On Monday, writing for Carolina Journal, former North Carolina GOP Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse outlined how a proposed state congressional map to remediate the illegal gerrymander struck down by state courts could affect one district in particular: that of freshman GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn.
"Multiple sources tell Carolina Journal that new bipartisan congressional maps would result in seven solid GOP seats, five solid Democrat seats, and two swing districts," wrote Woodhouse. "Under the plan now under consideration, Democrats would achieve a long-stated goal of creating a new district in North Carolina’s Sandhills region. It would be a swing district. The newly created 13th District would also be significantly altered. It would go from a double-digit GOP seat to a swing seat."
The 13th District change would make Cawthorn, the youngest sitting member of Congress, significantly less safe. He has stirred controversy nonstop in office, speaking at the pro-Trump "Stop the Steal" rally preceding the January 6 insurrection, and has openly fantasized about Republicans declaring civil war.
While it may be harder for the GOP to hold the seat itself, Cawthorn himself may escape danger, as he already announced he will be running in a different district.
IN OTHER NEWS: Mazars letter 'amounts to a declaration' that Trump 'repeatedly misled' them about finances: legal expert
In addition to the potential redistricting threat, Cawthorn also faces a lawsuit from North Carolina voters seeking to disqualify him from office under the 14th Amendment's prohibition on insurrectionists serving in Congress.
The redraw of North Carolina's congressional map was ordered by the state Supreme Court after Republicans in the General Assembly passed a map that could result in Republicans winning as many as 10 out of 13 seats, despite Democrats winning nearly half the votes in the state.
