A Democrat in the North Carolina state House switched to the Republican Party on Wednesday, giving the GOP veto-proof control in both chambers of the legislature and handing Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper a setback in trying to block hardline conservative policies in his final two years in office.
The party switch announced by Rep. Tricia Cotham, of Mecklenburg County, means Republicans now hold the 72 seats required in the 120-seat House to hold a veto-proof majority. Republicans had already held 30 of the 50 seats in the Senate needed to override vetoes if party members are present and voting, but until Wednesday, they were one seat shy of a similar advantage in the House following the November elections.
Recently improving margins for Republicans in the General Assembly, capped off by Cotham’s switch, have emboldened the North Carolina party to try again on topics such as gun rights, immigration and voting. Republicans also are interested in further restricting abortion following last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
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