According to United States House records, Madison Cawthorn, aged 25 years old, would become the Congress' youngest member in modern history.
Youngest Member of U.S. Congress
The Republican beat Democrat Moe Davis for North Carolina's 11th Congressional District. Cawthorn would be filling a vacant seat earlier held by Republican Rep. Mark Meadows, who left to serve as chief of staff to President Donald Trump.
Cawthorn first attracted attention following his triumph over Trump's preferred candidate in an upset in the June GOP primary runoff.
The millennial is pro-Trump, pro-Second Amendment, and pro-Life. He has presented himself as a fresh face who could contribute a new generational perspective to the Republican Party.
Despite his youth, Cawthorn's biography is filled with tragedy and drama. He had a devastating car accident six years ago, which resulted in him being partially paralyzed, and he now uses a wheelchair.
Cawthorn made a speech on the third night of the Republican National Convention.
After being declared a winner, he wrote on Twitter, "Cry more, lib."
According to Cawthorn, when he guested on "FOX & Friends" on Wednesday, "I believe it's time for a new Republican Party to rise. I don't think we need to have a bigger tent. I genuinely believe we need to have a bolder tent. I think that for too long, the Republicans have acted with timidity on issues where we should be leading," reported Towleroad.
The previous youngest elected member in modern history was New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez at 29 years, 2 months, and 22 days in 2018.
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William Charles Cole Claiborne of Tennessee was the youngest House member elected in 1797 at 22 years old. Despite not meeting the constitutional age qualification of 25 for the House, he held the position, indicated US House records.
Cawthorn is also the CEO of a real estate firm. He defeated Lynda Bennett in the 11th Congressional District runoff of the primary. Bennett had received President Trump's endorsement and was backed by Mark Meadows, who held the positive for over six years.
Cawthorn wrote on his website that he ran for office because "our faith, our freedoms and our values are under assault from coastal elites and leftists like (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez," reported The Mercury News.
Also a motivational speaker, he is anti-abortion, fiscally conservative, an immigration hardliner, and pro-gun.
He beat out Davis by over 10 percentage points.
His campaign issued a statement calling out Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who at aged 31 was formerly the youngest member of Congress and inspired him to run.
In July, Cawthorn previously had a maskless meeting with President Trump shortly after the president said it was "patriotic" to wear a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also supports term limits for Congress members.
In August, at the Republican National Convention, he delivered a speech while standing up from his wheelchair with a walker's aid.
