Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn Begins Political Resurgence in Florida

() Former North Carolina Congressman Madison Cawthorn, a Republican whose single term in office was marked by controversies, is attempting to make a comeback in Florida.

The 30-year-old announced on social media Wednesday he will run for the congressional district currently represented by Rep. Byron Donalds, a Republican who plans to run for governor. Cawthorn will join what is expected to be a crowded primary. Among the hopefuls are fellow transplant Jim Oberweis, a former Illinois state legislator who repeatedly has sought federal office.

“I’ve never backed down from a fight, and I won’t start now,” Cawthorn said in announcing his campaign. “I’ll stand with President Trump, crush the woke Left, deport illegals, and help fix Florida’s broken insurance system.”

Cawthorn was once considered a rising star in his party when he joined Congress in 2021 at age 25, but his time at the Capitol was overshadowed by a series of scandals. These included his claims in 2022 that some of his Republican colleagues invited him to orgies and used cocaine and his legal troubles stemming from traffic offenses and his attempt to bring a loaded gun through a TSA checkpoint in Charlotte.

After being defeated in a 2022 GOP primary by Chuck Edwards, Cawthorn moved from North Carolina to Cape Coral in Southwest Florida. He told Fox News he was inspired to seek office again after the Sept. 10 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.