his tenure was marked by various controversies, including allegations of insider trading, improper payments, bringing a handgun to an airport, and appearing in a leaked nude video.
Cawthorn’s life took a dramatic turn in 2014 when he was seriously injured in a car accident. Riding as a passenger in a BMW X3 SUV, he suffered partial paralysis after the vehicle crashed into a concrete barrier. Despite accruing $3 million in medical debt, he persevered and sought to serve in Congress.
In 2022, Cawthorn lost his reelection bid in the Republican primary to Chuck Edwards, who ultimately won the general election⁵⁶. His story is one of resilience, controversy, and political ambition.
