Democrat in North Carolina Leaves Party

Democrat in North Carolina Swaps Parties

(USNewsBreak.com) – When politicians run for Congress, whether at the state or federal level, they register with a specific party and campaign to reach their voter base. But sometimes they find that their values don’t align with those of the party any longer, and the lawmakers decide to make a switch. That’s exactly what happened recently in North Carolina, and it may have a big impact on the state’s legislature.

On Wednesday, April 5, Rep. Tricia Cotham (R-NC) announced that she was stepping across the aisle, switching her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican. Among her reasons were alleged bullying from her counterparts and a change in values. According to The New York Times, she accused fellow Democrats of pushing her out of the party and said that in modern days, the party “has become unrecognizable.”

The final straw for Cotham was when she was reportedly criticized for her use of praying hands and American flag emojis in her social media profiles and on her cars. That prompted her to say she would “not be controlled by anyone,” according to CBS News.

Her decision was a shock, not only to Democrats but also to the state. It’s unclear where she will fall on issues that arise, particularly as she ran on a platform that aligned mainly with the left on issues such as LGBTQ rights, minimum wage, and voting rights.

Republicans hold a supermajority now in both chambers, which requires 72 out of 120 seats in the House and 30 out of 50 Senate seats. It’ll be easy for the GOP to pass legislation, where Governor Roy Cooper (D) no longer has the power to veto congressional votes.

This could have a significant impact on legislation moving forward. For example, conservatives have considered implementing restrictions on abortions now that the right lies with the states to create laws on the hot-button issue.

Time will tell the overall impact her switching parties will have on the state.

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