BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR e hasn’t even been in office for a month, but Western North Carolina’s Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn is already starting to see groups forming to oppose him over his conduct leading up to the Jan. 6 insurrection. “Republicans would like to simply move on,” says the Republican Accountability Project’s website. “But without accountability there is no clear path forward. That is why we’ve launched the Republican Accountability Project.” The project aims to support congressional Republicans who “at great personal and political risk, are defying party leadership and defending the institutions of our republic,” and also to unseat elected officials that supported overturning the Nov. 3 General Election. That explains the billboards popping up in Buncombe and Henderson counties, and their simple message. “You lied about the
machine, and are one of the top ‘dark money’ groups in the 2020 election cycle according to election financing watchdog, Open Secrets. Rep. Cawthorn will continue to work hard for the people of his district, and will continue to fulfill his promises of only representing their interests, not the interests of some D.C. lobbying group.” But large national PACs aren’t the only ones expressing their displeasure with Cawthorn. In early November, just after the election, Buncombe resident Nicolette Baglio started another group, called Women Invest Now — N.C., on Facebook. “Madison’s kind of the first order of operation for us, trying to get him removed if we can,” Baglio said. “I think that a couple of the House members, Greene, Boebert and Cawthorn potentially, could be expelled from Congress and I think that we’re seeing the heat starting to turn up a little bit.” Today, WIN-NC counts more than 1,400 members — most of whom, like Baglio, are registered as unaffiliated voters. She “In my opinion, and I think in many estimates about 10 people’s opinion, I think we’re all a little bit percent are Republicans, the confused about how he got elected.” rest Democrats. And just because — Nicolette Baglio “women” is in the name of the group election. The Capitol was attacked. doesn’t mean they don’t have plenty of men Cawthorn: resign.” involved as well. Cawthorn’s not the only lawmaker “In my opinion, and I think in many under scrutiny from the PAC, which recentpeople’s opinion, I think we’re all a little bit ly kicked off a $1 million nationwide billconfused about how he got elected, with a board campaign highlighting Cawthorn and lot of the lies, and right now he’s kinda dou10 others it claims “were the most irresponbling down on that,” she said. sible during the aftermath of the 2020 elecAnother member of the group, Erin tion.” West, said that her experiences as a licensed That includes Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), clinical social worker who goes into some of Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), House Minority the region’s poorest communities demonLeader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Rep. Mo strate the need for competent federal repreBrooks (R-AL), Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Rep. sentation. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Rep. Marjorie “Looking at his platform and what he Taylor Greene (R-GA), Rep. Jim Jordan (Rwas bringing forth to the community, I just OH) and Rep. Jodi Stefanick (R-MO). didn’t really see much of a platform, just The Republican Accountability Project is attacking the radical left,” said West. an offshoot of another advocacy group, “[Cawthorn’s General Election opponent Defending Democracy Together, which Col. Moe] Davis was so far from radical left claims to be backed by “lifelong conservathat at times it was humorous, but then it tives and Republicans — many of whom became evident that [Cawthorn] was going have served in Republican administrations to win.” and write for conservative publications.” West, a Democrat, said she’s now conCawthorn responded to the billboards sidering changing her registration to unafwith a statement issued Jan. 31 by filiated, like Baglio, who expressed concern spokesman Micah Bock: that North Carolina’s 11th Congressional “Rep. Cawthorn is disappointed to hear District wasn’t drawn to be anything that local Democrats are once again funnelremotely resembling a competitive district. ing dark money, from outside sources, into “I will be honest and say that I don’t N.C.-11. The Republican Accountability projknow that a democratic candidate is going ect is an affiliate of ‘Defending Democracy to win the 11th,” she said. “I would love to Together,’ which is a 501(c)(4) organization see that, I think so many of us would, but I that spent $11.5 million dollars electing Joe think the goal of the group is finding a canBiden. The Republican Accountability didate that represents the people’s needs in Project is a front for the Democrat media Western North Carolina. I feel collectively
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Bi-partisan opposition builds against Cawthorn
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A national PAC has begun challenging lawmakers it says were “irresponsible” leading up to the Jan. 6 insurrection. Republican Accountability Project photo that we don’t have that in Madison Cawthorn right now.” That sentiment even goes so far as to leave Baglio open to supporting a Republican in a Primary Election contest against Cawthorn early in 2022. “I think right now I know me myself personally, as well as a lot of members in the group are for finding a candidate Republican or Democrat, even a centrist that can beat Madison. So yes, that would be something that we’re going to look at
exploring and potentially supporting closer to the primary,” she said. Baglio’s group took a big step less than a week ago, formally incorporating as a PAC so as to have an easier time raising and spending money in support of Cawthorn’s potential opponents. The group recently mailed thousands of postcards to Cawthorn’s Washington, D.C. office, and hopes one day to follow the efforts of the Republican Accountability Project with some local billboards of their own.
February 3-9, 2021
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