North Carolina House Rep. Tricia Cotham officially left the Democratic Party on Wednesday, defecting to the Republican side of the aisle in a move that gives the GOP a veto-proof majority and will allow it to enact its agenda without fears of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper using his veto power.
In her statement this morning, reported by The Hill, Cotham cited the Democratic Party’s newfound hostility toward free expression and bipartisanship.
“The party wants to villainize anyone who has free thought, free judgment, has solutions and wants to get to work to better our state,” Cotham said, explaining her departure. “Not just sit in a meeting and have a workshop after a workshop, but really work with individuals to get things done.”
“What happened to the concept of a big tent party?” Cotham added, “What happened to these ideas that we’re inclusive, we’re tolerant, we’re so welcoming to everybody. No, you’re not.”
However, the new Republican assured her Democratic voters that she would not be “pigeon holed” and would continue to represent her constituents, potentially underscoring the power of her vote within the state legislature.
NC General Assembly photo
Still, Axios reports that Republicans will likely leverage Cotham’s vote to pass pro-life bills, parental rights education reforms, and budgets without Cooper’s input.
North Carolina has swung more Democratic over the last two elections, but remains a competitive swing state for both parties.
In 2022, Republican Sen. Ted Budd narrowly won his statewide race, and in 2020 Republican Sen. Thom Tillis’ race was even closer, with officials waiting days to make an official decision due to a slow drip of mail-in ballots.
While Cooper’s next election is not until 2024, in 2022 Republicans managed to capture the North Carolina House for the first time since 2018, as well as 49 of its 100 Senate seats. With Cotham’s defection, the party further expands its control to a veto-proof majority, allowing Republicans to sidestep the Democratic governor during what may become his lame duck year in office.
Cooper made headlines only weeks before the 2022 midterms, when he declared that 45th President Donald Trump “has created a cult” while campaigning for other Democratic governors.
“I know that we’ve been pulled apart and that we are diametrically opposed and often closed-minded about these kinds of issues,” said Cooper, according to local media. “That’s what happens when you have a cult. There’s no question that Donald Trump has created a cult.”
