Raleigh News & Observer:  “U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn is changing congressional districts. The first-term Republican will run in Western North Carolina’s newly created 13th Congressional District instead of the 14th Congressional District, which state lawmakers drew with him as the lone incumbent.

“‘We now have a brand new congressional district and as it stands, the new lines have split my constituents,’ Cawthorn said in a video posted to Twitter. ‘My house is almost directly on the line of separation between the 13th and 14th congressional districts and now half the counties in the new district are counties I currently represent.’  In his social media post he said he needed to make a choice on what allows him to have the greatest impact on North Carolina and he chose to represent the 13th district.

“Cawthorn had teased his change Wednesday evening in a video conference with GOP chairs, saying he would make his decision over the weekend. But he made the announcement Thursday on Twitter. ‘I have every confidence in the world that regardless of where I run, the 14th Congressional District will send a patriotic fighter to DC,’ Cawthorn said in his Twitter video. ‘But knowing the political realities of the 13th District I’m afraid that another establishment, go-along-to-get-along Republican will prevail there.’ Republican lawmakers are seen as having drawn the 13th Congressional District for N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore, who resides in Cleveland County. But after Cawthorn’s announcement, The News & Observer reported, Moore will not run for Congress, instead running for another term in the state House. He is asking his fellow House Republicans for their support for another term as speaker.”