North Carolina lawmaker's blockbuster party switch a 'political earthquake,' Dem congressman says

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NC Democrat becomes Republican, giving GOP veto-proof majority

North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham on Wednesday confirmed she is leaving the Democratic Party and becoming a Republican, giving the GOP a veto-proof majority in the state legislature. (WTVD via NNS)

The decision of a lawmaker in North Carolina to leave the Democratic Party and become a Republican is a "political earthquake" that will have a "dramatic" impact, according to a Democratic congressman from the Tar Heel State.

State Rep. Tricia Cotham announced Wednesday that she's joining the GOP after long serving her deep blue Charlotte-area district as a Democrat. Beyond being symbolically important, the announcement could have a profound effect on North Carolina — a point highlighted by U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson, D-N.C.

"This morning there was a political earthquake in North Carolina," Jackson tweeted. "A legislator in the state House announced she was switching parties from Democrat to Republican. I want to make sure you understand how dramatic the impact of this one switch will be."

Jackson outlined how Cotham's announcement has major political implications for North Carolina, a swing state where Republicans had been just one seat short of a supermajority in the legislature.

While North Carolina Republicans have held majorities in both the state's House and Senate chambers for years, the threat of a veto from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has prevented them from implementing much of their agenda.

"I can't overstate the consequences of this switch," Jackson wrote. "While we don't know how she will vote on any given bill, dozens of bills that were essentially dead — from elections law changes to reproductive freedom to LGBTQ rights to education policy — may have just sprung back to life."

"And the state budget — which controls education funding — can now be passed entirely on the basis of Republican votes," the congressman continued. "This will likely have a major impact on funding for public education and teacher pay."

North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham announces she's leaving the Democratic Party and becoming a Republican at the North Carolina GOP headquarters in Raleigh, April 5, 2023. (Screenshot/WBTV)

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As Jackson noted, Cotham's decision to join the GOP gives Republicans a clear path with a veto-proof majority to push a wide range of legislation, from reforming education to restricting abortion, without necessarily needing to compromise with Cooper.

Cotham alleged during Wednesday's press conference that Cooper "tells you what to do" and that the Democratic Party will "bully" those who don't do what the party wants.

Flanked by state House and Senate Republican leaders at the North Carolina GOP headquarters in Raleigh, Cotham explained why she changed her party affiliation.

The "modern-day Democratic Party has become unrecognizable to me and others across the state," said Cotham, who argued her Republican colleagues have been more welcoming and less overbearing. "I will not be controlled by anyone."

North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham, a Democrat, is reportedly expected to switch parties and become a Republican. (Screenshot from Tricia Cotham's Twitter account)

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The turning point for Cotham, she explained, was when she was criticized for using the American flag and praying hands emoji on social media and on her vehicles.

Democrats have been "blasting me on Twitter to calling me names, coming after my family, coming after my children," continued Cotham. "That is wrong." She added that a woman cursed her out at a store while she was shopping with her son.

House Minority Leader Robert Reives said Cotham should have instead resigned from her seat because she campaigned to pursue a Democrat policy agenda in a heavily Democratic district. 

"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," Reives said in a statement. "Those constituents deserved to know what values were most important to their elected representative."

Jackson expressed similar sentiments in his tweet thread but added that there's "no recall provisions in North Carolina," so Cotham will be able to serve her full two-year term, which began in January.

Rep. Jeff Jackson, D-N.C., speaks with Kristin Johnson, owner of The Coffee Bar, in Hickory, North Carolina on July 8, 2021. (Allison Lee Isley for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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"At this point, we can safely say that the decision by this legislator to suddenly switch parties will have major consequences for millions of people," he wrote.

While Democrats expressed concern if not outrage over Cotham's announcement, North Carolina Republicans were quick to welcome the newest member of their caucus.

"This announcement continues to reflect that the Democratic Party is too radical for North Carolina," state GOP chair Michael Whatley said in a statement. "The values of the Republican Party align with voters, and the people of Mecklenburg County should be proud to have her representation in Raleigh."

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, who formerly served as the state's House speaker, said he and Cotham joined the chamber together in 2007 and called her "a no-nonsense legislator who works hard to make a positive difference for all North Carolinians."

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Beyond North Carolina, Republicans nationwide took notice and celebrated the news.

"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," said Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. "Ahead of 2024, Republican momentum is growing, and we are proud to welcome Tricia Cotham to the Republican Party."