GOP sets sights on one of its own (moving to purge moderates)

[Thom Little]

Republican Party officials say they will cast aside a tradition of not picking favorites in primaries and use their influence to try to beat state Rep. Richard Morgan, R-Moore.

Morgan is a target of the party leadership because he has participated in power-sharing with Democrats in the state House. Many GOP members have criticized Morgan for striking deals that made him co-speaker in 2003 and speaker pro tempore in 2005.

Over the weekend, the state Republican Party's Executive Committee approved a resolution urging voters in Moore's district to pick someone other than Morgan in next May's primary. The resolution also gives state GOP chairman Ferrell Blount the authority to lend "aid and support" to Morgan's primary opponents.

"It is a very unusual step," said Bill Peaslee, the state party's chief of staff. "The party really doesn't want to involve itself in primaries. But in this instance, the executive committee felt the threat was so great, it felt compelled to act."

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/13238751.htm

[laureloak]

1. I never would have called Morgan a moderate. It should get

interesting though. Morgan has some deep Pinehurst pockets behind him and the Moore County Republicans aren't taking too well to the thought of the State Republican leaders interfering.