#Rising GOP star Madison Cawthorn gives stirring speech about adversity at RNC

Madison Cawthorn speaks from Washington, during the third night of the Republican National Convention.
AP

Madison Cawthorn — a GOP congressional candidate who will likely become the youngest person ever elected to Congress — gave an impassioned speech at the 2020 Republican National Convention about adversity and being part of a guard of young lawmakers remaking the nation.

The real estate investment CEO, 25, recounted his own compelling life story where he was left paralyzed and wheelchair-bound after a car accident at the age of 18 before.

Cawthorn sent shockwaves through Washington in June when he unexpectedly won the GOP primary runoff in a North Carolina congressional seat left vacant by White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.

“At 20, I thought about giving up. However, I knew I could still make a difference. My accident gave me new eyes to see, and new ears to hear,” he said on the third night of the convention, themed “Land of Heroes.”

“At 20, I made a choice. In 2020, our country has a choice. We can give up on the American idea, or we can work together to make our imperfect union more perfect,” he continued.

“I choose to fight for the future, to seize the high ground and retake the Shining City on a Hill. While the radical left wants to dismantle, defund, and destroy, Republicans, under President Trump’s leadership, want to rebuild, restore and renew,” he said.

Cawthorn stands to become the youngest person ever elected to Congress and is expected to triumph against Democrat Moe Davis, a former military prosecutor, in November.

Trump endorsed Cawthorn’s rival, Lynda Bennett, at the urging of Meadows and his wife.

During he speech, Cawthorn bullishly declared: “When I’m elected this November, I’ll be the youngest member of Congress in over 200 years.

“If you don’t think young people can change the world, then you don’t know American history,” he said.

“George Washington was 21 when he received his first military commission. Abe Lincoln was 22 when he first ran for office. James Madison was 25 when he signed the Declaration of Independence,” he continued.

“The American idea my ancestors fought for during the Revolutionary War is as exciting and revolutionary today as it was 250 years ago,” he said.

At the end of his speech, Cawthorn was assisted as he stood up from his wheelchair and concluded, “I say to Americans who love our country — young and old — be a radical for freedom. Be a radical for liberty. Be a radical for our republic. For which I stand.

“One nation. Under God. With liberty and justice for all.”