'He's an embarrassment': Republicans threaten to primary Cawthorn over controversial antics

[brooklynite]

CNN

(CNN)Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina is throwing his weight behind a primary opponent to freshman Rep. Madison Cawthorn -- an extraordinary broadside against a fellow Republican from his home state, as internal frustration with the controversial MAGA firebrand reaches a boiling point.

"It comes down to focus on the district, producing results for the district, and in my opinion, Mr. Cawthorn hasn't demonstrated much in the way of results over the last 18 months," Tillis told CNN, describing why he is backing state Sen. Chuck Edwards in his primary against Cawthorn.

And Tillis may not be alone. Other GOP lawmakers who are at their wits' end with Cawthorn are considering endorsing one of his primary foes, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions, amid growing concerns that the North Carolina Republican is dragging down the entire party with his problematic behavior. The two most powerful North Carolina Republicans in the state legislature -- Senate leader Phil Berger and House speaker Tim Moore -- are headlining a fundraiser for Edwards on Thursday, according to the Edwards campaign.

It's the latest sign of turmoil for the 26-year-old, who has angered and annoyed a wide swath of his colleagues with a steady stream of controversial antics and attempts to play political kingmaker in North Carolina and beyond. Most recently, Cawthorn sparked an uproar after claiming on a podcast that people in Washington have invited him to participate in orgies and used cocaine in front of him. Even fellow members of the House Freedom Caucus, a far-right crew with a penchant for controversy, have turned on Cawthorn: They've floated the idea of kicking him out of the group if he didn't clarify his wild accusations, according to GOP sources, though such a step seems unlikely.

[MaryMagdaline]

1. I guess revealing GOP orgies and drug tests is a bridge too far?

[WA-03 Democrat]

6. I have heard

That this is all the Republicans do all day and all night. Fuck and snort cocaine. They don’t call him Cocaine Mitch for nothing. Who would have thought but they act like crack heads just fucking around. It fits.

[Spider Jerusalem]

19. You mean "fuck America and snort cocaine" (n/t)

[blm]

8. NCRepubs have been hating Cawthorn for much longer

than the recent dust up. I hope Cawthorn wins the primary, though, because it’s a better chance for Dems to win the seat.

[Marius25]

14. Nah, it's really not. That district is extremely Trumpy

Asheville is the only blue dot in the entire district, and I don't think they have enough voters to out vote the Republicans.

[blm]

15. A lot of Republicans won't vote for Cawthorn again.

And he has establishment figures around here refusing to lift a finger for him.

I’d still say he’s our best chance at Dems winning the seat.

[Celerity]

2. good luck with that, Nazi Maddie is a demigod with his district-dominant Q-MAGAt legions

[thucythucy]

3. So rants about Jewish space lasers

and supporting an insurrection and coup attempt are fine, but mentioning the GOP penchant for sex and drugs is way way over the line?

[C_U_L8R]

4. GOP orgies?

The party of prudes, pests and incels wants everyone to believe they have sex? Ew.

[GoCubsGo]

18. The prudishness is an act.

All of their finger-wagging about drugs and sex is projection. These are the same people who bash gay men--until they're caught sleeping with their male pages, or picking up other men in an airport bathroom. Or, accusing Democrats of running child sex rings--while they're engaged in statutory rape with teenage girls or their "pool boy." What's Nestor doing these days? And, people would be shocked at how many abortions they're paying for. They're not mad at Cawthorn for making up stories about GOP drug orgies, they're mad at him for spilling the beans.

[Sherman A1]

5. Wait

They can be embarrassed? Who knew?

[2naSalit]

7. That was my first thought.

Who'da thunk it?

[Ferrets are Cool]

9. Oh, he's not the only one

you hypocritical bastards.

[MagickMuffin]

10. Reminds me of the movie Eyes Wide Shut

It describes these hypos to a T

[bullwinkle428]

11. All of the white supremacist garbage he's pushed since he got elected is

apparently just fine, but the orgy allegations are a bridge too far.

[Buns_of_Fire]

12. Sounds like a job for the Gazpacho Police.

He happens to be the most prominent nail sticking up, so he'll be the one hammered down so they can crow about "policing their own". Meanwhile, the likes of Goser, Gaetz, and Margie the Kook remain to rip a chunk out of whoever steps on them.

[Achilleaze]

13. If Republicans would just own their druggy sex party reality

It would improve their mental health.

They are afraid to come out of their drugs-and-sex closets.

Cawthorn is providing an important public service.

[DFW]

16. I would say to the North Carolina Republicans:

Cawthorn is an embarrassment because he is garnering some bad publicity outside North Carolina.

On the other hand, he is your standard bearer, because he personifies what you are. Do you disagree? Then HOW COME YOU AREN'T SHOUTING IT FROM EVERY STREET CORNER? What's the big secret, hmmm?

[smb]

17. Thank You, Cawthorn...

...for planting the mental image of Moscow Mitch and Leningrad Lindsey sashaying around naked at an orgy.

[budkin]

20. Good luck with that

He's the future of the GOP!

[Skittles]

21. HE IS THE FACE OF YOUR POS PARTY

FUCK ALL OF YOU