State Leaders Descend on Charlotte Suburbs to Save Key House Seat

Voters in Mint Hill, Matthews, and parts of south Charlotte face a decisive election that has drawn top state officials to their doorsteps. The race for North Carolina House District 105 has become a focal point for state leadership, with both the governor and the attorney general actively campaigning in the district.

The contest pits incumbent Republican Tricia Cotham against Democrat Ken McCool. McCool, a former Matthews town commissioner, argues that the district's near-even split of registered Republicans and Democrats makes it the political epicenter of the state. He contends that Democratic control of the surrounding districts depends on holding this seat.

"If we don’t win this district as Democrats, we’re not going to win the other districts around the state, so this is where we start," McCool said. He noted that the high-profile visits by Gov. Josh Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson signal the momentum his campaign is building.

The district's political volatility stems from Cotham's 2023 switch from the Democratic to the Republican Party. That move allowed Republicans to secure a supermajority in the state legislature, granting them the power to override vetoes from former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. McCool, who first met Cotham during a visit to his 10th-grade journalism class, described the party change as a shock. At the time, Cotham was a Democrat and a figure he had supported.

"She was the person who really introduced me to politics," McCool said. "Kind of lit a fire under me." He added that the shift was strange because Cotham had previously been an ally.

Following her party change, the state legislature redrew the boundaries of House District 105 to accommodate her new affiliation. Cotham won the seat in 2024 by a margin of fewer than 200 votes. Despite the narrow margin, Cotham has not been available for a direct interview. WBTV spent a month attempting to arrange a sit-down but was never made available a time to speak.

McCool plans to leverage his experience as a de facto liaison between the Matthews board and the state legislature. If elected, he intends to hold monthly office hours in Matthews Town Hall to engage with constituents. He also highlighted his early opposition to the I-77 South toll road project, criticizing what he called the political hypocrisy surrounding state funding disputes.

"I think the thing that is most infuriating about it is the political hypocrisy of it," McCool said. He referenced the state's threat to make local municipalities repay planning costs when they withdrew support for I-77, contrasting it with the lack of outcry when the PAVE Act cut $40 million in planning for the Silver Line project in East Charlotte and Matthews.

In a written statement, a spokesperson for Cotham said she remains committed to improving lives in Mecklenburg County. The statement emphasized her work to strengthen public safety and her advocacy for increased funding for students, educators, and classrooms.

The election will determine the composition of a district that previously dictated the balance of power in Raleigh. The outcome will also settle the control of a seat that was narrowly decided in 2024 and subsequently redistricted to favor the incumbent's new party.