Tillis and many of North Carolina’s top Republicans, including the state’s House speaker and Senate leader, are backing a challenger, state Sen. Chuck Edwards, in next Tuesday’s primary. Tillis has personally raised money for the effort. An allied super PAC is bombarding the district with TV ads and mail pieces highlighting Cawthorn’s string of scandals and indiscretions — a list that gets longer with almost each passing day.

“Madison decided to throw elbows at these people,” said Carlton Huffman, a Republican operative from North Carolina who’s supporting Edwards. “He believes that there are new rules of politics in the Trump era and you don’t have to kiss anybody’s ring in the established party.”

For Tillis — who doesn’t face voters again until 2026 after winning reelection as a firm supporter of Trump — the turn against Cawthorn is driven by frustration with the freshman’s antics, disappointment with his scant legislative record and an element of personal payback, according to Republican officials and operatives in North Carolina.

“There is a ton of bad blood. For Tillis, this is personal,” said Michele Woodhouse, one of seven primary challengers for Cawthorn’s seat.