‘Villainized’ North Carolina lawmaker defects to Republicans from ‘bullying’ Democrats
- Cotham had been criticized for posting the American flag on social media
- The 44-year-old ex-schoolteacher was previously a life-long Democrat
- Her former political allies slammed her ‘betrayal’ in switching sides
A North Carolina lawmaker has defected from the Democrats after she faced the ire of Left-wingers for posting the American flag on social media.
Tricia Cotham, 44, announced her departure to the Republicans at a heavily-anticipated news conference after days of rumors of her possible switch.
‘The modern-day Democratic Party has become unrecognizable to me and to so many others throughout this state.’
‘The party wants to villainize anyone who has free thought, free judgment,’ the former schoolteacher added.
‘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 outside,’ she told reporters.
‘What happened to the concept of a big tent party? What happened to these ideas that we’re inclusive, we’re tolerant, we’re so welcoming to everybody. No, you’re not.’
Cotham, seen here announcing her defection to the Republicans, lashed out at Left-wing Democrats who she said had mocked her for posting images of the American flag on social media
She accused her now-former political allies of ‘calling me names, coming after my family, coming after my children.’
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel blamed her Democratic rivals for pushing Cotham into the arms of the conservative Right.
‘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,’ she said.
‘Ahead of 2024 (and the presidential election), Republican momentum is growing and we are proud to welcome Tricia Cotham to the Republican Party.’
Cotham previously served a ten-year stint as a Democrat in North Carolina’s House of Representatives from 2007 before losing her seat in 2017.
She succeeded last year in returning to the Tar Heel state’s legislature, winning in the 112th district near Charlotte.
She won nearly 49% of the vote in a four-candidate Democratic primary and then picked up 59% in the general election.
The United States has a state legislature in each of its 50 states that approves local laws and budgets.
In most cases, lawmakers sit in a local House of Representatives and Senate where they wield considerable powers to pass legislation on gun rights, abortion and same-sex marriage.
And Cotham’s decision to join the GOP now gives the party a veto-proof majority to push through a wide range of reforms.
It means Republicans can now force through changes without needing to compromise with Democratic Governor Roy Cooper.
On Tuesday, Cooper went on a bizarre and bitter Twitter rant, slamming the state’s latest draft budget as ‘extreme policy.’
He urged lawmakers ‘to get back to the drawing board’ over proposals that he claimed offered ‘even more tax breaks to wealthy people.’
Anderson Clayton, seen here speaking to reporters, demanded that Cotham quit North Carolina’s House of Representative
Anderson Clayton, the chairwoman of the North Carolina Democratic Party, called Cotham’s move ‘a betrayal’ and called on her to stand down.
‘She no longer represents the values constituents trusted her to champion, and should resign immediately,’ she said.
Harvard-educated lawyer Kaivan Shroff, a Left-wing commentator based in New York, branded Cotham as ‘a traitor to democracy’.
‘Not only did she betray her voters. Now the entire state will be held hostage by an extremist Republican legislature,’ he fumed.
