Pirate's Cove

The bill they’re offering will go exactly nowhere, since they do not control either the House or Senate in the general assembly, and probably won’t even get a vote but, they had to figure out a way for sore losers to sore lose

North Carolina Democrats seek election, campaign changes after lawmaker switches to GOP

North Carolina state legislators who change party registrations midterm could be subject to an early election to keep the seat, according to a bill filed Tuesday by Senate Democrats in response to Rep. Tricia Cotham’s switch to the GOP two months ago.

The measure would be prospective and wouldn’t apply to Cotham, whose move gave Republicans a veto-proof majority in both General Assembly chambers. It likely won’t get traction in the GOP-controlled Legislature. Her altered allegiance helped Republicans pass new abortion restrictions when they were able to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto on party-line votes.

Her change angered Democrats both in Raleigh and in her Mecklenburg County district where she won last fall by over 18 percentage points. Critics say those who voted for her are being robbed of representation. Speakers at a Tuesday news conference about the bill included Cotham’s constituents.

She probably angered the unhinged, wackadoodle Progressives in Mecklenburg. Maybe Democrats shouldn’t be so crazy leftist

The measure says that when an elected or appointed General Assembly member switches party registration with more than six months remaining on their term, the seat would be declared vacant. The special election to complete the two-year term would be held within 90 days. The bill also would force a party-switcher to refund recent campaign finance donations if requested by a donor.

“You can’t completely switch teams, put on the other jersey and start scoring goals for the opposite team and have no recourse whatsoever from voters,” Sen. Natasha Marcus, a Mecklenburg County Democrat and bill co-sponsor, told reporters. “So it’s time we made this change.”

Actually, you can. Perhaps the GOP could modify the legislation so that anyone who runs while calling themselves a moderate then votes like a leftist moonbat is forced to have the seat declared vacant and have a new election.

“I laughed at it at first. I think it’s also just really, really sad,” Cotham said. “There’s a lot of work to be done at the general assembly right now. It’s a very busy time.

“Clearly, they’re not in the in crowd, working on legislation, working on this budget, working on solutions. They’re coming up with just petty nonsense that really just shows their ineffectiveness. That’s very unfortunate.”

The bill would also require switchers to refund their campaign donations. Perhaps Democrats should just take the L, move on, and stop reminding voters that they’re nutso.