Who is Tricia Cotham, a Democratic candidate for NC House District 112?

Political Party: Democratic

Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 43

Campaign wesbite: www.triciacotham.org

Email: tricia@triciacotham.org

Occupation: Advocate, mom, former educator and legislator

Education: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, BA. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Masters in School Administration - Educational Leadership

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought):Yes, I served in the North Carolina General Assembly from 2007 – 2016, and won elections in 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014. I ran for Congress in 2016.

Please list your highlights of civic involvement:

I am a former CMS teacher and Assistant Principal. I was CMS Most Outstanding Teacher and Mint Hill Teacher of the Year. I represented NC on the Southern Region Education Board. I serve as a board member at GenerationNation and Vice Chair on UNCC Niner Elementary. I have been a longtime volunteer for local organizations including the Center for Community Transitions which helps people who have served their time acclimate into society. I am a volunteer basketball coach of a boys team, and we win!

If you’re a member of the minority party, how will you be an effective legislator as a member of the minority party?

I have served in both the majority and minority. When Republicans took over, I made efforts to get to know my colleagues on the other side of the aisle personally and build trust. Eventually some Republicans would ask me to explain an issue or ask for my perspective. We found some common ground. I plan to work hard to elect more Democrats in 2022 and win a majority. But no matter who controls the House, I will continue to work to find areas where both parties can agree to deliver positive change.

School test scores dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic. What should North Carolina do to improve student performance?

We place too much weight on individual test scores, which is why I wrote the bill to eliminate the NC Final Exam and other high stakes tests. We need to address structural inequities rather than simply trying to boost scores. We need to fully fund the Leandro plan to ensure every public school has access to the best resources for students including additional teachers and mental health counselors, and education psychologists who can assess students in the early grades for learning differences.

What do you want to happen in North Carolina if Roe v. Wade is overturned?

North Carolina should act now to codify Roe v. Wade to affirm the right to an abortion without interference.

What should North Carolina do to reduce violent crime?

The first step is expanding access to health care, social services, and stable affordable housing in our community. As an educator, I saw how the school to prison pipeline pushes students who just need support into gangs and criminal careers. We must invest more in after school and summer enrichment programs for our youth and community activities. I also believe formerly incarcerated individuals need more support to integrate into society and find new jobs to avoid falling into the same cycle.

Should medical marijuana be legalized in North Carolina?

Yes. I believe there could be a bipartisan solution to legalize medical marijuana in the near future, but such a bill should support farmers and smaller retailers, rather than only allow large companies to participate in a medical marijuana program.

What should the state’s minimum wage be? What policies would you support to help struggling North Carolinians?

I support raising North Carolina’s minimum wage to at least $15 an hour. I would also support raising the minimum wage for tipped workers to match this. I sponsored legislation to do exactly this as a House member and will continue to fight for it. I would also support paid family and medical leave of at least 12 weeks, expanding Medicaid, restoring North Carolina’s earned income tax credit, and fixing our broken unemployment insurance system.

Should North Carolina expand Medicaid, and how?

Yes. North Carolina should expand Medicaid. I support a clean Medicaid expansion without work requirements or other unnecessary burdens on basic access to health care.

Is there an area where you disagree with your party? Why?

I think the Democratic Party struggles with messaging. Our policies and ideas are widely popular, but this doesn’t translate into winning elections by a wide margin. Now more than ever, Democrats need to be laser-focused on policies that most directly impact people like the price of gas and groceries, higher wages, and affordable housing. We need to clearly communicate our accomplishments and vision for every day families — we too often get trapped trying to respond to Republican spin.