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Created page with "{{Infobox officeholder |name= Dan Wesley "Blade" Morrish |office=Louisiana State Senator fo<br> District 25 (Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jefferson Davis parishes..."
{{Infobox officeholder
|name= Dan Wesley "Blade" Morrish
|office=[[Louisiana]] State Senator fo<br> District 25 (Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jefferson Davis parishes)
|term_start=January 14, 2008
|term_end=January 13, 2020
|preceded=Gerald Theunissen
|succeeded=Mark Abraham
|office2=Louisiana State Representative for<br> District 37 (Jefferson Davis and Calcasieu parishes)
|term_start2=1996
|term_end2=January 14, 2008
|preceded2=Gerald Theunissen
|succeeded2=John E. Guinn
|birth_date=October 20, 1950
|spouse=Kathleen Vidrine Morrish
|children= Erin Morrish Boudreaux<br>
Christopher J. Morrish
|party= [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]], 2005
|occupation=[[Business]]man
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|alma_mater=McNeese State University
|footnotes='''Notes''':<br>
(1) In his first elections to the Louisiana House of Representatives and then the state Senate, Morrish in both cases followed Gerald Theunissen, another [[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party|Republican]] from Jennings, Louisiana].
(2) Morrish was formerly considered a [[conservative]] in politics, ranked highly by both the Louisiana Family Forum and the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. However his open support for Democratic [[Governor]] [[John Bel Edwards]] in 2019 against the Republican [[Eddie Rispone]], however, has led many to believe that Morrish is a [[Moderate Republican]].
}}
'''Dan Wesley Morrish''', sometimes known as '''Blade Morrish''' (born October 20, 1950), is a [[business]]man who is the [[Republican Party|Republican]] departing state senator for District 25, anchored in Jennings in Jefferson Davis Parish in southwestern [[Louisiana]].
==Background==
Formerly the owner-operator of Capitol City Hardware & Implement Company in Jennings, Morris was thereafter the business manager of Lake Charles Pilots.<ref name=morrbio>{{cite web|url=http://senate.legis.state.la.us/Morrish/biography.asp|title="Senator Dan "Blade" Morrish, District 25"|publisher=senate.legis.state.la.us|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> He graduated in 1968 from Jennings High School. He then procured a Bachelor of Science degree in [[agriculture]] from McNeese State University in [[Lake Charles]]. Morrish is a past president of the Greater Jennings [[Chamber of Commerce]] and the Jennings Merchants Credit Bureau. He is active in Jennings Rotary International and a member of Our Lady of Help Christians [[Roman Catholic]] Church. Morrish is married to the former Kathleen Vidrine, originally from Lake Charles. The couple has two children, Erin Morrish Boudreaux and Christopher J. Morrish.<ref name=morrbio/>
==Political career==
Morrish won his Senate seat in the [[general election]] held on November 17, 2007, when he defeated the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Gil Pinac]] of Crowley in Acadia Parish, a departing state representative from a nearby district. In a low-turnout contest, Morrish polled 11,186 votes (53.9 percent) to Pinac's 9,556 (46.1 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 17, 2007.</ref> Shortly after his defeat by Morrish, Pinac switched to Republican affiliation and ran third in a [[special election]] held on April 4, 2009, for the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Former [[U.S. Representative]] Clyde Cecil Holloway (1943-2016) of Forest Hill in Rapides Parish won the PSC seat, after the second-place candidate, Democratic state Senator [[Joe McPherson]], also of Rapides Parish, withdrew.<ref>"Senator drops out of runoff for PSC," ''The New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' April 14, 2009, p. B2.</ref>
Prior to his state Senate service, Morrish was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 37 (Jefferson Davis and Calcasieu parishes) from 1996 to 2008. He won a special election in 1996 to succeed Gerald J. Theunissen, who resigned from the House upon election to the state Senate seat that Morrish won. Morrish was then unopposed as a Democrat for the House seat in the nonpartisan blanket primaries held in 1999 and 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020 (Jefferson Davis Parish)|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=October 14, 2019}}</ref> Morrish switched parties on November 18, 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=272551|title=Our Campaigns: Louisiana House race 2005, party switch|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=October 14, 2009}}</ref> Like Morrish, Theunissen, another Democrat-turned-Republican from Jennings, served first in the House and then the Senate. Theunissen, a banker, was term-limited and ineligible to seek a fourth Senate term in the 2007 primary. Meanwhile, Morrish was succeeded in the House by another Jennings Republican businessman, John E. Guinn, who ran unsuccessfully against [[Moderate Republican]] Mark Abraham for state senator in the primary held on October 12, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_Reps/members.asp?ID=37|title=Louisiana House of Representatives: John E. Guinn|publisher=louisiana.gov|accessdate=October 14, 2009}}</ref><ref name=ereturns>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 12, 2019.</ref>
