Richard T. Morgan

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Representative
Richard Morgan
Speaker pro tempore of the North Carolina House of Representatives
In office
January 1, 2005 – January 1, 2007
Preceded byJoe Hackney (2003)
Succeeded byWilliam Wainwright
Co-Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives
In office
January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2005
Serving with Jim Black
Preceded byJim Black (As Speaker)
Succeeded byJim Black (As Speaker)
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
In office
January 1, 1991 – January 1, 2007
Preceded byJames M. Craven
Succeeded byJoe Boylan
Constituency31st District (1991-2003)
52nd District (2003-2007)
Personal details
Born
Richard Timothy Morgan

(1952-07-12)July 12, 1952
Southern Pines, North Carolina
DiedOctober 10, 2018(2018-10-10) (aged 66)
Durham, North Carolina
Political partyRepublican
ResidenceEagle Springs, North Carolina
EducationPinecrest High School
Alma materSandhills Community College (AA)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BA)
Occupationinsurance broker, cattle farmer

Richard Timothy Morgan (July 12, 1952 – October 10, 2018) was a Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives representing the state's thirty-first and later fifty-second districts, including constituents in Moore County, for eight terms.[1]

Biography[edit]

Morgan was born in Southern Pines, North Carolina. He graduated from Pinecrest High School and received his associate in arts degree from Sandhills Community College. In 1974, Morgan received his bachelor's degree in political science from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Morgan was an insurance broker and cattle farmer from Pinehurst, North Carolina.[2][3] Morgan died on October 10, 2018, at the age of 66, at Duke University Medical Center, in Durham, North Carolina.[4]

Political career[edit]

Richard Morgan first ran as a Republican for the General Assembly in 1976 and 1980 and lost. Morgan next ran as a Republican for state insurance commissioner in 1984 and lost. Morgan was elected as a Republican to the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing Moore County, in 1990, and was re-elected from 1992 through 2004.[5]

In the 2002 elections, Republican won a 61- to 59-seat majority in the North Carolina House of Representatives, and the Republican caucus nominated Rep. Leo Daughtry to be Speaker of the state House. Richard Morgan, a member of the Republican caucus, announced he would oppose Daughtry and run for Speaker of the House himself. After another Republican, Rep. Michael Decker later switched to the Democratic Party, creating a 60–60 tie. Morgan then led a Republican faction that agreed to form a coalition with the Democrats. The coalition elected two "co-speakers" of the House for the first time in state history, for the North Carolina General Assembly of 2003-2004.[6] Speaker Jim Black, a Democrat, was called the "Democratic Speaker," and Morgan was called the "Republican Speaker." A number of Republicans—but less than a majority of the Republican caucus—considered Morgan's actions tantamount to betraying his party.

Rep. Morgan was removed from the North Carolina Republican Party's executive committee in May 2004 for "party disloyalty."[7] In the 2006 election he was defeated by a Republican opponent in the primary.[8]

In 2008, Morgan ran for North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction, losing to June Atkinson. In 2010, he ran for the State Senate but lost in the Republican primary to incumbent Harris Blake.[9]

Electoral history[edit]

2010[edit]

North Carolina Senate 22nd district Republican primary election, 2010[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Harris Blake (incumbent) 6,679 65.86%
Republican Richard Morgan 3,462 34.14%
Total votes 10,141 100%

2008[edit]

North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Republican primary election, 2008[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard Morgan 203,090 51.34%
Republican Eric H. Smith 97,098 24.55%
Republican Joe Johnson 95,382 24.11%
Total votes 395,570 100%
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction general election, 2008[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic June Atkinson (incumbent) 2,177,934 53.66%
Republican Richard Morgan 1,881,075 46.34%
Total votes 4,059,009 100%
Democratic hold

2006[edit]

North Carolina House of Representatives 52nd district Republican primary election, 2006[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joe Boylan 4,457 51.69%
Republican Richard Morgan (incumbent) 4,166 48.31%
Total votes 8,623 100%

2004[edit]

North Carolina House of Representatives 52nd district Republican primary election, 2004[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard Morgan (incumbent) 4,376 51.49%
Republican Peggy Crutchfield 4,122 48.51%
Total votes 8,498 100%
North Carolina House of Representatives 52nd district general election, 2004[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard Morgan (incumbent) 23,868 100%
Total votes 23,868 100%
Republican hold

2002[edit]

North Carolina House of Representatives 52nd district general election, 2002[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard Morgan (incumbent) 14,477 85.57%
Libertarian Todd Unkefer 2,442 14.43%
Total votes 16,919 100%
Republican hold

2000[edit]

North Carolina House of Representatives 31st district general election, 2000[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard Morgan (incumbent) 16,525 54.84%
Democratic Ellen Vann Crews 13,608 45.16%
Total votes 30,133 100%
Republican hold

References[edit]

  1. ^ North Carolina Legislative Manual-2001-2002
  2. ^ North Carolina Legislative Manual-2001-2002
  3. ^ Richard T. Morgan-obituary
  4. ^ Robertson, Gary D. (October 11, 2018). "Former North Carolina House co-speaker Morgan dies at age 66". cbs17.com. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  5. ^ Woolverton, Paul (October 11, 2018). "Richard Morgan, historic NC House co-speaker, dead at 66". Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  6. ^ Woolverton, Paul (October 11, 2018). "Richard Morgan, historic NC House co-speaker, dead at 66". Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  7. ^ Resolution - Moore County Republican Party, Moore County GOP, 2004-03-20
  8. ^ News article - Boylan Beats Morgan, Moore County GOP, 2006-05-26
  9. ^ State Board of Elections - Primary Election Results
  10. ^ [1]North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  11. ^ [2] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  12. ^ [3] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  13. ^ [4] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  14. ^ [5] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  15. ^ [6] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  16. ^ [7] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  17. ^ "NC State House 031". Our Campaigns. Retrieved July 15, 2022.

External links[edit]

North Carolina House of Representatives
Preceded by
James M. Craven
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from the 31st district

1991–2003
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from the 52nd district

2003–2007
Succeeded by
Joe Boylan
Political offices
Preceded by Co-Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives
2003–2005
Served alongside: Jim Black
Succeeded by
Preceded by Speaker pro tempore of the North Carolina House of Representatives
2005–2007
Succeeded by