Topline
A Democrat in the North Carolina state House announced Wednesday she is switching to the Republican Party, granting Republicans veto-proof control over both chambers of the state’s legislature, while the state’s Democratic Party is calling for her to resign.
North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham announced she is switching affiliation to the Republican ... [+]Associated Press
Key Facts
Rep. Tricia Cotham, serving as state representative for Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, announced Wednesday she would switch to the Republican Party after she said the state’s Democratic Party bullied its members “if you don’t do exactly what [they] want you to do.”
Republicans now hold the 72 seats required to hold a supermajority in the 120-seat House, complementing the party’s existing supermajority in the Senate, granting Republicans the ability to override vetoes from Gov. Roy Cooper (D).
Cotham was one of three House Democrats absent last week during a successful vote to override Cooper’s veto of a bill that repealed the state’s pistol permit purchasing system—allowing pistols to be purchased without a permit—though she later said she did not support the permit repeal.
House Minority Leader Robert Reives (D) urged for Cotham to resign in a statement Tuesday because she is “not the person” her constituents voted for.
Reives noted that Cotham campaigned for a number of progressive issues during her election campaign last year, including abortion rights, affordable health care, gun safety and civil rights.
Cotham’s website—which still says she is a Democrat—indicates she supports raising the minimum wage, the expansion of Medicaid and affordable housing, and promoting rights for LGBTQ+ youth because they are “under attack by Republican state legislatures across the country.”
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Chief Critic
The North Carolina Democratic Party called Cotham’s party switch “deceit of the highest order” and a “betrayal” of her constituents.
Crucial Quote
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel welcomed Cotham to the Republican Party in a tweet Wednesday, suggesting her decision was “huge news in North Carolina!”
Key Background
Cotham, a former teacher and assistant principal, previously served in the state’s House between 2009 and 2016 before returning to office this year, according to her website. Cotham defeated Republican Tony Long for the House seat in November after receiving more than 59% of the vote, according to state ballot records. Her mother Pat serves on the Mecklenburg County Commission and was previously a member of the Democratic National Committee.
Further Reading
Party Switch Gives GOP Veto-Proof Control In North Carolina (Associated Press)