Name Richard Morgan | ||
Richard Timothy Morgan (born July 12, 1952) was a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's fifty-second House district, including constituents in Moore County, for eight terms. Morgan is an insurance broker and cattle farmer from Pinehurst, North Carolina.
In 2003, the House found itself evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. Morgan 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. 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's actions gave him and Speaker Black control of redistricting in 2003, and allowed him to make some appointments to important committees. As Republican Leader, Morgan had also essentially run a statewide campaign leading to the election of five new Republicans and one loss for a net gain of five to help Republicans reach a majority. The state was said to have run more smoothly and more efficiently with the new leadership.
Rep. Morgan was removed from the North Carolina Republican Party's Executive Committee in May 2004 for "party disloyalty." In the 2006 election he was defeated by a Republican opponent in the primary.
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.