Tricia Cotham

In March 2007, she was appointed by Governor Mike Easley to the 100th district, upon the recommendation of local Democratic Party leaders, to replace state Representative James B. Black, who had resigned. Cotham served as Co-Chair of the House's K-12 Education subcommittee from 2008–2010.

In 2008, she was named UNC Chapel Hill's School of Education's Young Alumna of the Year and the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) graded Cotham an "A+" Legislator.

Prior to serving in the legislature, Cotham began her first year of classroom teaching in 2001, where she taught social studies and was named Most Outstanding First Year Middle School Teacher of the East Region of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District. She started her first year as an Assistant Principal at East Mecklenburg High School in the fall of 2006 and was appointed to the legislature in March 2007.

Cotham chose not to run for re-election in 2016.[1] She later said she would consider running for the U.S. House of Representatives in the newly redrawn 12th congressional district.[2] Cotham filed to run for the seat on March 21, 2016, but lost the primary to incumbent Congresswoman Alma Adams.[3]

In 2022, she won an election to return to the North Carolina House of Representatives.

In April 2023, it was announced Cotham was expected to switch parties from Democratic to Republican.[4] WRAL-TV in North Carolina reported on April 4 that Cotham had already changed her party registration.[5]

On April 5, 2023, Cotham formally announced her departure from the Democratic Party and joined the Republican Party giving the latter a veto-proof majority; allowing them to pass bills without negotiating with the Democratic Governor. She stated the reasons she was leaving were her fellow Democrats "blasting me on Twitter to calling me names, coming after my family, coming after my children. That is wrong." In one article she is quoted stating the turning point was the hounding of her using the American flag on social media and on her vehicles.[6] In another article she is quoted saying "she felt bullied by Democrats and wanted to switch to a party that felt more welcoming." Cotham ran on a platform of "raising the minimum wage, protecting voting rights and bolstering LGBTQ rights", contrary to Republicans' legislative agenda.[7][8]

Cotham’s mother, Pat Cotham, is a former Democratic National Committee member and currently a member of the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners, having been elected in 2012.[9]

Cotham was married to state Democratic Party chair Jerry Meek. The two have since divorced.[10]

Cotham has two sons.[11] Cotham lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Cotham identifies herself as a Christian.[12]

• News & Observer: Black replacement will be youngest legislator
• Charlotte Observer: Educator chosen to fill Black's old seat
• Considered a traitor: NC Rep. Tricia Cotham leaves Democrats for GOP

• Official legislative page
• Twitter
• Official campaign site (archived)