Morrish served his last term in the House as a member of the House Appropriations Committee as the representative for the former 7th congressional district.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.legis.state.la.us/H_Misc/Press_Rel/PDF/MorrishElectedAppCmte.pdf|title=Morrish Elected to Appropriations Committee|publisher=house.legis.state.la.us|accessdate=October 14, 2009}}</ref> As s senator, Morrish served on the Legislative Rural Caucus and the Environmental Quality, Insurance, Coastal Restoration & Flood Control, and Revenue & Fiscal Affairs committees. He was vice-chairman of the Natural Resources Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senate.legis.state.la.us/Morrish/assignments.asp|title=Louisiana State Senate: Dan W. "Blade" Morrish|publisher=senate.legis.state.la.us|accessdate=October 14, 2009}}</ref>
He was considered a [[conservative]] in the legislature, having in 2008 supported the position of the Louisiana Family Forum 89 percent of the time. However, in 2009, Morrish voted with the Louisiana Restaurant Association and against the Family Forum's position<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/blogs/politicsblog/48787367.html|title=Chelsea's bill approved by the House|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate''|accessdate=October 19, 2009}}</ref> when he supported a measure sponsored by Democratic then Senator Lydia P. Jackson of [[Shreveport]] and signed by [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]], which allows [[restaurant]]s to assess cover charges for live entertainment and to serve [[alcoholic beverage]]s.<ref name=vsmart>{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/summary.php?can_id=15196|title=Project VoteSmart: Senator Dan W. 'Blade' Morrish|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=October 14, 2008}}</ref> Morrish similarly received an 86 percent rating from the [[interest group]], the [[Louisiana Association of Business and Industry]].<ref name=vsmart/>
As a Democrat, Morrish endorsed [[George W. Bush]] for [[U.S. President]] in 2000 and 2004. When Bush visited [[Lafayette]], Louisiana, in 2001, he singled out Morrish for his support: ". . . There is one other fellow, a man who stuck his neck out in the course of the campaign. You see, he doesn't happen to have the Republican label by his name. His name is Dan Morrish. He's a Democrat. He put party aside and did what he thought was right for the country. And Dan, I'm honored to have your support. I thank you for your friendship."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=45765|title=George W. Bush: Remarks in Lafayette, Louisiana|date=March 9, 2001|publisher=presidency.ucsb.edu|accessdate=October 14, 2009}}</ref>
Senate District 25 encompasses parts of six state House seats in the southwestern parishes of Jefferson Davis, Cameron, portions of Acadia, and the southeastern part of Calcasieu.<ref name=morrbio/> Morrish turns over the seat on January 13, 2020 to Mark Abraham, a departing state House member who won the position outright in the primary election held on October 12, 2019.<ref name=ereturns/>
Statewide [[radio]] talk show host [[Moon Griffon]], a conservative, is a long-term Morrish critic. Griffon predicted that Morrish will obtain a high-level appointed state position in 2020 if Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]] wins the runoff election on November 16, 2019, against the Republican [[Eddie Rispone]] of [[Baton Rouge]]. Morrish has cut a commercial backing Edwards. Griffon calls Morrish, "Switchblade" Morrish, a reference to perceived betrayal of conservative principles.<ref>''[[Moon Griffon|The Moon Griffon Show]],'' October 14, 2019.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morrish, Dan}}
[[Category:Louisiana People]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:State Senators]]
[[Category:Former Democrats]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Catholics]]
[[Category:Catholic Politicians]]
|name= Dan Wesley "Blade" Morrish
|office=[[Louisiana]] State Senator fo<br> District 25 (Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jefferson Davis parishes)
|term_start=January 14, 2008
|term_end=January 13, 2020
|preceded=Gerald Theunissen
|succeeded=Mark Abraham
|office2=Louisiana State Representative for<br> District 37 (Jefferson Davis and Calcasieu parishes)
|term_start2=1996
|term_end2=January 14, 2008
|preceded2=Gerald Theunissen
|succeeded2=John E. Guinn
|birth_date=October 20, 1950
|spouse=Kathleen Vidrine Morrish
|children= Erin Morrish Boudreaux<br>
Christopher J. Morrish
|party= [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]], 2005
|occupation=[[Business]]man
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|alma_mater=McNeese State University
|footnotes='''Notes''':<br>
(1) In his first elections to the Louisiana House of Representatives and then the state Senate, Morrish in both cases followed Gerald Theunissen, another [[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party|Republican]] from Jennings, Louisiana].
