{{Short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Eric Morrison | honorific_suffix = | image = | state_house = Delaware | district = 27th | term_start = November 4, 2020 | term_end = | predecessor = Earl Jaques Jr. | successor = | birth_date = | birth_place = Salisbury, Maryland, U.S. | party = Democratic | other_party = Democratic Socialists of America, Working Families Party | occupation = | spouse = | website = | education = University of Delaware (BA) }} '''Eric Morrison''' is an American politician serving as a member of the Delaware House of Representatives from the 27th district.<ref name=results>Jacob Took, [https://www.newarkpostonline.com/news/newcomer-morrison-elected-to-state-house-in-district-27/article_407987ef-109c-5f59-aaef-f3b7de8000f8.html "Newcomer Morrison elected to state house in District 27"]. ''Newark Post'', November 3, 2020.</ref> He assumed office in November 2020.<ref name=results/>
A member of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, Morrison defeated conservative Democrat Earl Jaques Jr. in the 2020 primary by a 61%-39% margin.
== Early life and education == Morrison was born in Salisbury, Maryland and raised in Bridgeville, Delaware.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Eric Morrison (Delaware)|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Eric_Morrison_(Delaware)|access-date=2021-02-16|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}}</ref> He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in history from the University of Delaware in 1996.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Representative Eric Morrison (D) - Delaware General Assembly|url=https://legis.delaware.gov/AssemblyMember/151/Morrison|access-date=2021-02-16|website=legis.delaware.gov}}</ref>
== Career == After graduating from college, Morrison worked as a teacher. He later became a human resources director.<ref name=":0" />
Morrison won the Democratic primary for the 27th district of Delaware House of Representatives against incumbent Earl Jaques Jr., a Democrat who had voted against gay marriage and abstained on banning conversion therapy for minors in Delaware.<ref>Lou Chibbaro Jr., [https://www.washingtonblade.com/2020/09/16/gay-man-wins-primary-for-delaware-state-house-seat/ "Gay man wins primary for Delaware State House seat"]. ''Washington Blade'', September 16, 2020.</ref> During the primary process, Jaques had attacked Morrison for performing in drag at a campaign fundraiser and said that Morrison being gay was "so far off-base for our district, it’s unbelievable." Jaques was forced to apologize to Morrison after his comments were criticized by Democratic leadership.<ref name="advocate">Trudy Ring, [https://www.advocate.com/politics/2020/9/17/dragged-drag-gay-candidate-wins-del-along-queer-woman "Dragged for Drag, Gay Candidate Wins in Del., Along With Queer Woman"]. ''The Advocate'', September 17, 2020.</ref> Morrison was listed among a "slate of insurgents" aligned with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party challenging moderate incumbents in Delaware.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Grim|first1=Ryan|last2=Higgins|first2=Eoin|date=September 15, 2020|title=A Slate of Insurgents Is Taking on the "Delaware Way"|url=https://theintercept.com/2020/09/14/delaware-primary-chris-coons-jess-scarane/|access-date=2021-07-09|website=The Intercept|language=en}}</ref>
== Personal life == Morrison is the first openly gay man elected to serve in Delaware General Assembly, after Senator Karen E. Peterson came out in 2013 while in office.<ref name="advocate" /> He was one of three LGBT candidates to be elected to the Delaware General Assembly in 2020, alongside Marie Pinkney and Sarah McBride.<ref>Zoë Read, [https://whyy.org/articles/del-gen-assembly-gains-largest-lgbtq-rep-in-hist/ "Delaware General Assembly gains largest LGBTQ representation in history"]. WHYY-TV, November 4, 2020.</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Delaware House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morrison, Eric}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:American gay politicians Category:LGBTQ state legislators in Delaware Category:Democratic Party members of the Delaware House of Representatives Category:Living people Category:Members of the Democratic Socialists of America Category:University of Delaware alumni Category:21st-century members of the Delaware General Assembly
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