Tom Murry
{{short description|American politician from North Carolina}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| image = NCATomMurry.png
| name = Tom Murry
| image name =
| office = Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals
| term_start = January 1, 2025
| term_end =
| predecessor = Carolyn Thompson
| state_house1 = North Carolina
| state1 = North Carolina
| district1 = 41st
| term_start1 = January 1, 2011
| term_end1 = January 1, 2015
| predecessor1 = Chris Heagarty
| successor1 = Gale Adcock
| office2 = Member of the Morrisville Town Council
from the At-Large district
| term_start2 = December 5, 2005
| term_end2 = January 1, 2011
| predecessor2 = Jan Faulkner
| successor2 = Steve Rao
| party = Republican
| birth_name = Thomas Otis Murry
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|05|08}}
| birth_place = Pine Bluff, Arkansas
| spouse = Tamara
| children = 3
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = University of Arkansas (PharmD)
Campbell University (JD)
| residence = Cary, North Carolina
| profession = Judge, Attorney, Pharmacist{{cite web|author=Sarah Ovaska |url=http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/2011/02/02/the-new-crop-rep-tom-murry | title=The New Crop – Rep. Tom Murry |publisher=NC Policy Watch |date= 2 February 2011|accessdate=2012-01-06}}
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = 20px Army National Guard
| serviceyears = 2014–present
| unit = 16px 60thTroop Command
}}
Thomas Otis Murry (born May 8, 1977) is an American jurist, pharmacist and Army National Guard Judge Advocate General who serves as a member of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Murry formerly served as a member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 41st House district in western Wake County between 2011 and 2015.
Early life and education
Murry was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He earned a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Arkansas and Juris Doctor from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University.{{Cite web|title=Thomas Murry|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Thomas_Murry|access-date=2020-06-18|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}}
Career
=Local Government=
Murry served as an at-large member of the Morrisville Town Council for five years after winning elections in 2005 and 2009. Murry resigned his council seat to be sworn-in as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives.{{cite web|last=Cooke |first=Jordan |url=http://www.carynews.com/2011/01/08/25724/questions-loom-about-morrisville.html |title=Questions loom about Morrisville council seat |publisher=Cary News |date=2011-01-08 |accessdate=2012-01-06}}
=Legislative=
In May 2010, Murry defeated Todd Batchelor in the Republican primary before facing Democrat Chris Heagarty for in the November general election. Heagarty had been appointed to the seat just months earlier by Gov. Bev Perdue to fill the remainder of the scandal-plagued{{cite web|url=https://abc11.com/archive/6905471/ |title=Local Democrat facing accusations - In court documents recently filed by Ty Harrell's wife, Melanie Dupon, she said Harrell was "engaging in an adulterous affair with his mistress with whom he is still involved." | abc11.com |publisher=Abclocal.go.com |date=2009-07-09 |access-date=2012-01-06}} term of Democratic Rep. Ty Harrell, who had recently resigned.{{cite web|last=Johnson |first=Mark |url=http://www.newsobserver.com/2009/10/17/146078/heagarty-will-replace-harrell.html#storylink=misearch |title=Heagarty will replace Harrell in state House - Local |publisher=NewsObserver.com |date=2009-10-17 |accessdate=2012-01-06}} Murry defeated Heagarty by a 54% to 46% margin.{{cite web|url=http://www.carolinajournal.com/articles/display_story.html?id=7047 |title=GOP Makes History by Securing Control of N.C. House, Senate |publisher=Carolinajournal.com |date=2010-11-03 |accessdate=2012-01-06}}
Murry did not face a primary opponent in 2012. Murry defeated his November 2012 general election opponent, Jim Messina, by a 52-48 percent margin.{{cite web |url=http://www.ncsbe.gov/content.aspx?id=69 |title=North Carolina State Board of Elections |accessdate=20 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107181720/http://www.ncsbe.gov/content.aspx?id=69 |archivedate=7 November 2012 }}
In his first term as Representative of the 41st district, Murry was the primary sponsor of numerous bills involving medical or health care issues in North Carolina, including a GOP-led measure that sought to exempt North Carolina from the federal Affordable Care Act.{{cite web|author=NC General Assembly webmasters |url=http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/reports/introducedBills.pl?nUserID=625&Chamber=H |title=North Carolina General Assembly - Bills Introduced by Tom Murry (2011-2012 Session) |publisher=Ncga.state.nc.us |date= |accessdate=2012-01-06}}{{cite web|url=http://lincolntribune.com/?p=4911 |title=Bill Exempting North Carolinians from Health Insurance Mandate Passes House |publisher=The Lincoln Tribune |date=2011-02-05 |accessdate=2012-01-06}}
Murry was the primary sponsor of voter ID [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/is-north-carolina-s-voter-id-law-common-sense-policy legislation] and a regulatory reform [https://www.johnlocke.org/a-regulatory-reform-thats-working-sunset-provisions-with-periodic-review/ bill] that eliminated over 1400 regulations.
