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'She betrayed that trust'
Another Louisiana Democrat abandons the party; North Carolina state rep formalizes her switch to GOP
The Democratic establishment may be resolved to maintain its leftward course, but not all members are willing to sacrifice conscience for party and wayfare onward uncritically.
Louisiana state Rep. Jeremy LaCombe is the latest to jump ship, becoming the second Democrat in the state legislature to do so this year.
LaCombe's departure from the Democratic Party coincided with a potentially more impactful defection in North Carolina, where state Rep. Tricia Cotham formalized her party registration from Democrat to Republican, providing GOP legislators with veto-proof control over Gov. Roy Cooper (D).
It's not me, it's you
LaCombe, a former prosecutor with an A+ rating from the Louisiana Sheriff's Association, assumed office in 2019, having taken 62.5% of the vote. His term ends on Jan. 8, 2024.
The Democratic lawmaker indicated Monday that he would be switching his party affiliation to Republican, reported the Advocate.
The GOP already enjoys a supermajority in the house, such that it can override Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards' prospective vetoes and pass tax measures.
The switch comes just before the Republican-dominated legislature convenes in Baton Rouge for its regular legislative session, during which it is expected to tackle culture war issues and designate what to spend additional tax dollars on.
House Democratic Caucus Chair Sam Jenkins appeared to take this second abandonment in as many months in stride, saying, "We look forward to working with Rep. LaCombe during this legislative session to increase wages, lower costs, improve our schools and pass insurance reform that benefit Louisiana families and small businesses."
With LaCombe's switch, Democrats now will only have 32 members in the 105-member House, where there are two independents and 71 Republicans.
LaCombe is not the first Democrat to abandon the party in recent weeks.
TheBlaze reported last month that after serving 48 years as a Democrat, Louisiana state Rep. Francis Thompson switched parties to Republican, citing the need to stay true to his Christian faith.
"The push the past several years by Democratic leadership on both the national and state level to support certain issues does not align with those values and principles that are a part of my Christian life," Thompson said.
While LaCombe has not similarly indicated what prompted his move, his voting record indicates some socially conservative sensibilities.
In 2022, he voted in support of both the "Fairness in Women's Sports" bill (SB 44), prohibiting male students from participating on women's teams, and SB 388, which bans the sale or use of mail-order chemical abortion drugs.
Owing to his lack of support for other conservative initiatives, the Louisiana Family Forum nevertheless rated LaCombe "unfavorable" in its family advocacy rankings.
Veto-proofing North Carolina
North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham's party switch has already proved advantageous, ensuring Republicans will be able to pass legislation protecting children from confusion-affirming genital mutilations and medical interventions, restricting high school athletes to play on sports teams consistent with their biological sex, and protecting medical practitioners from participating in services that violate their consciences.
Cotham joined the Republican Party on April 5, noting the Democratic Party "has become unrecognizable" and wants to "villainize anyone who has free thoughts."
"Tricia Cotham has been someone who is reasonable, who is moderate and we've been able to work with in this session," said House Rules chairman Destin Hall (R). "Her principles and her views have not changed. What has changed is the Democratic Party in North Carolina."
Cotham, whose term ends on Jan. 1, 2025, formalized the switch this week, providing Republicans with a veto-proof supermajority, reported the Associated Press. Republicans now control 72 out of a total 120 seats in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Like LaCombe, Cotham's voting record has been checkered when it comes to matters of concern to social conservatives.
Axios reported that Cotham testified on the House floor about her experience having an abortion and suggested that a proposed extended wait period would create harmful barriers to abortion access. She also joined Democrats in sponsoring legislation that would codify Roe v. Wade.
One-way street
Ballotpedia tallied the number of state legislators who at some point in their careers switched party affiliation. Since 1994, there were reportedly 169 state legislators who crossed the aisle, including 48 state senators and 121 state representatives.
Whereas only 23 Republican state lawmakers have defected to the Democratic Party, 80 Democrats have gone onto become Republicans. The remainder went onto become independents, Greens, or Libertarians.
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NC Republicans waste no time after getting veto-proof supermajority, file bills to protect youth, sports
North Carolina Republicans quickly took advantage of their new veto-proof General Assembly supermajority.
