DeKalb Times

Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) endorses Illinois' Catalina Lauf in her run against Rep. Adam Kinzinger with pride.

“I am the first to condemn D.C. insider Kinzinger and the first to endorse a powerful America first, political outsider, in Catalina Lauf,” Cawthorn said in a statement. “I assure you I will not be the last.”

A staunch advocate of former president Donald Trump, Cawthorn added that Kinzinger “has no place in the Republican Party.”

U.S. House of Representatives candidate Catalina Lauf quickly embraced the endorsement by Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina. | Facebook

As for Lauf, Cawthorn said, “She is dedicated to working for, not against, the interests of the people of Illinois, and I know that she will be a powerful fighter in Washington.”

Kinzinger recently came under heavy criticism after he agreed to join House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Special House Select Committee probing the Jan. 6 attack in Washington, D.C. Kinzinger and fellow GOP Rep. Liz Cheney are the only Republican lawmakers on the mostly Democratically filled panel, The Hill reported.

Prior to be appointing, Kinzinger was one of just 10 GOP House members voting to impeach Trump for a second time based on his alleged involvement in the attack on the Capitol.

Lauf quickly embraced Cawthorn’s support, saying, “We are grateful for the faith Congressman Cawthorn has shown in our campaign and our mission to take on Pelosi Republican, Adam Kinzinger.”

In his endorsement, Cawthorn added, “The day of the pandering politician is over, it is time for American lions to rise, and in 2022 this nation will hear the roar of freedom.”

Even as the scrutiny aimed at Kinzinger continues to build, critics know it won’t be easy to remove him from power.

In the second quarter of this year, the veteran lawmaker amassed more than $800,000 in contributions for his 2022 campaign, raising his overall cash on hand totals to an estimated $3 million-plus, according to The Hill.