After Only 8 Months of Marriage, Rep. Madison Cawthorn and Wife Cristina Will Divorce

It was just last April when Rep. Madison Cawthorn, 26, called his marriage to Cristina Bayardelle, an Instagram influencer, "the greatest honor, privilege and adventure of my life."

Their marriage started off in paradise—literally. Cawthorn skipped 15 important Congressional votes in the House of Representatives in order to vacation with her in Dubai. He justified his lengthy absence with, “​​I was doing the only thing that I find more important than my service here in Congress and that is my service as a husband.”

But on December 23rd, 2021, Cawthorn chose his political career over his marriage. Cawthorn announced in a statement posted on Twitter that he will divorce Cristina because of "irreconcilable differences" and the challenges of political life.

"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…That change has been both hectic and difficult, it's neither the pace nor the lifestyle we planned for. 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,” he said.

Madison Cawthorn is an outspoken advocate for conservative values and the sanctity of marriage. The lack of commitment to his own has fueled backlash from his own supporters. Many think he has honored the wrong priority by choosing his job over his wife, whom he vowed to cherish as the Bible commands.

The following are comments left under the Fox News article about the divorce.

“If the job is harming the bond between you and your wife, you quit the job, not the wife.”

“So serve out your term and honor your commitment to your wife and family. They should come first. Unless you’re a professional politician which we have too many of already.”

“This is laughable. They seriously gave it less than a year. The best marriages have a period of adjustment for at least a year. Does anyone take their vows seriously anymore? Or is it just the wedding and attention they want?”

“It’s their marriage to do with as they please but as a combat veteran of ten years i can ten you that my wife made more sacrifices than i did and we worked hard and are still together to enjoy the fruits of a hard fought victory 25 years later. Marriage and a difficult career aren’t easy but you only get to keep what you work hard for.”

“I've known couples who fought harder over the color of the living room carpet than those two did to preserve their marriage.”