ASHEVILLE – Republican Madison Cawthorn represents a mountainous district in far west North Carolina in Congress where he only helped fund one bill that became law.
The first-term House of Representatives is also a massive moneymaker and spending machine that is in the top 2% of 1,419 House Representatives in terms of fundraising and payouts.
Cawthorn, the youngest member of Congress, raised $ 1.8 million and spent $ 1.5 million between January 1 and June 30, more than any other North Carolina member of Congress, including those claimed by the campaign Served several terms and passed dozens of laws, financial reports released on July 15th.
These include veteran GOP lawmakers Virginia Foxx and Patrick McHenry, senior member of the Financial Services Committee.
How a 25-year-old, who was a political stranger two years ago, got to this point says a lot about the rise of social media, the digitization of fundraising and the nationalization of elections, according to experts.
“I think it’s less a statement about him and more about how politics is now being discussed at the national level,” said Sarah Bryner, research director for money at policy watchdog Open Secrets.
Those who can best take advantage of nationalization are representatives in relatively safe districts, where they can reach out to audiences of potential donors well beyond their districts, “making statements that may put more moderate voters off,” said Bryner.
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I don’t think most Americans have been able to nominate a member of Congress, except possibly their own, in the past five years, ”said Bryner. Now names like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cawthorn are rolling off the tongue, she said.
Cawthorn’s campaign declined on July 16 to comment on fundraising or how it was affecting other parts of his work.
Republican National Committee spokeswoman for North Carolina, Alex Nolley, hasn’t returned a message for comment.
Campaign funding documents show that Cawthorn’s total donation ranks 26th out of 1,419 candidates. His sums were similar to those of Illinois MP Adam Kitzinger, who raised $ 2 million and is one of the most prominent critics of former President Donald Trump’s GOP. New York representative Ocasio-Cortez raised $ 2.8 million, while Greene of Georgia reported $ 4.8 million.
Foxx, who represents the fifth district, which also includes parts of the mountains of North Carolina, raised $ 660,144. McHenry, who once represented part of Asheville, reported $ 522,157.
Cawthorn’s spending, meanwhile, was the 18th highest of any candidate.
In a recent email appeal for donations, Cawthorn said in bold, large font and exaggeration that “Radical Democrats, the fake news media and their big tech thugs” “have done everything in their power to create the best economy in living memory to destroy”. and remove President Trump from the White House. “
In another, he said the “radical liberal cabal” of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was erasing the country’s history by dismantling Confederate statues, a move that “would turn our country into a socialist dystopia”.
It’s a fundraising playbook of extreme language and tribalism, not just reserved for right-wing Republicans, and which would have become lucrative for many congressmen across the spectrum who would otherwise have crawled into relative obscurity for years and waited for their turn are about to take on an important committee chairs, experts say.
“Cawthorn is known nationwide and loved and loathed from coast to coast – so fundraising cases to choose or defeat him are easily sold to the donor class,” said Chris Cooper, professor of political science at Western Carolina University .
His high-profile performances included the stage at the Republican National Convention and the January 6 rally with Trump that preceded the Capitol uprising.
Because of nationalization, fundraising may have little to do with competitiveness, Cooper said, “so I would expect these amazing fundraising numbers to continue throughout this campaign.”
None of the Republicans hoping to challenge him in a primary had raised funds.
The highest record among the Democrats was achieved by Buncombe County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara with 610,106 US dollars.
While very outraged by Cawthorn, campaign spokesman Eric Hyers pointed out that the Congressman had spent most of the fortune he raised, leaving him with $ 383,481 in cash, compared to $ 231,768 on Beach- Ferrara.
“Our campaign is investing early in building the infrastructure – including a strong online fundraising program – that will allow Jasmine to build an operation that can rival Madison Cawthorn in any corner of the district,” said Hyers.
Cawthorn, he said, “blown his donors’ money through” for hotels, clothing and pay for campaign workers. This included $ 4,059 for “hotel, travel and event space” at the Waldorf Astoria, Florida and $ 60,000 for campaign money payments to Blake Harp, who is also Cawthorn’s chief of staff, although his main work experience is operating Texas fireworks stands.
One of the few things that could counter the money in the GOP primaries would be having a major Republican support another candidate or joining a well-known candidate like the state. Senator Chuck Edwards, said Cooper.
In the parliamentary elections, the road to victory for a Democrat is “narrow”, he said.
“It would involve a nationalized campaign with massive fundraising for the Democratic candidate,” he said, adding that it was “not impossible” but “unlikely” for the heavily Republican district.
Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years covering politics, government and other news. He has written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police violence. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
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