NCGOPers giggly over Dems’ post-Cotham party-switch bill need to remember Decker, Morgan and BLACK

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I’ve seen all kinds of shade-throwing, preening, and trash-talking from NCGOPe types over the party-switch bill(s) introduced by legislative Democrats in the wake of the Tricia Cotham defection.  Yes, our side picked up ONE abortion-loving airhead and a veto-proof majority.  But what about the voters?  The folks back home?

A lot of folks in Cotham’s district voted for her and her Democrat-sounding rhetoric during the 2022 campaign.  After the smoke clears, they’re faced with “representation” by a Tim Moore groupie. Sounds a lot like obtaining property by false pretenses, eh?

Convincing voters to give you a two year job by making them believe you’re a loyal Democrat. And then you get to Raleigh and  … BAM!!!

Some of those young NCGOPe pups in Raleigh may be too young to remember 2002. That year, the NCGOP earned a 61-59 majority in the state House.  Michael Decker, a Republican from Forsyth, was apparently mad at his caucus leadership for personal reasons. So, he switched parties after the election — creating a 60-60 tie in the chamber.

Enter Richard Morgan and his handful of henchmen.  They tied up the GOP caucus efforts to  nominate a speaker.  They ended up working a deal with Jim Black and the Democrats for a co-speakership. 

Never mind that the voters chose a GOP majority in the House.  Raleigh insiders worked out a deal to give the people something different than what they voted for. Democrats lost the election in 2002, but still ran the House with Richard Morgan’s help. 

Black AND Decker, of course, ended up disgraced, out of the House and in prison. 

So, both sides have been smacked hard by party-switching. in 2002 and 2022, voters got screwed. (GOP voters in 2002, and Cotham’s in 2022.)

Some Cotham defenders have tried to compare her situation to Jesse Helms and Lauch Faircloth.  Neither of those folks were elected officials when they registered Republican.

I seriously respect the way former Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX) handled his party switch.  When Ronald Reagan swept into the presidency, Gramm was a Texas Democrat congressman with a conservative bent on economics.  Gramm resigned his seat in the House, re-registered as a Republican, and then ran for it in a competitive race as a Republican. 

That’s the model I’d like to see more of.  It’s not fair to the voters to portray yourself one way during the campaign, and then switch party ID and ideologies because you got a sweetheart deal from political insiders.  Want to switch parties?  Get your voters to endorse the idea FIRST.