On the same day that Rep. Tricia Cotham announced she was leaving the Democratic Party and joining the Republican Party — thus giving Republicans veto-proof supermajorities in the state House and state Senate — lawmakers announced new bills on transgender issues.
The bills protect minors from "gender-affirming" surgeries and medical interventions, restrict high school athletes to playing on sports teams consistent with their biological sex, and protect the medical industry.
- Senate Bill 631: The Fairness in Women's Sports Act prohibits transgender high school athletes from playing on sports teams corresponding to their gender integrity. For determining which team a student plays on, "a student's sex shall be recognized based solely on the student's reproductive biology and genetics at birth."
- Senate Bill 639: The Youth Protection Act will "protect minors from administration of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones and other related actions, procedures, and treatments," including gender-related surgeries.
- Senate Bill 641: The Medical Ethics Defense Act protects medical practitioners, health care institutions, and health care payers from having "to participate in or pay for any health care service which violates his, her, or its conscience."
On Tuesday, the day before Cotham switched parties, Republicans also filed Senate Bill 560, known as the Medical Treatment for Minors Act. The bill prohibits doctors from providing "gender transition procedures to any individual under 18 years of age" unless a strict criteria are met.
Whether Cotham will support the bills is not yet known. She told WRAL-TV that she has not yet reviewed them. But if she does, they will become law even if Gov. Roy Cooper (D) vetos them — so long as every other Republican supports them.
Anything else?
Another issue that may swing in conservatives' favor with Cotham now in the GOP is abortion.
North Carolina currently permits women to seek abortions up to 20 weeks, six days of gestation. But with Cotham's vote, that window may be narrowed in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned. Republicans in the Tar Heel State are reportedly seeking to ban abortion after 13 weeks.
Asked this week whether she would support such legislation, Cotham said she will not comment until a bill is filed.
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Dem lawmaker abandons party, joins Republicans — and it has major implications for North Carolina politics
North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham officially abandoned the Democratic Party on Wednesday and joined the Republican Party.
At a press conference, Cotham explained she switched parties because the Democratic Party "has become unrecognizable" and wants to "villainize anyone who has free thoughts."
"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 aside," she said. "It became clear to me very early on in January that you better vote in line with what Gov. Cooper wants you to do."
Cotham said she believes it is her responsibility as a lawmaker to "learn everything I can, to ask questions, to hear perspectives before deciding how to vote." But Democrats are afraid of members who think independently, she claimed, because "they don't like what they can't control."
"I will not be controlled by anyone," Cotham declared.
NC State Rep. Tricia Cotham expected to announce a switch in political parties www.youtube.com
Not only do North Carolina Democrats enforce a liberal echo chamber, but Cotham accused her former party of engaging in intimidation and bully tactics any time a member steps out of line.
The final straw for her, however, was when she was criticized for using the American flag and "praying hands" emojis on social media. She also alleged that her Democratic opponents have publicly accosted her and sent her children messages.
Cotham's abdication is particularly significant for North Carolina because it gives Republicans a supermajority in the North Carolina House of Representatives. That means Republicans now have the power to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's vetos, because the state Senate is already veto-proof.
What did NC Democrats say?
The response from North Carolina Democrats perhaps underscores the attitude that Cotham highlighted.
The North Carolina Democratic Party, for example, called Cotham's decision "deceit of the highest order" and a "betrayal" of North Carolinians. The party demanded that she immediately resign.
\u201cThis is deceit of the highest order. Rep. Cotham\u2019s decision is a betrayal to the people of HD-112 with repercussions not only for her district, but for our entire state.\n\nIf she can no longer represent the values her constituents entrusted her to champion, she should resign, now.\u201d— NC Democratic Party (@NC Democratic Party) 1680645284
State House Democratic Leader Robert Reives echoed the demand for Cotham's resignation. He said it is the "appropriate action" because Cotham "campaigned as a Democrat and supporter of abortion rights, health care, public education, gun safety, and civil rights."
Gov. Cooper, meanwhile, issued a more measured statement.
"This is a disappointing decision," he said. "Rep. Cotham’s votes on women’s reproductive freedom, election laws, LGBTQ rights and strong public schools will determine the direction of the state we love. It's hard to believe she would abandon these long-held principles, and she should still vote the way she has always said she would vote when these issues arise, regardless of party affiliation."
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