The North Carolina Free Enterprise Foundation (NCFEF) called Murry the most pro-business freshman legislator in the NC State House in 2010.{{cite web|author=Latest Stories |url=http://carycitizen.com/2011/11/02/rep-tom-murry-ranked-top-of-freshman-class-by-nc-free-enterprise-foundation/ |title=Rep. Tom Murry Ranked Top of Freshman Class by NC Free Enterprise Foundation |publisher=CaryCitizen |date=2011-11-08 |accessdate=2012-01-06}}
Murry was ranked as the "Most Effective Freshman" in the North Carolina State House for the 2011-12 legislative session by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research (NCCPPR).{{cite news|last=Kulba|first=Leslee|title=Murry and Messina Face Off In Indy-Minded House District 41|url=http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=9595|publisher=Carolina Journal |date=18 October 2012|accessdate=20 November 2012}}
Murry was ranked as the 10th most effective member of the North Carolina State House for the 2013-14 legislative session by NCCPPR. [https://nccppr.org/rankings-of-effectiveness-attendance-and-roll-call-voting-participation-for-the-2013-north-carolina-general-assembly/]
=Judicial=
Following the 2014 General Election, Murry became the Chief Legal Counsel to North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Martin in the administrative office of the NC Judicial Branch assisting the judiciary with legislative activities and strategic initiatives.{{cite news|last=Campbell|first=Colin|title=Former Rep. Tom Murry lands legal counsel job at NC Administrative Office of the Courts|url=http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/under-the-dome/article10237541.html|newspaper=Raleigh News & Observer|date=30 January 2015}}
After leaving the NC Judicial Branch, Murry served as Chief of Client Services at the North Carolina Army National Guard at Joint Forces Headquarters. In this capacity, Captain Murry provided legal services to Soldiers, their families and military retirees ranging from estate planning, family law, consumer protection issues, and tax law. [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b0wJg1_asoI] Murry is currently a Major at 60th Troop Command based in Raleigh, NC.
Murry served as an assistant district attorney (prosecutor) in the Eleventh Prosecutorial District, comprising Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance, and Warren Counties from 2020-2023.
In 2023, Murry announced his campaign for NC Attorney General, before switching his candidacy to oppose then-NC Appellate Court Judge Carolyn Thompson. Thompson, a Democrat who was appointed in September 2023 to the NC Court of Appeals by then-Gov. Roy Cooper, lost to Murry in the November 2024 General Election, 51% to 49%.
Electoral history
=2024=
{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina Court of Appeals (Seat 12) election, 2024[https://er.ncsbe.gov/index.html?election_dt=11/05/2024&county_id=0&office=JUD&contest=1010] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Tom Murry
| votes = 2,809,458
| percentage = 50.89%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Carolyn Thompson (incumbent)
| votes = 2,710,863
| percentage = 49.11%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 5,520,321
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
| winner = Republican Party (United States)
| loser = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
=2014=
{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 41st district general election, 2014https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/04/2014&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=1205 North Carolina State Board of Elections.
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Gale Adcock
| votes = 15,160
| percentage = 51.32%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Tom Murry (incumbent)
| votes = 14,383
| percentage = 48.68%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 29,543
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
| loser = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
=2012=
{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 41st district general election, 2012[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/06/2012&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=1224] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Tom Murry (incumbent)
| votes = 21,639
| percentage = 51.78%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Jim Messina
| votes = 20,150
| percentage = 48.22%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 41,789
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
=2010=
{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 41st district Republican primary election, 2010[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=05/04/2010&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=1042] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Tom Murry
| votes = 2,070
| percentage = 49.72%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Todd A. Batchelor
| votes = 1,941
| percentage = 46.63%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = David Sloane
| votes = 152
| percentage = 3.65%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 4,163
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 41st district general election, 2010[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/02/2010&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=1220] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Tom Murry
| votes = 19,736
| percentage = 53.65%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Chris Heagarty (incumbent)
| votes = 17,052
| percentage = 46.35%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 36,788
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
| winner = Republican Party (United States)
| loser = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
=2009=
{{Election box begin no change|title=Morrisville Town Council At-Large election, 2009[https://er.ncsbe.gov/index.html?election_dt=11/03/2009&county_id=92&office=LOC&contest=734] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
}}
{{Election box winning candidate no change
| party = Nonpartisan
| candidate = Tom Murry (incumbent)
| votes = 868
| percentage = 76.75%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Nonpartisan
| candidate = Michael Roberts
| votes = 173
| percentage = 15.30%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Nonpartisan
| candidate = Lydia Martin
| votes = 84
| percentage = 7.43%
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 6
| percentage = 0.53%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 1,131
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box end}}
=2005=
{{Election box begin no change|title=Morrisville Town Council At-Large election, 2005{{cite web|url=https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/board-elections/data-reports/past-election-results|title=11/08/2005 - Municipal Elections and Board of Education Runoff|publisher=Wake County Board of Elections|accessdate=May 7, 2025}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate no change
| party = Nonpartisan
| candidate = Tom Murry
| votes = 247
| percentage = 31.59%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Nonpartisan
| candidate = Ward Mercer
| votes = 153
| percentage = 19.57%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Nonpartisan
| candidate = Michael Roberts
| votes = 142
| percentage = 18.16%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Nonpartisan
| candidate = Richard Elliott
| votes = 139
| percentage = 17.77%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Nonpartisan
| candidate = Sam Gabr
| votes = 49
| percentage = 6.27%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Nonpartisan
| candidate = Paul Harris
| votes = 44
| percentage = 5.63%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Nonpartisan
| candidate = Ken Sack
| votes = 6
| percentage = 0.77%
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 2
| percentage = 0.26%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 782
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{URL|1=http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=H&nUserID=625 |2=North Carolina General Assembly profile}}
- {{URL|1=http://www.votesmart.org/candidate/117813/thomas-murry|2=Project Vote Smart profile}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-nc-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=Chris Heagarty}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from the 41st district|years=2011–2015}}
{{s-aft|after=Gale Adcock}}
|-
{{s-legal}}
{{s-bef|before=Carolyn Thompson}}
{{s-ttl|title=Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals|years=2025–Present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murry, Tom}}
Category:People from Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Category:People from Morrisville, North Carolina
Category:University of Arkansas alumni
Category:Campbell University alumni
Category:Democratic Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly