A Democratic state representative in North Carolina announced Wednesday that she will switch political parties and become a Republican, giving the state House a GOP supermajority.
State Rep. Tricia Cotham represents a Democrat-leaning district near Charlotte. At a press conference on Wednesday, Cotham shared that she no longer recognizes the Democratic Party.
“The modern day Democratic has become unrecognizable to me and to so many others throughout this state and this country. The party wants to villainize anyone who has free thought, free judgment, has solutions, who wants to get to work to better our state, not just sit in a meeting and have a workshop after a workshop, but really work with individuals to get things done because that’s what real public servants do,” Cotham said. “If you don’t do exactly what the Democrats want you to do, they will try to bully you. They will try to cast you aside.”
Democrats will "villainize anyone who has free thought, free judgement, has solutions," says North Carolina State Rep Tricia Cotham after switching parties.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 5, 2023
"If you don't do exactly what the Democrats want you to do, they will try to bully you. They will try to cast you aside." pic.twitter.com/Jhnn1TxXjK
According to the Raleigh-based News & Observer, Cotham’s party switch would hand Republicans control of 72 out of 120 House seats, giving the party seats to override vetoes from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper without any votes from Democrats. The state Senate already has a Republican supermajority, controlling 30 of 50 seats.
“Even in a Biden district in a purple state, Democrats are reading the writing on the wall: liberal policies are too extreme and they’re failing Americans. Ahead of 2024, Republican momentum is growing and we are proud to welcome Tricia Cotham to the Republican Party,” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told Townhall of Cotham’s announcement.
The News & Observer noted that House Minority Leader Robert Reives called on Cotham to resign because she campaigned as a Democrat in support of abortion and civil rights and that her constituents “elected her to serve as that person and overwhelmingly supported Democratic candidates up and down the ballot.”
“Now, just a few months later, Rep. Cotham is changing parties. That is not the person that was presented to the voters of House District 112. That is not the person those constituents campaigned for in a hard primary, and who they championed in a general election in a 60% Democratic district,” Reives said in a statement to the outlet. “Those constituents deserved to know what values were most important to their elected representative.”
Reportedly, Cotham, who supported abortion, told local news outlet WBTV that she is open to abortion restrictions in the state.
As a Democrat, @triciacotham accused the GOP of "wanting to play doctor," saying "my womb and my uterus is not up for your political grab."
— Andy Specht (@AndySpecht) April 5, 2023
As a Republican, Cotham is now telling @WBTV_News she's open to supporting new abortion restrictions in North Carolina. #ncpol pic.twitter.com/eUfJU6xcyr
Michael Whatley, chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, said that Cotham’s announcement “continues to reflect that the Democratic Party is too radical for North Carolina.”
“The values of the Republican Party align with voters, and the people of Mecklenburg County should be proud to have her representation in Raleigh,” he added.
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