Tricia Cotham, NC State Rep., who switched parties to become Republican was a GOP plant

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

https://twitter.com/katekelly/status/1685635535673475073
Not surprising. Something needs to be done about these turncoats though.

Maybe, some Democrats should do this in Republican districts across the country.

[They not like us]

COOL!

[Vice President Christian Man]

This sounds straight out of Nixon's playbook.

[Del Tachi]

Nothingburger.

Despite what Atlas and the media would have you believe, most state legislators have cordial cross-partisan relationships with one another.  Cotham previously served in the NC House before making a comeback last year; it would not be unusual for her former Republican colleagues to reach out with words of support given her seat is non-competitive (D+20.)

Something, something; the devil you know is better than the one you don't know., etc.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I still think if you switch parties during your term, you ought to resign. Voters of her district voted for Democratic representation. The same goes for a Republican that switches over to the Democratic party.

[Vice President Christian Man]

Nothingburger.

If I lived in a recall state and I voted for her with the expectation that she would be a Dem, I'd support a recall effort. I think that the majority of her constituents would agree with me. At least in the case of Sinema she still toed the party line on non-economic issues. It seems like she reversed her stance on nearly everything.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Nothingburger.

Despite what Atlas and the media would have you believe, most state legislators have cordial cross-partisan relationships with one another.  Cotham previously served in the NC House before making a comeback last year; it would not be unusual for her former Republican colleagues to reach out with words of support given her seat is non-competitive (D+20.)

Something, something; the devil you know is better than the one you don't know., etc.

Imagine actually believing this

[Del Tachi]

Nothingburger.

Despite what Atlas and the media would have you believe, most state legislators have cordial cross-partisan relationships with one another.  Cotham previously served in the NC House before making a comeback last year; it would not be unusual for her former Republican colleagues to reach out with words of support given her seat is non-competitive (D+20.)

Something, something; the devil you know is better than the one you don't know., etc.

Imagine actually believing this

Have you ever worked with state legislators before?

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Nothingburger.

Despite what Atlas and the media would have you believe, most state legislators have cordial cross-partisan relationships with one another.  Cotham previously served in the NC House before making a comeback last year; it would not be unusual for her former Republican colleagues to reach out with words of support given her seat is non-competitive (D+20.)

Something, something; the devil you know is better than the one you don't know., etc.

Imagine actually believing this

Have you ever worked with state legislators before?

Yes, have you?

[Ferguson97]

Nothingburger.

Despite what Atlas and the media would have you believe, most state legislators have cordial cross-partisan relationships with one another.  Cotham previously served in the NC House before making a comeback last year; it would not be unusual for her former Republican colleagues to reach out with words of support given her seat is non-competitive (D+20.)

Something, something; the devil you know is better than the one you don't know., etc.

What does that have to do with her doing a complete 180 on all of her beliefs overnight?

[Anti Democrat Democrat Club]

Despite what Atlas and the media would have you believe, most state legislators have cordial cross-partisan relationships with one another. 

Yes, especially Tricia "Better Red In Bed" Cotham

[No War, but the War on Christmas]

Honestly, the most hilarious part of this article is how they say that she received a 'standing ovation' from the GOP state convention and is called a 'rockstar' by Republican activists who are going to drop her like a pile of hot garbage the moment she loses her seat and ability to be useful to them as a turncoat.

Someone better get Tricia a prescription for Zoloft, cause she's gonna be swiftly ostracized from the rest of her community and unless she's planning to move to rural North Carolina after she loses her seat, well, I don't think she's gonna be having as much fun as she is right now.

Also interesting to note that her Mother is still an elected Democrat on the Mecklenburg County Commissioners board... Gotta wonder if she's weighed in or what she thinks about her daughters escapades. Can't imagine there's much pride there.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Mostly this suggests that the NC Democratic Party is not very competent.

[Horus]

This is almost as bad as missing the Santos red flags. Wtf were NC Dems doing here?

[Del Tachi]

Nothingburger.

Despite what Atlas and the media would have you believe, most state legislators have cordial cross-partisan relationships with one another.  Cotham previously served in the NC House before making a comeback last year; it would not be unusual for her former Republican colleagues to reach out with words of support given her seat is non-competitive (D+20.)

Something, something; the devil you know is better than the one you don't know., etc.

Imagine actually believing this

Have you ever worked with state legislators before?

Yes, have you?

Yes, thoroughly.  Most of them are normal people who are friendly/take interest in their colleagues.  But I get you think all Republicans have three heads or something...

What is even being alleged by the NYT here?  That there was a coordinated effort to get Cotham to run/win as a GOP plant?  No, simply that House Republican leadership called a former colleague with well wishes when they found out she was staging a comeback.  That's a non-story.   

[No War, but the War on Christmas]

Despite what Atlas and the media would have you believe, most state legislators have cordial cross-partisan relationships with one another. 

