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Controversial and combative North Carolina Republican Representative Madison Cawthorn lost his reelection bid last night—eliminated in the GOP primary—and the internet is ensuring he'll never forget it.
After Cawthorn lost the 2022 Republican nomination to his opponent Republican state Senator Chuck Edwards, people on social media brought up one of Cawthorn's own tweets mocking fellow Republican Representative Liz Cheney and turned it against him.
What began as a tweet bullying Cheney for being stripped of one of her positions in 2021 quickly became a mocking celebration of Cawthorn's loss after a bruising round of scandals many believe were orchestrated by his own party—just like his attack on Cheney.
See one of many of the mocking retweets, from former RNC chairman Michael Steele, below.
From one year ago...when that worm turns, it's a bitch!https://twitter.com/RepCawthorn/status/1392472893951467529\u00a0\u2026— Michael Steele (@Michael Steele) 1652844655
Cawthorn's original tweet read:
"Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye Liz Cheney"
Steele quote-tweeted and added his own update, which read:
"From one year ago...when that worm turns, it's a bitch!"
Cawthorn originally tweeted his mocking message for Cheney in May of 2021 after the Republican party stripped her of her post as Republican Conference Chair for refusing to support the January 6 insurrection and refusing to support former Republican President Donald Trump's 2020 election fraud claims.
It's a characteristic tweet for Cawthorn, who has made a political career of being combative, rude and openly bigoted in his public statements while professing to be a beacon of Christian values.
That career ended last night however when Cawthorn lost his renomination bid following a barrage of scandals, including insider trading and sexual harassment allegations.
Cawthorn has also been caught up in homophobic scandals involving photos and videos that appear to show him engaging in homosexual activities. Cawthorn has been one of the most virulently anti-LGBTQ+ figures in Congress since his election in 2020.
Steele's tweet was just one example of the gleeful goodbye with which people across the political spectrum are greeting Cawthorn's loss.
Anyone feel like a tune?https://twitter.com/RepCawthorn/status/1392472893951467529\u00a0\u2026— Brian Tyler Cohen (@Brian Tyler Cohen) 1652839316
Good morning!https://twitter.com/RepCawthorn/status/1392472893951467529\u00a0\u2026— Republicans against Trumpism (@Republicans against Trumpism) 1652871601
Karma at its best.. \n\nBye Felicia \n\n#MAGA LOSER\n\n@FoxNews \n@Newsmax \n@OANNhttps://twitter.com/RepCawthorn/status/1392472893951467529\u00a0\u2026— 2021Guitarman (@2021Guitarman) 1652864257
"Tell Madison Cawthorn it was me." \u2014 Liz Cheney\nhttps://twitter.com/RepCawthorn/status/1392472893951467529\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/kJtLYUe1Ws— \ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0aTheOracle\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a (@\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0aTheOracle\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a) 1652843226
Another one that didn't hold up well. The Empire stuck back tonight. #OneTermCawthornhttps://twitter.com/repcawthorn/status/1392472893951467529\u00a0\u2026— Lenabenas (@Lenabenas) 1652844540
Everyone should have a short list of people you just don't fuck with. Also, Liz Cheney should be on everyone's list.https://twitter.com/RepCawthorn/status/1392472893951467529\u00a0\u2026— Dr. Jorge A. Caballero stands with \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Dr. Jorge A. Caballero stands with \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1652846079
This didn't age well. Bye.https://twitter.com/RepCawthorn/status/1392472893951467529\u00a0\u2026— Terri (@Terri) 1652839240
It wasn't the only tweet of Cawthorn's that has come back to haunt him, either. A tweet in which Cawthorn mocked liberals on Election Day 2020 also made new schadenfreude-tinged rounds.
I'm crying from laughter. Bye, Felicia!https://twitter.com/CawthornforNC/status/1323813315169165313\u00a0\u2026— Alejandra Caraballo \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf7 (@Alejandra Caraballo \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf7) 1652838890
This is funny because I'm a lib that got my Republican friends in his district to vote against him. \n\nI may not be able to flip districts but I can at least flip my friends, bitch.https://twitter.com/CawthornforNC/status/1323813315169165313\u00a0\u2026— Jennifer Skidonenko (@Jennifer Skidonenko) 1652875158
Fvcked around & found out he did!! And I laughed so hard I cried. #ByeFeliciahttps://twitter.com/CawthornforNC/status/1323813315169165313\u00a0\u2026— Chef Tee \ud83d\udc8b (@Chef Tee \ud83d\udc8b) 1652870334
Cawthorn lost to Chuck Edwards by just 1.5 percentage points, showing there's still plenty of love out there for his brand of openly fascistic, misogynistic and bigoted politics.
Still, a loss has rarely been so widely celebrated.