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|succeeded2=[[Michael Echols]]}}

|succeeded2=[[Michael Echols]]}}

'''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>.

'''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>