Outgoing North Carolina Supreme Court Judge Mike Morgan (left)
Retiring Democratic Justice Mike Morgan said Thursday that he would resign in the first week of September rather than serve out the remaining 16 months of his term on North Carolina's Supreme Court, a development that could give his party a better chance to defend this crucial seat next year. We may see Morgan's name on the 2024 ballot anyway, though, as his announcement came two months after he unexpectedly expressed interest in running for governor.
First, though, it's up to the state's current chief executive, termed-limited Democrat Roy Cooper, to appoint a new justice to succeed Morgan on the seven-member body. Cooper's choice does not need to be confirmed by the GOP-dominated legislature, and they'll be able to run for a full eight-year term as an incumbent.
The News & Observer's Lars Dolder mentions four state Court of Appeals judges―John Arrowood, Allegra Collins, Toby Hampson, and Allison Riggs―as possible picks. Dolder also speculates that former Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, who lost reelection to the court by just 401 votes in 2020 and was the party's unsuccessful 2022 nominee for U.S. Senate against Republican Ted Budd, could also be considered.
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