This week, North Carolina’s Republican-controlled state Senate passed legislation with veto-proof majorities to outlaw the majority of abortions after 12 weeks gestation.
Reportedly, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper promised to veto the legislation. The Republican supermajority could override a veto. The legislation passed both chambers on party-line votes less than 48 hours after being introduced, according to CNN.
Last month, I covered how state Rep. Tricia Cotham, who was a Democrat, left the party and announced she would join the GOP. Cotham’s decision gave the Republicans a supermajority.
“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 in her announcement. “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
At the time of Cotham’s announcement, the Raleigh-based News & Observer pointed out that Cotham had changed her tune on abortion legislation in recent years. She previously supported abortion access, but then told a local outlet that she is now open to placing restrictions on the procedure.
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
According to CNN, Cotham voted for the legislation restricting abortion at 12 weeks gestation. In a video Cooper posted to Twitter, he called Cotham and other Republican lawmakers out by name over their stance on abortion.
“Republican legislators like Ted Davis and Michael Lee from Wilmington, John Bradford and Tricia Cotham from Mecklenburg County, made campaign promises to protect women’s reproductive health,” Cooper said. “Right-wing politicians don’t belong in the exam room with women and their doctors.”
This bill has nothing to do with making women safer, and everything to do with banning their reproductive freedom. pic.twitter.com/nfBagT3ijz
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) May 4, 2023
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