There’s a conspiracy theory floating around Democratic circles that Tricia Cotham’s party switch was planned before she got into the race in 2022. Proponents of the theory cite contributions to her campaign by business oriented PACs. They believe she was a “Trojan horse,” elected with GOP support with the intention of switching parties all along. I think it’s bullshit and makes the left look as unhinged as the right.
The evidence for the theory is almost all speculation and based on thin evidence and a poor understanding of both campaigns and how the legislature works. The claim is based on three premises. First, Tricia’s primary was funded by Republican-leaning PACs. Second, she reversed her positions too quickly to have made a party switch that fast. Finally, Tricia has close relationships with Republican members.
The PACs that funded Cotham’s campaign were business-oriented PACs who had relationships with her based her past tenure in the legislature. They were anesthesiologist and health care-related, realtors, Pork Council, and a handful of other business PACs. Business-oriented PACs are generally not ideological. They are transactional. They give to winners and those in power. They gave to Democrats when they led the legislature. They played in that primary based on personal relationships and an understanding that Cotham was more likely to support their agendas than a more progressive candidate. She was also more likely to win than her primary opponents.
Cotham received funding from big Democratic donors, too. That said, she didn’t raise that much money. Carolina Forward called it an “eye-popping” amount. It’s not even close. It’s a decent haul, especially when your opponents are essentially raising nothing, but plenty of contested legislative primaries have raised well over $100,000, some even over $200,000. In other words, where she got her money and the amount she raised offer no reasons to believe she was a Republican plant in a Democratic primary.
The other evidence cited is her quick shift from supporting solidly progressive policies to supporting, first, a GOP veto override by taking a walk on the vote, and, second, switching parties with what appear to be thin reasons. The more likely answer is that Tricia Cotham has never had any firmly held beliefs. She’s always been a legislator who likes attention and gets it by showing she’s a contrarian. She’s never had the political skills or intellectual heft to make it into the leadership so she’s responded by undermining them. If she’s in the GOP caucus long enough, she’ll do the same to them.
Finally, Cotham has always had relationships with Republicans, especially those in Mecklenburg County. She used to banter playfully on Twitter with several GOP legislators. She’s broken with Democrats several times since Republicans took control of the legislature. She’s cut deals behind the leadership’s back. That’s not evidence that she was planning to switch parties from the beginning.
Believing that Republicans played the long game by electing a Democrat they knew would switch gives too much credit to both the GOP and to Cotham. It also makes the left look as paranoid as the right. Tricia Cotham switched parties because she’s thin-skinned and self-centered. She has no firm political convictions and she just got the attention she craves. It’s just not that complicated.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
I have to disagree regarding the observation concluding that Tricia Cothem isn’t a Trojan Horse. (1) The seven years she was out of office is a long time and she easily could’ve changed what loyalties she had. (2) For starters, her list of grievances such as having a woman go off on her at Target or someone texting her son or other things that she defines as people being mean to her, rings pretty hollow. It’s politics, not a sensitivity therapy session. I suspect most, if not all, of the blowback is due to her missing the vote on permitless carry due to a “long COVID” medical appointment – a situation she chose over voting. It easily could’ve been planned by her to pick her spot, then using the reaction as her reason to leave. (3) She campaigned on raising the minimum wage, expanding access to health care, honoring women’s,rights, and standing with the LGBTQ community and she was elected by her constituents on that platform. Nowhere did she list getting rid of Governor Cooper’s veto. As U-Turns go, legislatively, even George Santos hasn’t topped that in the fraudometer. (4). If her complaints were authentic and she was “pushed out” (in lightning speed I might add) then why didn’t she re-register as an independent, maintaining who she represented herself to be on the issues while still throwing a granade into her former party’s so-called arm twisting. Showing up wearing bright red, standing next to Tim Moore and the author of HB2, and seething grievance feels well over the top or as Shakespeare aptly put it, methinks thou doth protesteth too much. (6) As a cherry on top she referred to her former colleagues as “The Democrat Party”. That is a Republican slur that germinates over years, not a few weeks…particularly coming from a family with long Democratic bonafides. (7) If she was truly interested in playing mama bear protecting her children, particularly during the social challenges of the young teenage years, she might have thought twice of taking such a starring unrepentant role in the time of the year before Easter best remembered as Judas Week… (8) And finally, a Trojan Horse “conspiracy” doesn’t require a large set of actors and funders. To the contrary all it requires is a couple people in power to keep it close to the vest (else suspicions arise and word gets out) – Ms. Cothem is in a blue district with her long-time family credentials. And even then it’s just an Ace Card if you find your party is on the knife’s edge of a supermajority. If you already have it, or are a few votes away, then it’s impact is far less consequential regarding legislation.
So, in summary, from all that has occurred, I find it hard to believe this wasn’t in the works from before the election. I grant it is easy to define politicians as self-serving dullards (though a number do serve from a higher public service calling), there is too much going on not to have been cooked up in advance. In the end it will be a sad chapter….both in terms for what itl means for residents of the state and what it means for Ms. Gothem. When you betray the constituents who voted you into office you burn your bridges, and those into whose arms you run may smile at you and with you and nod their heads, but they don’t respect you because they too know who you are.
