Candidate for NC governor, Democrat Mike Morgan, answers our questions
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Name:Michael R. (Mike) Morgan
Political party: Democrat
Age as of March 5, 2024: 68
Campaign website: www.morganforgovernor.com
Current occupation: Associate Justice, Supreme Court of North Carolina (retired)
Professional experience: 1979-1980, Research Assistant, Attorney General’s Office; 1980-1989, Staff Attorney, Attorney General’s Office; 1989-1994, Administrative Law Judge, North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings; 1994-2004, District Court Judge, Wake County; 2004-2016, Resident Superior Court Judge, Wake County; 2016-2023, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of North Carolina.
Education: Graduate of the New Bern, NC, public school system; Bachelor of Arts degree, Duke University; Juris Doctor degree with honors, North Carolina Central University School of Law
What offices have you run for or held before? Have you had any other notable government or civic involvement? District Court Judge, Superior Court Judge, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina. Life member of the NAACP, Life member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., member, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
What do you think is the biggest issue in North Carolina that you would be able to shape if elected?
Education. As a member of the Supreme Court of North Carolina who twice participated in the landmark Leandro decisions, my intimate familiarity with the case’s constitutional requirement of the opportunity for a sound, basic education for all North Carolina public school students would afford me the ability to utilize my judicial awareness of Leandro to work, as governor, with the legislature to satisfy the case’s mandates, thus uniquely invoking all three branches of our state government.
What do you think is or is not working well under the current governor? If not, how would you change it?
An ability to work effectively with the legislature. The current governor does not astutely engage with legislative leaders. I would utilize my abilities as governor to establish collegial and respectful relationships with all legislators, just as I did with all of my judicial colleagues on the Supreme Court of North Carolina, and thereby better enable the prospect of mutually beneficial outcomes from North Carolina government.
What should be done to address staff vacancies in state government?
Conduct a comprehensive audit to evaluate the need to fill these vacancies and, where appropriate, allow unnecessary positions which are vacant to lapse. Thereafter, aggressively and adeptly recruit attractive candidates for state government employment to fill the remaining vacancies through initial and periodic incentives, both financial and non-financial.
In what areas, if any, do you believe state government is wasting taxpayer money?
The legislature’s recent creation of 10 special superior court judgeships so that the legislature could grant itself the novel authority to appoint new judges to be positioned to review legislative actions, when there is already a capable and ample number of judges, wastes taxpayer money in the numerous areas which are adversely impacted through this upheaval of the separation of powers in state government.
What would you do to strengthen public schools?
I would eliminate the allowance of public school funds to be transferred to private schools via vouchers upon the transfer of public school students to private schools. I would also raise the salaries of public school teachers and administrators to levels consistent with the national average, while offering financial and non-financial incentives to retain valued educators.
The governor of North Carolina will be charged with bringing new business and jobs to the state. How would you pitch North Carolina to them?
North Carolina is a state which is rich with a capable and dedicated workforce, a rapidly modernizing and extensive transportation infrastructure, the best conglomeration of institutions of higher learning, nationally recognized schools, world-renowned hospitals and medical providers, a wonderful climate, breathtaking scenery, hospitable folks, and a valued quality of life in which all families and citizens can thrive.
Would you sign a bill allowing additional casinos and legalizing video gambling machines, and why or why not?
No. These proposals are not advantageous, sustainable economic development mechanisms by which to uplift our state’s communities, especially in rural North Carolina where these structures and devices are proposed for the expansion of gambling. Our rural communities deserve economic development plans designed to propel meaningful opportunities for growth and prosperity through desirable industries, businesses, and high-paying jobs
