The accused sexual predator, Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, has barely been a congressman for three months and already faces a historically high 2022 challengers.
So far, five Democrats and one Republican have revealed plans to topple the enthusiastic 25-year-old Nazi enthusiast halfway through next year, which is still 19 months away, making it the biggest challenger field that any Cawthorn District incumbent has ever seen at this point. in an election in more than 20 years.
Among those vying for her seat is Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, an openly lesbian Christian minister and mother of three who was the first Democrat to throw her hat in the ring in early March, exactly two months after Cawthorn was sworn in.
I’m Democrat Jasmine Beach-Ferrara and I’m running against Madison Cawthorn. As a gay woman, Christian pastor, mom of 3, I have heard “you can’t” all my life. I am ready to prove again to the skeptics that they are wrong. Please retweet and ask everyone you know to follow this account to join us. pic.twitter.com/dJroXf3bWf
– Jasmine Beach-Ferrara (@JBeachFerrara) March 3, 2021
Citizen Times reports:
Democrats who will compete in their own primary for the right to face Cawthorn include two ministers: the nationally leading LGBTQ activist and Buncombe County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, and the director of the elementary school Eric Gash, an outstanding Hendersonville High School football player and the only black candidate in a neighborhood that is 90% white.
Also in the main race are two army combat veterans, Josh Remillard of Mills River and Jay Carey of Hendersonville. A fifth candidate, Katie Dean of Asheville created a campaign committee, but did not officially announce it.
Meanwhile, Navy veteran Wendy Nevarez is Cawthorn’s first official Republican challenger, though there are likely more to announce their nominations in the coming months.
“It seems like every week there’s a new one,” Mike Bitzer, professor at Catawba College, told the Citizen Times. “I think in this case we have a controversial incumbent that generates a lot of polarization, especially on the opposition side.”
RELATED: Madison Cawthorn Is Dragged Into Matt Gaetz Teen Sex Scandal
Since January, Cawthorn has been the subject of a damning Buzzfeed report in which more than 30 of his former friends, classmates and acquaintances accused him of sexual harassment, another inappropriate behavior, as well as a Washington Post article that revealed he lied about it. Car accident in 2014 which left him partially paralyzed.
According to OpenSecrets.org, Cawthorn, who voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, has raised $ 1 million in campaign contributions so far this year. That’s a lot of money. And with so many challengers so far away from the election, he’s going to need every penny.
Graham Gremore is editor and editor at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