Yes, especially Tricia "Better Red In Bed" Cotham

Fwiw, this narrative was debunked afaik. While I despise Cotham, if there's legitimately no basis in it than I think it's better we don't touch that sort of rhetoric.

[Crumpets]

Nothingburger.

This is North Carolina, so I think you mean Nothingbecue.

[Sol]

Also interesting to note that her Mother is still an elected Democrat on the Mecklenburg County Commissioners board... Gotta wonder if she's weighed in or what she thinks about her daughters escapades. Can't imagine there's much pride there.

Pat Cotham is a long serving political institution in Mecklenburg County, but is also not particularly left-wing and sometimes can be rather conservative politically.

That makes her sound more ideological than she is; the tl;dr with her is that she's a Democrat because that's the lean of her county and her personal background, but she's primarily motivated by having power rather than any ideology. What fills in the gap is the typical reactionary inclinations of someone of her generational and regional background. Good writeup on her here. It should not come as a surprise that Pat Cotham is behind her daughter.

Her daughter is pretty much cut from the same cloth, except she has a genuine ideological commitment to gutting education.

I think Del Tachi is right in saying that she probably wasn't a GOP plant; she worked with actual Democrats, none of who took her side. You can't lie to people for the length of an entire political campaign who you get to know intimately, unless you're literally some sort of master chess player, which Tricia Cotham is not lol.

But I think it's also pretty clear that Republicans knew that she had certain thumbscrews which could allow them to flip her over in the right circumstances. I'll list them out: #1. she's highly power and status -seeking, #2. prone to seeing the world in terms of enemies and friends, #3. highly motivated to pass pro-charter school policies, and #4. if the gossip is true was/is sleeping with Tim Moore. #3 is already enough for more progressive members to distrust her; not being feted as a mover and shaker within the Democratic caucus upon her return to the legislature appears to have embittered her and activated #1 and #2. And if #4 is true, which was the buzz in the capitol for weeks before her flip, it's only natural that the relationship between her and Democrats would deteriorate.

It's also important to note that there was clearly something "wrong" with Tricia Cotham in the months leading up to her flip -- she wasn't talking to Democrats and was freezing out a lot of her base. If she wants to claim that she flipped because of what Democrats were doing in January or February, it's contravened by the fact that she clearly was already being wooed by Republicans.

Ultimately this was preventable at several stages -- better vetting and frankly more litmus tests are needed. The Cothams in general, especially Pat, had a lot of deep loyalty among Democratic partisans in Mecklenburg County because Pat Cotham has a real knack for retail politics and performative gestures, even as they've been noticeably to the right of most Democrats in the past few years. And Democratic leadership should have made her feel included, even if that meant giving her an allowance to destroy public schools since she's destroying everything else now too.

But this flip is also a pretty harsh indictment of her character. Life in North Carolina is going to be much worse for many people because of what she's done, and for what? Two years chairing the education committee? What a loser.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Notice that what could be considered conspiracy theories only ever turn out true when Republicans are behind them.

[Vosem]

As I have pointed out on the other thread about Cotham this is example number zillion of Republicans generally trying to convince others that their ideas are good and right while Democrats don't do this because they don't believe that those who disagree with them are actually being sincere. As a result committed Democrats become committed Republicans three times more frequently than the reverse. This is -- I never tire of pointing this out -- the fundamental reason, per opinion polling, that changing demographics have failed to kill the Republican Party.

Honestly, the most hilarious part of this article is how they say that she received a 'standing ovation' from the GOP state convention and is called a 'rockstar' by Republican activists who are going to drop her like a pile of hot garbage the moment she loses her seat and ability to be useful to them as a turncoat.

I feel like maintaining 'rockstar' status among Republican activists, even decades after you did whatever the relevant thing was, is pretty easy. (Also, like, pretty much everyone expects Dan Bishop to retire and run for NC-AG, right? Cotham's positioned pretty nicely for a bid for his House seat in 2024. She lives outside of it theoretically, but like, just outside of it, and it would actually be pretty easy for a Republican remap to draw her into it.)

[No War, but the War on Christmas]

Honestly, the most hilarious part of this article is how they say that she received a 'standing ovation' from the GOP state convention and is called a 'rockstar' by Republican activists who are going to drop her like a pile of hot garbage the moment she loses her seat and ability to be useful to them as a turncoat.

I feel like maintaining 'rockstar' status among Republican activists, even decades after you did whatever the relevant thing was, is pretty easy. (Also, like, pretty much everyone expects Dan Bishop to retire and run for NC-AG, right? Cotham's positioned pretty nicely for a bid for his House seat in 2024. She lives outside of it theoretically, but like, just outside of it, and it would actually be pretty easy for a Republican remap to draw her into it.)

