Unanimous and Unapologetic: NCGOP 8th & 6th Districts Leadership Back Cabarrus Censure of Steve Morris

The Executive Committee of the NCGOP 8th District unanimously passed a resolution of support for the Cabarrus County Republican Party's Censure of former Cabarrus County Commission Board Chair Steve Morris and John Sweat at their October Executive Committee meeting held on October 4, 2025. The 8th Congressional District of North Carolina is composed of the nine counties (Union, Anson, Stanly, Montgomery, Richmond, Scotland, and parts of Mecklenburg, Cabarrus and Robeson). Party Officers and elected at-large members represent all nine of the counties in the district. 

On September 19, 2024, Attorney General Josh Stein launched a Republicans for Stein group of former and current Republican elected officials and voters who were endorsing Josh Stein for Governor.  Listed on the Republicans for Josh Stein's Republicans for Josh Stein Website were Commissioner Steve Morris and Concord Mayor Bill Dusch. Commissioner Steve Morris also donated $250.00 toward the Josh Stein for NC campaign on August 4th.  Morris and Sweat also donated to the campaign of the Democratic nominee, Diamond Staton-Williams in her race against Jonathan Almond for NC House District 73. Morris was also a guest speaker at the Cabarrus County Senior Democrats meeting.  Since the 8th District censure vote, Mr. Morris was also a speaker at the Indivisible Cabarrus organizing meeting at Cabarrus Brewing Company for the second No Kings rally against President Donald J. Trump.  

In a campaign video, Steve Morris calls the censure "a gift," but the Republican Party rules are clear: "No Republican should be actively supporting a candidate of another Party or an independent candidate running in opposition to a candidate of the Republican Party or a Republican endorsed by the appropriate Executive Committee in a non-partisan election" found in Article Ix.6.c of the Party's Organizational Plan.

Members of the Republican Party stand in unity under the formal document, known as the Party Platform. It outlines a political party’s core beliefs, policy positions, and legislative goals. It serves as a blueprint for what the party and its candidates intend to do if elected. Contained in the document are values of the Sanctity of Life, the support of traditional marriage, and limited government. Mr. Morris's campaign video, posted on Facebook on September 5, 2025, said, "I won't be told who to support or what to believe in." Commissioner Morris clearly sounds like an unaffiliated voter, not a Republican who stands with President Trump and the values found in our Republican Party Platform and Republican Plan of Organization, but nevertheless, the NCGOP 8th District resolved its support for the Cabarrus County Executive Committee's Censure of Republican Steve Morris and Republican John Sweat on October 4, 2025.  

The NCGOP North Carolina Republican 6th District Chairman Christopher Jessup and First Vice-Chair Terry Price issued a statement of support on October 29th. They said, "It is unconscionable that Steve Morris, an elected official and member of the Republican Party, would openly endorse Democratic candidates, financially support Democratic candidates, and attend rallies that are opposed to the values that we as Republicans claim to hold. These actions do not reflect the values of the Republicans who, in good faith, elected him as Commissioner of Cabarrus County. For these reasons, we offer our complete support to the censure passed by the Cabarrus County Republican Party against Mr. Morris and will bring the matter before the 6th Congressional District Executive Committee at our next meeting for their consideration."

The Censure Reads: