北卡罗莱纳州众议员特里西亚·科塔姆周三宣布，她将改变政党，让共和党人获得压倒民主党州长罗伊·库珀否决所需的绝对多数。
这位新生州代表说，她“受到了我的(新共和党)同事的热烈欢迎”，她将这一转变归因于民主党对她投票的限制。
“在一月初，我就很清楚，你最好按照库珀州长告诉你的一切去投票，”科瑟姆说。“从在议案上签字，到他想在众议院挑选你的席位，到你的委员会请求...我不会被任何人控制。”
前民主党顾问、现任杜克大学教授Pope“Mac”McCorkle表示，Cotham的转变将给予共和党人所需的权力，以实施他们议程的许多方面。
“她成为共和党人意味着通过字面上的党派投票，所有的委员会都可以改变，所有这些，”麦科克尔说。“所以我认为这是真正的力量所在。”
今年影响北卡罗莱纳州政治的最大问题之一是州议会重新划分选区，这一过程始于18个月前。预计共和党人将在未来几个月提交一份新的立法机构地图。
麦科克尔说，科瑟姆的转变不会影响重划选区的辩论，因为地图只需要立法机关的批准。
“州长没有否决权，所以[共和党人]已经能够通过他们想要的地图，”麦科克尔说。
科瑟姆出人意料的举动发生在竞争激烈的摇摆州的政治紧张时期，即使民主党人担任州长，大会的两院都由共和党控制。
“形势如此紧张，即使共和党拥有绝对多数，他们也害怕失去它，”麦科克尔说。他后来继续说“一切都是在这种难以置信的紧张气氛中发生的。但这已经超出了一名自由派议员所能理解的范围。”
据美国广播公司罗利分公司报道，北卡罗来纳州民主党主席安德森·克莱顿呼吁科瑟姆辞职。
她在第112选区的席位涵盖了夏洛特东郊，这是一个在2020年为总统乔·拜登投票的地区。
科瑟姆在一些重大问题上有自由主义的记录，包括堕胎权和国家援助项目。但是有一个问题她可能会偏离她的前民主党同事，那就是学校的选择。最近的社交媒体帖子向那些选择使用代金券并把他们的孩子送到他们的公立学校区之外的学校的父母表示支持——这是共和党人通常持有的立场。
北卡罗莱纳州众议院议员任期两年，这意味着科塔姆区将在2024年11月举行下一次选举。根据北卡罗来纳州的法律，没有罢免议员的程序。
North Carolina state representative flips parties, gives Republicans supermajority
North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham announced Wednesday she is switching parties, giving Republicans the supermajority needed to override vetoes from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.
The freshman state representative, who said she was "welcomed with open arms by my [new Republican] colleagues," attributed the switch to Democrats' restrictions on the votes she cast.
"It became very clear to me early on in January that you better vote in line with everything Governor Cooper tells you to do," Cotham said. "From signing on to bills, to he wanted to pick your seat on the House floor, to your committee requests ... I will not be controlled by anyone."
Former Democratic consultant and current Duke University Prof. Pope "Mac" McCorkle says Cotham's switch is poised to give Republicans the power they need to implement many aspects of their agenda.
"Her becoming a Republican means by literally a party-line vote, all the commissions can be changed, all of that," McCorkle said. "So that's where I think it's real power."
One of the largest issues impacting North Carolina state politics this year is state legislature redistricting -- a process that started more than 18 months ago. Republicans are expected to present a new legislature map in the coming months.
McCorkle says Cotham's flip will not impact the redistricting debates because the maps only need the approval of the legislature.
"The governor does not a have a veto, so [Republicans] will already be able to pass the maps they want," McCorkle said.
Cotham's unexpected move comes during a time of political tension in the hotly contested swing state, where both chambers of the General Assembly are Republican-controlled even as a Democrat holds the governorship.
"Things are so tight, even when the Republicans have a super majority they're afraid of losing it," McCorkle said. He went on later to say "Everything is just frought with this incredible tension. But this just goes beyond the pale that a liberal legislator has flipped."
North Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Anderson Clayton called on Cotham to resign, according to ABC's Raleigh affiliate.
Her seat in the 112th district covers the eastern Charlotte suburbs, an area that voted heavily for President Joe Biden in 2020.
Cotham has a liberal record on some major issues, including abortion rights and state assistance programs. But one issue where she may stray from her former Democratic colleagues is school choice. Recentsocial media postsshow her support for parents opting to use vouchers and send their children to schools outside their public school district -- a stance normally held by Republicans.
North Carolina House members serve two-year terms, meaning Cotham's district will have its next election in November of 2024. There is no process for recalling lawmakers under North Carolina state law.
