Republican North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn announced Wednesday he and his wife are divorcing after less than a year of marriage.
“When my wife Cristina and I were engaged, I was not a member of Congress. I felt called to serve and we both agreed that I should run,” Cawthorn said in a statement. “Our victory was unprecedented, but overnight our lives changed. That change has been both hectic and difficult, it’s neither the pace nor the lifestyle we had planned for.”
A personal statement from Congressman Madison Cawthorn: pic.twitter.com/A5R7NOmUwc
— Luke Ball (@LukeTBall) December 22, 2021
“From the outset, we committed to make things work, to fight for our marriage, and seek counsel for balancing the enormity of such a transition in life. Together, we realized that balance was not attainable, and that we had irreconcilable differences between us. While it was an enormously difficult decision, Cristina and I have mutually decided to divorce. We ask for privacy as we work through this privately,” he continued.
Cawthorn married Cristina on April 3 of 2021, calling it the “greatest honor, privilege and adventure of my life.” (RELATED: Madison Cawthorn Says There Will Be ‘Bloodshed’ If US Elections ‘Continue To Be Rigged’)
On April 3rd of 2014 my life changed. A car accident put me in a wheelchair and dashed my hopes for the future. On April 3rd of 2021 my life has once again changed. Marrying Cristina Bayardelle, now Cristina Cawthorn is the greatest honor, privilege and adventure of my life. pic.twitter.com/bqmtAUbsIS
— Rep. Madison Cawthorn (@RepCawthorn) April 4, 2021
Cawthorn has previously been accused of sexual misconduct by multiple former college classmates, Buzzfeed News reported in February. Four women alleged Cawthorn made sexually-charged comments and touched them inappropriately. Cawthorn has denied the allegations to the Daily Caller News Foundation, comparing the allegations against him to those against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.