Hendersonville native advances to U.S. House general election
Cawthorn
Madison Cawthorn’s bid for the U.S. House of Representatives, District 11 seat received an overwhelming nod of approval from Republicans on Tuesday night.
The Henderson County resident earned a resounding victory over Haywood County’s Lynda Bennett, amassing 30,444 votes (65.82 percent) to Bennett’s 15,806 (34.18 percent).
Cawthorn will now face Democrat Moe Davis, Green Party candidate Tamara Zwinak and Libertarian Tracey DeBruhl in the general election Tuesday, Nov. 3.
“Tonight, the voters of the 11th district of North Carolina said they’re ready for a new generation of leadership in Washington,” Cawthorn declared during his victory celebration, which was held at Point Lookout Vineyards in Hendersonville.
“You turned our message of hope, opportunity and freedom into a movement. While the far left is lighting our cities on fire, we are lifting the light of liberty.
“Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden may not be able to control where the Democrats are going but, together, we can.”
Locally, Cawthorn bested Bennett 600-185, easily carrying all four Graham County precincts. The race was much closer in the other 17 counties across the district, including Clay (where Cawthorn won 474-471); Mitchell (Cawthorn, 674-585) and Swain (Cawthorn, 256-251).
Cawthorn even won in Bennett’s home county, 2,112-1,559.
On Cawthorn’s home turf, he won easily: 8,769-2,902.
Bennett only carried one county: Rutherford, where she won 710-389.
“Ours is not just a ‘grass roots’ campaign,” Cawthorn added. “Together, we are creating the deep roots of a solid oak tree which Abraham Lincoln compared to pillars of freedom.
“We can build new pillars all across this nation and prove Lincoln right when he said, ‘that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
The March 3 Republican primary race for the House seat ended with Bennett receiving 20,606 votes (22.72 percent) and Cawthorn finishing with 18,481 votes (20.38 percent).
Bennett finished third in Graham County during the March 3 election – picking up 254 votes, or 17.10 percent – while Cawthorn was fifth, with 86 votes (5.79 percent).
State Sen. Jim Davis (R-Franklin) carried Graham County in the primary, accumulating 471 votes (31.72 percent).
However, since Bennett did not reach the 30 percent requirement to avoid a runoff, Cawthorn requested a runoff.
The post was previously held by U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), who vacated the seat after his appointment as White House chief of staff by President Donald Trump in March.
Meadows announced in December 2019 that he would not seek re-election.
“Finally, I want to make something clear; I support our great president,” Cawthorn said. “I do not believe this election has been a referendum on the president’s influence. The people of western North Carolina are wise and discerning. You observed both candidates and simply made the choice you believed is best for our district.
“I look forward to fighting alongside our president after I’m elected in November.”