(2) Morrish was formerly considered a [[conservative]] in politics, ranked highly by both the Louisiana Family Forum and the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. However his open support for Democratic [[Governor]] [[John Bel Edwards]] in 2019 against the Republican [[Eddie Rispone]], however, has led many to believe that Morrish is a [[Moderate Republican]].
}}
'''Dan Wesley Morrish''', sometimes known as '''Blade Morrish''' (born October 20, 1950), is a [[business]]man who is the [[Republican Party|Republican]] departing state senator for District 25, anchored in Jennings in Jefferson Davis Parish in southwestern [[Louisiana]].
==Background==
Formerly the owner-operator of Capitol City Hardware & Implement Company in Jennings, Morris was thereafter the business manager of Lake Charles Pilots.<ref name=morrbio>{{cite web|url=http://senate.legis.state.la.us/Morrish/biography.asp|title="Senator Dan "Blade" Morrish, District 25"|publisher=senate.legis.state.la.us|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> He graduated in 1968 from Jennings High School. He then procured a Bachelor of Science degree in [[agriculture]] from McNeese State University in [[Lake Charles]]. Morrish is a past president of the Greater Jennings [[Chamber of Commerce]] and the Jennings Merchants Credit Bureau. He is active in Jennings Rotary International and a member of Our Lady of Help Christians [[Roman Catholic]] Church. Morrish is married to the former Kathleen Vidrine, originally from Lake Charles. The couple has two children, Erin Morrish Boudreaux and Christopher J. Morrish.<ref name=morrbio/>
==Political career==
Morrish won his Senate seat in the [[general election]] held on November 17, 2007, when he defeated the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Gil Pinac]] of Crowley in Acadia Parish, a departing state representative from a nearby district. In a low-turnout contest, Morrish polled 11,186 votes (53.9 percent) to Pinac's 9,556 (46.1 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 17, 2007.</ref> Shortly after his defeat by Morrish, Pinac switched to Republican affiliation and ran third in a [[special election]] held on April 4, 2009, for the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Former [[U.S. Representative]] Clyde Cecil Holloway (1943-2016) of Forest Hill in Rapides Parish won the PSC seat, after the second-place candidate, Democratic state Senator [[Joe McPherson]], also of Rapides Parish, withdrew.<ref>"Senator drops out of runoff for PSC," ''The New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' April 14, 2009, p. B2.</ref>
Prior to his state Senate service, Morrish was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 37 (Jefferson Davis and Calcasieu parishes) from 1996 to 2008. He won a special election in 1996 to succeed Gerald J. Theunissen, who resigned from the House upon election to the state Senate seat that Morrish won. Morrish was then unopposed as a Democrat for the House seat in the nonpartisan blanket primaries held in 1999 and 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020 (Jefferson Davis Parish)|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=October 14, 2019}}</ref> Morrish switched parties on November 18, 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=272551|title=Our Campaigns: Louisiana House race 2005, party switch|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=October 14, 2009}}</ref> Like Morrish, Theunissen, another Democrat-turned-Republican from Jennings, served first in the House and then the Senate. Theunissen, a banker, was term-limited and ineligible to seek a fourth Senate term in the 2007 primary. Meanwhile, Morrish was succeeded in the House by another Jennings Republican businessman, John E. Guinn, who ran unsuccessfully against [[Moderate Republican]] Mark Abraham for state senator in the primary held on October 12, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_Reps/members.asp?ID=37|title=Louisiana House of Representatives: John E. Guinn|publisher=louisiana.gov|accessdate=October 14, 2009}}</ref><ref name=ereturns>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 12, 2019.</ref>
