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On Wednesday, State Rep. Tricia Cotham of North Carolina announced that she is leaving the Democratic Party to become a Republican, thereby giving the GOP a veto-proof majority in the state legislature.
NEW: North Carolina Rep. Tricia Cotham, who won election to a deep-blue Charlotte-area seat as a Democrat just five months ago, changed parties Tuesday — a move that gives Republicans a veto-proof majority.
Cotham is a traitor to democracy. pic.twitter.com/F7dB0s31Tt
— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) April 5, 2023
Cotham, who represents a district near Charlotte, made her announcement at the North Carolina GOP headquarters, flanked by state House and Senate Republican leaders.
Cotham explained that she no longer recognized the Democratic Party and that she would not allow herself to be controlled by anyone. She cited her use of the American flag and praying hands emoji on social media and her vehicles as the turning point that led to her being criticized and harassed by Democrats.
Tricia Cotham has voted in Dem primaries since at least 2005. She was married to the Chairman of the NC Democratic Party. Her mom is a Democrat county commissioner & DNC delegate. Her dad was chairman of the Mecklenburg Democrats.
She was not secretly a Republican.#ncpol #NCGA
— Alex Baltzegar (@AlexBaltzegar) April 5, 2023
According to Cotham, Democrats on Twitter have been calling her names, attacking her family, and cursing at her in public. She expressed her belief that such behavior is wrong.
@triciacotham welcome. Thank You. ??????????????
— jaydil (@moonisup123) April 5, 2023
While Cotham’s decision was praised by North Carolina Republicans, however, House Minority Leader Robert Reives criticized her for not resigning from her seat. Reives argued that Cotham had campaigned on a Democrat policy agenda in a heavily Democratic district and that her decision to switch parties went against the values she had presented to her constituents.
Cotham slams House Democratic Leader Robert Reives, says he "showed the low blow of where we are as an institution" when suggesting last week she should resign or be primaried. "He's never talked to me all session. I've tried. I've reached out. I've tried to help." #ncpol
— Bryan Anderson (@BryanRAnderson) April 5, 2023
Cotham’s move to the GOP has significant political implications for North Carolina, a swing state where Republicans had been just one seat short of a super-majority in the legislature.
With Cotham’s defection, Republicans now have a clear path to push a wide range of legislation, including education reform and abortion restrictions, without necessarily needing to compromise with Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, who has vetoed many Republican-backed bills in the past.
Stunning comments from Cotham about the state of today’s Democratic Party.
“If you don’t do exactly what they want to do they’ll bully you and cast you aside,” she says. #NCPOL #NCGA pic.twitter.com/5n0SmIGMZb
— Matt Mercer (@mattmercer) April 5, 2023
During the press conference, Cotham accused Cooper of telling lawmakers what to do and claimed that the Democratic Party would bully those who did not follow its directives.
Democrat switches parties, hands Republicans Super-Majority in key swing state
NC State Rep. Tricia Cotham, a Mecklenburg Democrat, is expected to formally switch parties and join the House Republican caucus
Via: RS pic.twitter.com/QiQWk4RWYq— Gary D (@KMGGaryde) April 4, 2023
NC Democrats are calling on Rep. Tricia Cotham to resign, slamming her for betraying “the voters who put her in her position” by switching parties and joining the House Republican caucus, ensuring that GOP lawmakers have a veto-proof majority. #ncga #ncpol pic.twitter.com/VkHKaJxvCO
— Avi Bajpai (@avibajpai_) April 5, 2023
I think it’s safe to say NC Democrats are unhappy with Rep. Cotham’s decision to switch parties #ncpol pic.twitter.com/pzROLPzPhW
— Lucille Sherman (@_lucillesherman) April 5, 2023
