Tricia Cotham
Representative Tricia Cotham | |
|---|---|
| Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 100th district | |
| In office 2007–2017 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Black |
| Succeeded by | John Autry |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 26, 1978 Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | Elliot, Ryan |
| Residence | Matthews, North Carolina[1] |
| Alma mater | University of North Carolina at Charlotte (B.A.) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (MPA) |
| Occupation | Legislator, Educator, Business Owner |
Patricia "Tricia" Ann Cotham (born 1978) is a former member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 100th district (Mecklenburg County) and congressional candidate. In March 2007, she was appointed by Governor Mike Easley, upon the recommendation of local Democratic Party leaders, to replace state Representative James B. Black, who had resigned.
At 28 years old, Cotham became the youngest member of the 2007-2008 session of the state legislature and the youngest woman to ever serve in the NC House of Representatives.[citation needed] 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.[2] She later said she would consider running for the U.S. House of Representatives in the newly redrawn 12th congressional district.[3] Cotham filed to run for the seat on March 21, 2016, but lost the primary to incumbent Congresswoman Alma Adams.[4]
Family
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.[5] Cotham's cousin, Emily Cain, also a Democrat, was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2004 at age 24 as its youngest female member.[citation needed] Cain served as the Minority Leader for the Maine House Democrats.
Cotham has two sons.[6] Cotham lives in Charlotte, NC.
Electoral history
2022
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tricia Cotham | 2,385 | 47.81% | |
| Democratic | Yolanda Holmes | 1,559 | 31.25% | |
| Democratic | Jay Holman | 853 | 17.10% | |
| Democratic | Rodney Moore | 192 | 3.85% | |
| Total votes | 4,989 | 100% | ||
2016
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Alma Adams (incumbent) | 12,400 | 42.51% | |
| Democratic | Malcolm Graham | 8,428 | 28.89% | |
| Democratic | Tricia Cotham | 6,165 | 21.13% | |
| Democratic | Carla Cunningham | 1,255 | 4.30% | |
| Democratic | Gardenia Henley | 444 | 1.52% | |
| Democratic | Rodney Moore | 245 | 0.84% | |
| Democratic | Rick Miller | 235 | 0.81% | |
| Total votes | 29,172 | 100% | ||
2014
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tricia Cotham (incumbent) | 12,707 | 100% | |
| Total votes | 12,707 | 100% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2012
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tricia Cotham (incumbent) | 24,217 | 100% | |
| Total votes | 24,217 | 100% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2010
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tricia Cotham (incumbent) | 9,578 | 100% | |
| Total votes | 9,578 | 100% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2008
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tricia Cotham (incumbent) | 7,685 | 78.83% | |
| Democratic | Lloyd Scher | 2,064 | 21.17% | |
| Total votes | 9,749 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tricia Cotham (incumbent) | 19,548 | 74.07% | |
| Republican | Tom White | 6,843 | 25.93% | |
| Total votes | 26,391 | 100% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
References
- ^ Rep. Tricia Cotham won’t run for re-election | Charlotte Observer Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- ^ Morrill, Jim (3 October 2015). "Rep. Tricia Cotham won't run for re-election". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
- ^ "Malcolm Graham files paperwork in Congressional District 12 race". WSOC. 17 March 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
- ^ NC State Board of Elections Archived 2016-03-21 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ News & Observer: Cotham wins spot on Democratic National Committee Archived April 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Campaign site
- ^ [1] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- ^ [2] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- ^ [3] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- ^ [4] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- ^ [5] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- ^ [6] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- ^ [7] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- News & Observer: Black replacement will be youngest legislator[dead link]
- Charlotte Observer: Educator chosen to fill Black's old seat[dead link]
External links
- 1978 births
- Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives
- Women state legislators in North Carolina
- North Carolina Democrats
- Living people
- 21st-century American politicians
- 21st-century American women politicians
- Politicians from Charlotte, North Carolina
- People from Matthews, North Carolina
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education alumni