Super conservative Congressman Madison Cawthorn is consciously uncoupling after only 8 months of marriage, and the divorce has political overtones.
Cawthorn and Cristina Bayardelle Cawthorn said in a joint statement, they made the "enormously difficult decision" ... citing the boilerplate irreconcilable differences.
A personal statement from Congressman Madison Cawthorn: pic.twitter.com/A5R7NOmUwc
— Luke Ball (@LukeTBall) December 22, 2021
Cawthorn wrote, "When 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. Our victory was unprecedented, but overnight our lives changed."
He went on ... "That change has been both hectic and difficult, it's neither the pace nor the lifestyle we had planned for."
The marriage had a quick beginning as well as ending ... he said he knew he wanted to marry her just months after they started dating.
On April 3rd of 2014 my life changed. A car accident put me in a wheelchair. On April 3rd of 2021 my life has once again changed.
— Madison Cawthorn (@CawthornforNC) April 4, 2021
Marrying Cristina Bayardelle, now Cristina Cawthorn is the greatest honor, privilege, and adventure of my life.
Trust in God. He moves Mountains! pic.twitter.com/OIHsXbYeJE
It sounds like there was trouble almost from the get-go... saying, "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." The word "fight" seems relevant here.
During their engagement, Cawthorn was accused of sexually harassing a number of women during his college years -- he has denied the allegations.
Cawthorn, the youngest member of Congress at 26, and Bayardelle, a 27-year-old anesthesiologist assistant and CrossFit enthusiast, announced their engagement during the pandemic -- October, 2020 to be specific.