CPAC speaker Madison Cawthorn: What to know about North Carolina congressman

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Madison Cawthorn aims to become the youngest person elected to Congress since the late 1700s

Cawthorn says he can speak to young voters and will be helpful to a Republican Party that's struggling to reach his peers; senior political correspondent Mike Emanuel reports.

U.S. Representative Madison Cawthorn will be among the first high-profile conservatives to speak at the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Florida on Friday. 

The three-day conference marks the first significant gathering of Republicans since the election. 

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Cawthorn, 25, was elected to represent North Carolina's 11th Congressional District in November, defeating Democrat and retired U.S. Air Force Col. Moe Davis to become one of the youngest people to ever serve in the U.S. Congress.

Cawthorn filled a vacant seat previously held by Republican Rep. Mark Meadows who had left to serve as President Donald Trump’s chief of staff. 

(FOX)

Cawthorn first drew attention after defeating Trump’s preferred candidate, Lynda Bennett, in the June GOP primary runoff.

The young politician attributed his victory to a superior ground game with voters and his message about freedom, which "translated across generations and across ethnic groups."

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Prior to his win, Cawthorn, who was left partially paralyzed from a car accident in 2014, delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention in August.

During his run for office, Cawthorn also came into the spotlight following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, according to the Ashville Citizen Times.

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Cawthorn received a full R.O.T.C. scholarship to North Carolina State University.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.