Kiah Morris
Kiah Morris | |
---|---|
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from the Bennington 2-2 district | |
In office January 7, 2015 – September 25, 2018 | |
Preceded by | Anne Lamy Mook |
Succeeded by | TBD |
Personal details | |
Born | Ruqaiyah Khadijah Morris March 14, 1976 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | James Lawton |
Residence | Bennington, Vermont |
Alma mater | University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (BA) |
Ruqaiyah Khadijah "Kiah" Morris (born March 14, 1976) is an American politician who formerly served as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, she was first elected in 2014 alongside longtime Republican representative Mary A. Morrissey.[1] The two were reelected in 2016 after running unopposed.[2] The only African American woman in the state legislature, Morris announced in August 2018 that she would not seek reelection to a third term following a campaign of racist threats against her and her family.[3] She resigned the following month, citing as a factor the desire to focus on her husband's recovery from open-heart surgery.[4][5]
Electoral history
Date | Election | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vermont House of Representatives, Bennington 2-2 district | |||||
Nov 4, 2014[6] | General | Mary A. Morrissey | Republican | 1,241 | 42.49 |
Kiah Morris | Democratic | 873 | 29.89 | ||
Joann Erenhouse | Democratic | 797 | 27.29 | ||
Write-Ins | 10 | 0.33 | |||
Anne Lamy Mook did not seek reelection; seat stayed Democratic | |||||
Nov 8, 2016[7] | General | Mary A. Morrissey | Republican | 2,143 | 54.61 |
Kiah Morris | Democratic | 1,757 | 44.78 | ||
Write-Ins | 24 | 0.61 |
References
- ^ Whitcomb, Keith (November 5, 2014). "Kiah Morris, Mary Morrissey win Bennington State House 2-2". Bennington Banner. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- ^ Therrien, Jim (November 10, 2016). "Keefe edges out incumbent Berry in Bennington-4 House race; Browning re-elected". VTDigger. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- ^ Lindholm, Jane; Rosen, Sam Gale (August 30, 2018). "Rep. Kiah Morris Details 'Pervasive' Threats, Decision To Withdraw From Election". Vermont Public Radio. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- ^ "Black Vermont lawmaker Kiah Morris resigns following threats". CBS News. September 26, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- ^ Stack, Liam (September 26, 2018). "Black Female Lawmaker in Vermont Resigns After Racial Harassment". The New York Times. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- ^ "VT Elections Database – 2014 State Representative General Election – Bennington 2-2 District". Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- ^ "VT Elections Database – 2016 State Representative General Election – Bennington 2-2 District". Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
External links
Categories:
- Living people
- 1976 births
- People from Bennington, Vermont
- Politicians from Chicago
- Members of the Vermont House of Representatives
- University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign alumni
- Vermont Democrats
- African-American state legislators in Vermont
- Women state legislators in Vermont
- 21st-century American politicians
- 21st-century women politicians
- Vermont politician stubs