Changes

|succeeded2=Cleo Fields}}

|succeeded2=Cleo Fields}}

'''John Clyde "Jay" Morris, III''' (born May 24, 1958), is a [[business]]man and [[attorney]] from [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], [[Louisiana]], who is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] incoming member of the state Senate for District 35, which encompasses the parishes of Grant, Jackson, Lincoln, Ouachita, Rapides, and Winn. Morris unseated Republican state Senator [[James R. Fannin]] by 334 votes in a runoff election held on November 16, 2019. Morris trailed during most of the tabulation of the votes but finished with 17,377 votes (50 percent) to Fannin's 17,043 (also 50 percent). Morris trailed during most of the tabulation of the ballots but finished with 17,377 votes (50 percent) to Fannin's 17,043 (also 50 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 16, 2019.</ref>.

'''John Clyde "Jay" Morris, III''' (born May 24, 1958), is a [[business]]man and [[attorney]] from [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], [[Louisiana]], who is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] incoming member of the state Senate for District 35, which encompasses the parishes of Grant, Jackson, Lincoln, Ouachita, Rapides, and Winn. Morris unseated Republican state Senator [[James R. Fannin]] by 274 votes in a runoff election held on November 16, 2019. Morris trailed during most of the tabulation of the votes but finished with 17,377 votes (50 percent) to Fannin's 17,043 (also 50 percent). Morris trailed during most of the tabulation of the ballots but finished with 17,377 votes (50 percent) to Fannin's 17,043 (also 50 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 16, 2019.</ref>.

Morris is a departing state representative for District 14 in Morehouse and Ouachita parishes. He won the representative's position in a runoff contest held on November 19, 2011, when he unseated fellow Republican [[Sam Little]], a  retired farmer, originally from Bastrop in Morehouse Parish. In that race, Morris polled 5,005 votes (59.1 percent) to Little's 3,463 ballots (40.9 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11192011/11192011_Legislative.html|title=Louisiana general election returns, November 19, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=May 17, 2012}}</ref> In the campaign for the heavily [[redistricting|redistricted]] seat, Little and Morris accused each other of engaging in negative campaigning. A graduate of [[Louisiana State University]] and the LSU Law Center, both in [[Baton Rouge]],<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/134583/john-morris-iii|title=Rep. John Morris, III|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=May 17, 2012}}</ref> Morris is employed in the mortgage service industry.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/DI/20111116/NEWS01/111116024/|title="Morris, Little go negative in District 14 race"|publisher=''Alexandria Daily Town |date=November 16, 2011|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|accessdate=November 20, 2011}}</ref>

Morris is a departing state representative for District 14 in Morehouse and Ouachita parishes. He won the representative's position in a runoff contest held on November 19, 2011, when he unseated fellow Republican [[Sam Little]], a  retired farmer, originally from Bastrop in Morehouse Parish. In that race, Morris polled 5,005 votes (59.1 percent) to Little's 3,463 ballots (40.9 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11192011/11192011_Legislative.html|title=Louisiana general election returns, November 19, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=May 17, 2012}}</ref> In the campaign for the heavily [[redistricting|redistricted]] seat, Little and Morris accused each other of engaging in negative campaigning. A graduate of [[Louisiana State University]] and the LSU Law Center, both in [[Baton Rouge]],<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/134583/john-morris-iii|title=Rep. John Morris, III|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=May 17, 2012}}</ref> Morris is employed in the mortgage service industry.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/DI/20111116/NEWS01/111116024/|title="Morris, Little go negative in District 14 race"|publisher=''Alexandria Daily Town |date=November 16, 2011|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|accessdate=November 20, 2011}}</ref>

Morris led the three-candidate field in the primary held on October 22, with 5,078 votes (42.6 percent). Little trailed with 4,384 ballots (36.7 percent). A third Republican, Michael Echols, held the remaining but critical 2,471 votes (20.7 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10222011/10222011_Legislative.html|title=Louisiana primary election returns, October 22, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=May 17, 2012}}</ref>

Morris led the three-candidate field in the primary held on October 22, with 5,078 votes (42.6 percent). Little trailed with 4,384 ballots (36.7 percent). A third Republican, Michael Echols, held the remaining but critical 2,471 votes (20.7 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10222011/10222011_Legislative.html|title=Louisiana primary election returns, October 22, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=May 17, 2012}}</ref>

   

   

Morris, a native of [[Arkansas]], was reared in Smackover. Prior to residing in Monroe, Morris lived in St. Joseph in Tensas Parish, Rayville in Richland Parish, and [[New Orleans]].<ref>{{cite web|url=

Morris, a native of [[Arkansas]], was reared in Smackover. Prior to residing in Monroe, Morris lived in St. Joseph in Tensas Parish, Rayville in Richland Parish, and [[New Orleans]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ussearch.com/consumer/people-search/names/la+monroe/john/morris.html|title=US Search|publisher=ussearch.com|accessdate=May 17, 2012}}</ref>

http://www.ussearch.com/consumer/people-search/names/la+monroe/john/morris.html|title=US Search|publisher=ussearch.com|accessdate=May 17, 2012}}</ref>

In October 2018, Morris endorsed U.S. Senator [[John Neely Kennedy]] for [[governor]] in the 2019 nonpartisan blanket primary election against the Democrat incumbent, [[John Bel Edwards]]. Kennedy, however, did not enter the governor's race. Morris said that he personally likes Edwards but considered Kennedy likely to "bring constructive conservative leadership" to a state that has been hurting economically.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/10/30/rep-jay-morris-la-needs-john-kennedy-governor/1818314002/|title=Rep. Jay Morris: Louisiana needs John Kennedy as governor|date=October 30, 2018|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|accessdate=October 31, 2018}}</ref>

In October 2018, Morris endorsed U.S. Senator [[John Neely Kennedy]] for [[governor]] in the 2019 nonpartisan blanket primary election against the Democrat incumbent, [[John Bel Edwards]]. Kennedy, however, did not enter the governor's race. Morris said that he personally likes Edwards but considered Kennedy likely to "bring constructive conservative leadership" to a state that has been hurting economically.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/10/30/rep-jay-morris-la-needs-john-kennedy-governor/1818314002/|title=Rep. Jay Morris: Louisiana needs John Kennedy as governor|date=October 30, 2018|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|accessdate=October 31, 2018}}</ref>

Morris did not seek a third term in the House. Instead he is challenging Democrat-turned-Republican [[James R. Fannin|James R. "Jim" Fannin]] of Jonesboro in the nonpartisan blanket primary on October 12, 2019, for the 35th District state Senate seat. Fannin led in the primary with 12,559 votes (39 percent). Morris received 11,782 votes (36 percent). Matt Parker, a Republican from Calhoun, finished with a significant 8,154 votes (25 percent). Fannin and Morris meet in the runoff contest on November 16, 2019.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 12, 2019.</ref>

Morris did not seek a third term in the House. Instead he challenged Democrat-turned-Republican [[James R. Fannin|James R. "Jim" Fannin]] of Jonesboro in the nonpartisan blanket primary on October 12, 2019, for the 35th District state Senate seat. Fannin led in the primary with 12,559 votes (39 percent). Morris received 11,782 votes (36 percent). Matt Parker, a Republican from Calhoun, finished with a significant 8,154 votes (25 percent). Fannin and Morris then met in the runoff contest on November 16, 2019.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 12, 2019.</ref>

   

   

==References==

==References==