Morrish served his last term in the House as a member of the House Appropriations Committee as the representative for the former 7th congressional district.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.legis.state.la.us/H_Misc/Press_Rel/PDF/MorrishElectedAppCmte.pdf|title=Morrish Elected to Appropriations Committee|publisher=house.legis.state.la.us|accessdate=October 14, 2009}}</ref> As s senator, Morrish served on the Legislative Rural Caucus and the Environmental Quality, Insurance, Coastal Restoration & Flood Control, and Revenue & Fiscal Affairs committees. He was vice-chairman of the Natural Resources Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senate.legis.state.la.us/Morrish/assignments.asp|title=Louisiana State Senate: Dan W. "Blade" Morrish|publisher=senate.legis.state.la.us|accessdate=October 14, 2009}}</ref>
He was considered a [[conservative]] in the legislature, having in 2008 supported the position of the Louisiana Family Forum 89 percent of the time. However, in 2009, Morrish voted with the Louisiana Restaurant Association and against the Family Forum's position<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/blogs/politicsblog/48787367.html|title=Chelsea's bill approved by the House|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate''|accessdate=October 19, 2009}}</ref> when he supported a measure sponsored by Democratic then Senator Lydia P. Jackson of [[Shreveport]] and signed by [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]], which allows [[restaurant]]s to assess cover charges for live entertainment and to serve [[alcoholic beverage]]s.<ref name=vsmart>{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/summary.php?can_id=15196|title=Project VoteSmart: Senator Dan W. 'Blade' Morrish|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=October 14, 2008}}</ref> Morrish similarly received an 86 percent rating from the [[interest group]], the [[Louisiana Association of Business and Industry]].<ref name=vsmart/>
As a Democrat, Morrish endorsed [[George W. Bush]] for [[U.S. President]] in 2000 and 2004. When Bush visited [[Lafayette]], Louisiana, in 2001, he singled out Morrish for his support: ". . . There is one other fellow, a man who stuck his neck out in the course of the campaign. You see, he doesn't happen to have the Republican label by his name. His name is Dan Morrish. He's a Democrat. He put party aside and did what he thought was right for the country. And Dan, I'm honored to have your support. I thank you for your friendship."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=45765|title=George W. Bush: Remarks in Lafayette, Louisiana|date=March 9, 2001|publisher=presidency.ucsb.edu|accessdate=October 14, 2009}}</ref>
Senate District 25 encompasses parts of six state House seats in the southwestern parishes of Jefferson Davis, Cameron, portions of Acadia, and the southeastern part of Calcasieu.<ref name=morrbio/> Morrish turns over the seat on January 13, 2020 to Mark Abraham, a departing state House member who won the position outright in the primary election held on October 12, 2019.<ref name=ereturns/>
Statewide [[radio]] talk show host [[Moon Griffon]], a conservative, is a long-term Morrish critic. Griffon predicted that Morrish will obtain a high-level appointed state position in 2020 if Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]] wins the runoff election on November 16, 2019, against the Republican [[Eddie Rispone]] of [[Baton Rouge]]. Morrish has cut a commercial backing Edwards. Griffon calls Morrish, "Switchblade" Morrish, a reference to perceived betrayal of conservative principles.<ref>''[[Moon Griffon|The Moon Griffon Show]],'' October 14, 2019.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morrish, Dan}}
[[Category:Louisiana People]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:State Senators]]
[[Category:Former Democrats]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Catholics]]
[[Category:Catholic Politicians]]