Trump-backed Rep. Madison Cawthorn concedes North Carolina GOP primary

Rep. Madison Cawthorn speaks before a rally for former U.S. President Donald Trump at The Farm at 95 on April 9, 2022 in Selma, North Carolina.

Allison Joyce | Getty Pictures

Rep. Madison Cawthorn, the scandal-prone freshman lawmaker backed by former President Donald Trump, conceded defeat in his Republican main election on Tuesday night time.

Cawthorn known as state Sen. Chuck Edwards to concede the race, the congressman's spokesman advised reporters. Edwards had been endorsed by U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

NBC Information projected Edwards as the primary winner within the state's 11th Congressional District on Tuesday evening. He led the race with greater than 33% of the vote, in contrast with roughly 32% for Cawthorn.

"Congratulations to @ChuckEdwards4NC on securing the nomination tonight," Cawthorn said in a tweet. "It is time for the NC-11 GOP to rally behind the Republican ticket to defeat the Democrats' nominee this November."

North Carolina voters on Tuesday had already decided who will compete in one among this yr's vital U.S. Senate races: Rep. Ted Budd will win the Republican Senate main within the race to fill the seat of retiring GOP Sen. Richard Burr, NBC projected.

Budd is backed each by Trump and the influential conservative group Membership for Growth. He'll face off in the common election towards Cheri Beasley, former chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Courtroom, who NBC projected would handily clinch the Democratic nomination.

The swing-state contest is considered one of a handful that can determine whether Democrats hold their majority in the Senate break up 50-50 by party. Vice President Kamala Harris holds a tiebreaking vote for Democrats.

Cawthorn is one among 13 U.S. House members from North Carolina. Now 26 years old, Cawthorn was the youngest member of Congress when he was elected in 2020. His seat, which was beforehand held by ex-Trump chief of workers Mark Meadows, is a secure Republican district.

Nonetheless, the first-term lawmaker's reelection bid became one of the state's most-watched main races, because of a variety of scandals and missteps that spurred harsh criticism — even from some Republicans.

The controversies swirling around Cawthorn embrace: making claims about different lawmakers doing illicit medication and welcoming him to orgies; driving with a revoked license; bringing a loaded handgun to an airport; being eyed by ethics watchdogs over suspicions about potential insider buying and selling related to a meme cryptocurrency; calling Ukraine's president a "thug" amid an invasion by Russia; and others.

Tillis came out swinging against Cawthorn. He endorsed Edwards, a high rival within the GOP main. A political action committee affiliated with Tillis reportedly spent greater than $300,000 on ads attacking Cawthorn. And after the watchdogs raised issues of potential insider buying and selling, Tillis brazenly known as for a congressional ethics investigation into Cawthorn.

Trump, meanwhile, defended Cawthorn in a social media submit over the weekend.

"Just lately, he made some foolish errors, which I don't believe he'll make again," Trump said of Cawthorn, including, "Let's give Madison a second chance!"

Requested by NBC News about Trump's submit, Tillis replied, "Technically, this is the sixth or seventh likelihood."

"He hasn't learned from a mistake he is made during the last year," the senator said of Cawthorn.