The Democrat who broke the GOP supermajority

Democrat Bryan Cohn became the 49th House Democrat, giving his party the necessary votes to uphold vetoes of Gov.-elect Josh Stein. But he says this is no time for celebrating.

Democrat Bryan Cohn discusses his 2024 victory that broke the GOP supermajority and path forward he sees for his party.

For Democrat Bryan Cohn (pronounced Kaan, not Cone!), his narrow victory over Republican incumbent state Rep. Frank Sossamon was bittersweet.

On one hand, he was glad to become the 49th House Democrat to win, thereby breaking the GOP supermajority.

But early into our conversation, it was clear he wasn’t in much of a celebratory mood. That’s because he’s keenly aware of the difficult position Democrats once again find themselves in.

In the House, Democrats will have to keep all 49 members together and ensure two members aren’t off the floor when a vote is called, assuming all Republicans are present.

For Cohn, the GOP yard signs across Granville County and Vance County reading “Trump Low Prices / Kamala High Prices” tell the story of the election. And if Democrats can’t get back to simple, effective messages like they had when then-candidate Barack Obama won the state in 2008, he fears for his party’s future.

“[President-elect Donald Trump] can connect with people on a very simple level using a slogan or a phrase,” Cohn said. “It doesn't translate for us. We have to find a way to be able to connect, that makes sense, that doesn't alienate and that makes people feel like there is an opportunity for hope.”

While there could be as many as five recounts in legislative races, including Cohn’s, none of the outcomes are going to change. And I’ve called all legislative races. This puts Democrats and Republicans in the very spot they were in after the 2022 election: A 30-20 GOP supermajority in the Senate and a 71-49 GOP advantage in the House (one seat shy of a supermajority).

I spoke with Cohn about the lane he sees for himself, his vision for the party and opportunities for bipartisanship. Here’s a portion of that conversation…