GOP candidate for the House of Representatives Madison Cawthorn has drawn widespread anger online for comments he made criticizing his Democratic opponent for associating with people who "work for non-white males."
The comments appeared on an attack website that Cawthorn put up against his opponent, Democrat Moe Davis. In the site's copy, Cawthorn smears Davis for being close associates with journalist Tom Fiedler and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, whom Cawthorn accuses of trying to "ruin white males."
For many, the website's copy confirmed long-standing suspicions that Cawthorn has ties to white nationalist movements.
So I have always been a bit skeptical of Madison Cawthorn’s ties to White Nationalism until I saw this quote direct… https://t.co/cFTkyEEZ3B— Science Matters (@Science Matters) 1603386993.0
According to screenshots circulated on social media and an archived version of the website, Cawthorn's web copy said of Fiedler and Senator Booker:
"Tom Fieldler [sic] who works with Moe Davis' advocates, is working to tear down Madison Cawthorn. He quit his academia job in Boston to work for non-white males, like Cory booker, who aims to ruin white males running for office."
Fiedler is a former journalist at the Miami Herald and Boston University professor, and volunteered for Booker's presidential campaign. As a journalist, he has written about both Davis and Cawthorn.
Cawthorn's website, MoeTaxes.com, criticizes Davis for his supposed ties to Fiedler, among other things like supporting calls for police reform, being a "terrorist defender," and committing unspecified acts of "perversion."
Davis hit back at Cawthorn on Twitter, and clarified that Fiedler is not part of his campaign.
Another chapter in Madison Cawthorn’s racist dog whistle playbook & another example of why he’s unfit for Congress.… https://t.co/FYp7muLcvy— Moe Davis (@Moe Davis) 1603405262.0
Cawthorn has since removed the comment about Senator Booker and edited the verbiage about Fiedler to subtler attacks that do not include blatant pandering to white nationalist talking points. It now reads:
"He quit his academia job in Boston to become a political operative and is an unapologetic defender of left-wing identity politics."
Cawthorn has previously drawn controversy for his Instagram posts from a vacation during which he visited one of Adolph Hitler's vacation homes, and for accusations of sexual harassment by his former college classmates.
On Twitter, the screenshots of Cawthorn's website drew outrage and confirmed many people's concerns about his character.
Clearly, we were the ones who were wrong to suggest Madison Cawthorn’s enthusiasm for visiting Adolf Hitler’s vacat… https://t.co/hxLO0Yrnm2— southpaw (@southpaw) 1603494194.0
Not even trying to hide it anymore are we, Maddy? #RejectCawthorn https://t.co/ZkqIlzgK5J— CP (@CP) 1603403208.0
This needs amplified quickly. Madison Cawthorn is running for Congress in NC11. He's been rumored as cozy with Whit… https://t.co/qYHDggAZiW— 🎃resting spooky face🎃 (@🎃resting spooky face🎃) 1603393840.0
@Timodc Cawthorn seems to like the “throw bold, untrue statements out and delete then as you get caught” approach t… https://t.co/4saZ9ZmvP2— Abby Osborne (@Abby Osborne) 1603407216.0
@Timodc Weird. ConservaTwitter assured me he wasn't a racist after photos of his dream vacation at Hitler's estate leaked— Listening On 180g (@Listening On 180g) 1603402612.0
@Timodc Weird. ConservaTwitter assured me he wasn't a racist after photos of his dream vacation at Hitler's estate leaked— Listening On 180g (@Listening On 180g) 1603402612.0
@Timodc @a_fly_guy_no whoa, whoa, whoa. wait a minute. you mean to say *this* madison cawthorn posted something rac… https://t.co/h0IwxHBwQS— listen, but observe. (@listen, but observe.) 1603511839.0
I said a while back that Cawthorn gave me Patrick Bateman vibes and the right wingers jumped all over me for being… https://t.co/Bq3ifsC7P5— Elizabeth Spiers (@Elizabeth Spiers) 1603406449.0
This should be disqualifying. But nothing is disqualifying anymore. https://t.co/De7S78iRot— steve hall (@steve hall) 1603460475.0
Cawthorn, who is 25, is running for the seat vacated by Mark Meadows, who left to become Donald Trump's Chief of Staff. He is currently polling 3 points behind Moe Davis.