Well, Cotham is still trumpeting things like medicaid expansion and 'protecting LGB not the T' rights along with a few other more 'progressive' positions that she ran on. As I understand it, while she's absolutely butchering Cooper's veto's on a number of fronts, she isn't just letting the NC GOP go hog wild... So the question becomes 1.) Would Republicans take a chance on a proven turncoat, who is keeping some of her liberal positions, in Congress? Or 2.) Is Cotham willing to absolutely make a 180 on all her positions and tow the party line enough to win a Republican primary? I suppose she's already proven she's a spineless coward, so I suppose it's possible.

[Sol]

Honestly, the most hilarious part of this article is how they say that she received a 'standing ovation' from the GOP state convention and is called a 'rockstar' by Republican activists who are going to drop her like a pile of hot garbage the moment she loses her seat and ability to be useful to them as a turncoat.

I feel like maintaining 'rockstar' status among Republican activists, even decades after you did whatever the relevant thing was, is pretty easy. (Also, like, pretty much everyone expects Dan Bishop to retire and run for NC-AG, right? Cotham's positioned pretty nicely for a bid for his House seat in 2024. She lives outside of it theoretically, but like, just outside of it, and it would actually be pretty easy for a Republican remap to draw her into it.)

Well, Cotham is still trumpeting things like medicaid expansion and 'protecting LGB not the T' rights along with a few other more 'progressive' positions that she ran on. As I understand it, while she's absolutely butchering Cooper's veto's on a number of fronts, she isn't just letting the NC GOP go hog wild... So the question becomes 1.) Would Republicans take a chance on a proven turncoat, who is keeping some of her liberal positions, in Congress? Or 2.) Is Cotham willing to absolutely make a 180 on all her positions and tow the party line enough to win a Republican primary? I suppose she's already proven she's a spineless coward, so I suppose it's possible.

This is not actually accurate; like most party switchers she is completely in lockstep with Republicans and will override any veto.

She's only championing medicaid expansion because Republicans agreed to it this session. Republican bills have been more closely focused on torturing trans kids this session, but she will vote to override SB 49 which is North Carolina's xeroxed copy of the original Don't Say Gay bill. And she's pushing an insane and extensive voucher giveaway that's funneling money to private schools that expel gay kids.

[No War, but the War on Christmas]

Honestly, the most hilarious part of this article is how they say that she received a 'standing ovation' from the GOP state convention and is called a 'rockstar' by Republican activists who are going to drop her like a pile of hot garbage the moment she loses her seat and ability to be useful to them as a turncoat.

I feel like maintaining 'rockstar' status among Republican activists, even decades after you did whatever the relevant thing was, is pretty easy. (Also, like, pretty much everyone expects Dan Bishop to retire and run for NC-AG, right? Cotham's positioned pretty nicely for a bid for his House seat in 2024. She lives outside of it theoretically, but like, just outside of it, and it would actually be pretty easy for a Republican remap to draw her into it.)

Well, Cotham is still trumpeting things like medicaid expansion and 'protecting LGB not the T' rights along with a few other more 'progressive' positions that she ran on. As I understand it, while she's absolutely butchering Cooper's veto's on a number of fronts, she isn't just letting the NC GOP go hog wild... So the question becomes 1.) Would Republicans take a chance on a proven turncoat, who is keeping some of her liberal positions, in Congress? Or 2.) Is Cotham willing to absolutely make a 180 on all her positions and tow the party line enough to win a Republican primary? I suppose she's already proven she's a spineless coward, so I suppose it's possible.

This is not actually accurate; like most party switchers she is completely in lockstep with Republicans and will override any veto.

She's only championing medicaid expansion because Republicans agreed to it this session. Republican bills have been more closely focused on torturing trans kids this session, but she will vote to override SB 49 which is North Carolina's xeroxed copy of the original Don't Say Gay bill. And she's pushing an insane and extensive voucher giveaway that's funneling money to private schools that expel gay kids.

Well that's all definitely far more troubling than I'd even initially realized.

[Born to Slay. Forced to Work.]

Despite what Atlas and the media would have you believe, most state legislators have cordial cross-partisan relationships with one another. 

Yes, especially Tricia "Better Red In Bed" Cotham

Fwiw, this narrative was debunked afaik. While I despise Cotham, if there's legitimately no basis in it than I think it's better we don't touch that sort of rhetoric.

What narrative do you mean? I don’t get the reference

[Anti Democrat Democrat Club]

Despite what Atlas and the media would have you believe, most state legislators have cordial cross-partisan relationships with one another. 

Yes, especially Tricia "Better Red In Bed" Cotham

Fwiw, this narrative was debunked afaik. While I despise Cotham, if there's legitimately no basis in it than I think it's better we don't touch that sort of rhetoric.

What narrative do you mean? I don’t get the reference

Tricia "S'Moores By The Campfire" Cotham