Wow
Tricia Cotham switched parties because she’s thin-skinned and self-centered. She has no firm political convictions and she just got the attention she craves. It’s just not that complicated.
THIS is it. The current Dem leadership in Raleigh would not kow tow to her or credit her prior service.. The GOP already showed its hand in letting her co-chair education K-12 committee. Wonder what she will get going forward?
As for her shtooping Tim Moore? Would not surprise me. “The more likely answer is that Tricia Cotham has never had any firmly held beliefs. She’s always been a legislator who likes attention and gets it by showing she’s a contrarian. She’s never had the political skills or intellectual heft to make it into the leadership so she’s responded by undermining them.” She has never had power of her own, either riding her mom’s political name recognition or being married to the NC Dem chair (who she has divorced since he is not longer chair).
I concur with you without solid evidence a conspiracy is the stuff of Republicans. If further investigations disclose, she did not report her sources of funds in accordance with existing election laws, or engaged in other shenanigans, then an appropriate action should be taken.
Your analysis as to her character seems accurate, but the character of these flakes elected to public office does not seem to concern Republican voters. Trump is an outstanding example of this notion. At least 60 percent of the only concern is electing politicians that follow their agenda to impose antiabortion laws or allow the accusation of weapons without universal background checks.
You’re spot on.
Constitutional Carry via HB189 is not as controversial as passing SB41…and the nature of the vile threats made against Rep. Cotham would certainly be more than enough to understand the “Shall Delay at All Costs Issuing a Permit” Mecklenburg County Sheriff McFarland could cause ordinary people serious harm. Our current Concealed Handgun Permit system will remain, perhaps with tweaks to certify “Shall Issue” in time certain, but I fully expect, base on her real world experience, to be the overriding 72nd vote in the House. Lame Duck Governor Cooper, veto if you must, but CC for NC is coming!
Trojan horses happen. In the last Democratic primary, where popular District 40
Representative Joe John ran for reelection, he was primaried by an opponent who was a Republican posing as a Democrat. It did not work, and the poser got trounsed in the primary. Our district held a picnic at Durant Nature Park and Joe John’s opponent showed up, but everyone already knew the game was afoot. The scheme might have worked where the real Democrat was not so well-known. Everybody knows Joe.
Its simple. She was not able to be herself in the Democrat party. They demand 100% obedience 100% of the time, regardless, forever Amen.
They were hassling her over minutiae which was bothersome. Emoji hands, flag displays etc stupid stuff)
They screamed at her when she missed a vote affirming, returning rights to people (something Democrats apparently hate) and scrapping a Jim Crow law (which Democrats apparently love)
Then they went beyond the pale and threatened her children, Something the Mafia does not do.
So she left, and to screw the people who messed with her family (Which the richly deserve) she went to the other side. Where she can do all the things the democrats hassled her over.
Moral of the story for Democrats is be nice, and people have to be able to have differing opinion or they will walk.
She is having sex with a leader of the Republican NC General Assembly. End of story.
Do you have proof of this? Otherwise its just gossip or slander.
Have heard this from several sources in and out of Raleigh. Too many just to be idle gossip. Would not be surprise as she is a whore sold to the highest bidder. Her ex was the head of the NC Dem party prior to Art Pope buying GOP control, and now she is shilling for the powers that are in charge.
So just rumor. Got it.
Just proves she is a political whore of the 1st order.
It’s simple. She was not able to be the boss in the Democrat party. She went back to Raleigh expecting to be kow tow’d to because of her prior service and who her ex-husband was (NC Dem Chair, 2005-09). She was the epitome of white privilege and pique when she did not get her way.
As a former criminal defense attorney I have learned that many of the clients I represented had more character and were better human being than a majority of people holding political office….at the very least they didn’t pretend to be anything other than what they were….the same can’t be said for most politicians or, more aptly, political prostitutes…..
Tricia Cotham is a political whore, for sale to the highest bidder.
The more interesting question is what she’ll do once the GQP shows her its true nature. If she honestly thinks the grass is greener and the people are friendlier on that side of the aisle, she’s about to develop a serious case of buyer’s remorse. She’s the faithless wife who leaves her husband for a man she’s sure will leave his wealthy wife for her. But until she figures out that this is never going to happen, he’s going to keep using her for his own purposes. And when she’s had enough, he’ll kick her to the curb, and there won’t be anywhere left to go. Because she’s burned her bridges and her boat.
I’m gonna have to laugh. I don’t see how I could suppress it.
I’m not sure she even cares. Politics is not everything to some people. Its easy to burn a bridge you don’t want or need.
If by some miracle the Dems were able to ride the abortion issue to overcome the looming extreme gerrymander Berger and Moore will have in place for 2024 (with the 5-2 blessing of SCONC that will make SCOTUS seem liberal) and take power, she would whore herself back.
The only thing Tricia Cotham cares about is Tricia Cotham. She was married to Jerry Meek when he was NC Dem chair. Now she is sleeping with Tim Moore. Word is she is going after Catherine Truitt’s job in 2024 with GOP backing as Truitt will seek to be Lt. Gov.
The Kyraten $inema of NC!