State Rep. Julia Howard of Davie County is one of five Republican members of the North Carolina House of Representatives who voted with all 60 Democrat members to elect Democrat Jim Black and Republican Richard Morgan “Co-Speakers” of the House.

The vote effectively placed the Democrats in control of the chamber. With the help of a handful of Republicans they passed a budget that raised taxes for the third year in a row.

It is unfortunate but true that the N.C. General Assembly is very partisan in nature. The Speaker of the House selects the Chairmen and members of the committees. Through control of the gavel and the committees, the Speaker and the senior members of his political party can usually block bills they oppose and pass legislation they support.

In the 2002 election, the voters elected 61 Republicans and 59 Democrats to the N.C. House. Mike Decker of Forsyth County, who had won election as a Republican, switched his affiliation to Democrat, creating a 60/60 tie.

Jim Black and Richard Morgan cut a deal that broke the deadlock. They were nominated as “Co-Speakers”, and elected with the votes of 60 Democrats and five Republicans, including Julia Howard.

Black was clearly the senior member of the alliance. Democrats were given sole control of most committees, including the powerful Rules Committee, which assigns bills and decides which bills will be considered on any given day.

As part of the deal, Morgan was given a hand in the drawing of the new legislative districts that had to be adopted for the 2004 election. He openly boasted that he planned to use this power to retaliate against Republican House members who had opposed him.

An article in the July 20, 2003, Raleigh News & Observer reported: “Morgan is candid that he also plans to punish some old enemies….Daughtry is at the top of Morgan’s hit list, along with Sam Ellis of Raleigh and Frank Mitchell of Iredell Co.” The article quoted Morgan: “To me, loyalty is more important than competence even. They’re either your friends or they’re not.”

The redistricting plan that Morgan helped craft gave the Democrats a majority in the state House. Mitchell’s district was split into parts of four other districts. Julia Howard was given a district that lay mostly within her home county.