RALEIGH, NC: "A Democratic state representative will join Republicans Wednesday morning where she’s expected to announce she’s switching parties, giving Republicans a veto-proof supermajority in the General Assembly. Rep. Tricia Cotham (D-Mecklenburg) has not confirmed she plans to switch parties, which was first reported by Axios Raleigh. However, multiple Republican and Democratic sources have said they expect her to make that announcement during a news conference at the state Republican Party Headquarters.

While Republicans won a veto-proof supermajority in the Senate last year, they fell one seat short in the House. Cotham’s switch would give Republicans the 72nd vote they need to have a three-fifths supermajority for the final two years Gov. Roy Cooper (D) is in office. Cotham has been viewed as being among a handful of Democrats most likely to vote with Republicans on various issues during the legislative session. She faced criticism last week for being among three Democrats who missed a vote to override Cooper’s veto of a controversial gun bill. The Democrats’ absence gave Republicans the margin they needed to override the governor and enact the bill that eliminated the state’s pistol purchase permit requirement."

https://www.cbs17.com/news/north-carolina-news/nc-democrat-expected-to-switch-parties-wednesday-giving-republicans-ability-to-override-vetoes/