Harry Payne
Harry Payne in 1997
North Carolina Commissioner of Labor
In office
January 1993 – January 2001
Preceded byJohn C. Brooks
Succeeded byCherie Berry
Personal details
Born (1952-09-11) September 11, 1952 (age 71)
Political partyDemocratic Party
SpouseRuth Sheehan
Children3
Alma mater

Harry E. Payne Jr. (born September 11, 1952) is an American politician from North Carolina. He served in the North Carolina House of Representatives for six terms and as North Carolina Commissioner of Labor for two terms. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Early life and career

Payne is from Wilmington, North Carolina. He has a twin brother, Frank.[1] Payne overcame a stutter after attending the Hollins Communications Research Institute in Roanoke, Virginia.[2]

Payne graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1974.[3] He earned his Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1977[4] and opened a law practice in Wrightsville Beach.[2]

Political career

Payne was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1980.[5][6] At the beginning of the 1989 legislative session he joined with 19 other Democrats and the Republican members of the House to unseat Speaker Liston B. Ramsey and replace him with Josephus L. Mavretic.[7] He chaired the House Rules Committee in 1990.[8] He served six terms in the House.[9]

In 1992, Payne ran for North Carolina Commissioner of Labor, challenging John C. Brooks, the incumbent, in the Democratic Party. Brooks' reputation had suffered due to a deadly fire at a chicken processing plant the previous year. Payne accused him of being ineffective and promised to push for workplace safety reforms.[9] Payne won the primary election on May 5.[10] He defeated Republican Nelson Dollar in the November general election.[11] Payne was reelected in the 1996 elections against R. Tracy Walker.[12] He opted not to run for a third term in the 2000 elections.[13] He was succeeded by Cherie Berry.[14]

Governor Mike Easley appointed Payne as chair of the North Carolina Employment Security Commission in 2001.[15] In 2007, Payne sought to become president of Cape Fear Community College.[16] In 2010, he ran for the North Carolina Court of Appeals.[17] Cressie Thigpen and Douglas McCullough advanced to a runoff election.[18]

Personal life

Payne is married to Ruth Sheehan, a columnist for The News & Observer.[15] They have three sons.[17]

References

  1. ^ "Identical or fraternal, old or young, no two sets of twins are alike". StarNews Online. March 6, 2015. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "The Charlotte News 14 Feb 1983, page 6". Newspapers.com. February 14, 1983. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  3. ^ "The Daily Tar Heel 22 Apr 1992, page Page 5". Newspapers.com. April 22, 1992. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  4. ^ "The Charlotte Observer 27 Apr 1992, page 44". Newspapers.com. April 27, 1992. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  5. ^ "The Durham Sun 05 Nov 1980, page 6". Newspapers.com. November 5, 1980. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  6. ^ "The Chapel Hill News 06 Nov 1980, page 1". Newspapers.com. November 6, 1980. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  7. ^ Drescher, John (January 8, 2023). "The Paradox of Power". The Assembly. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  8. ^ "The Charlotte Observer 04 Jul 1990, page 115". Newspapers.com. July 4, 1990. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Simon 2020, p. 189.
  10. ^ "The Charlotte Observer 13 Jun 1992, page 17". Newspapers.com. June 13, 1992. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  11. ^ "Rocky Mount Telegram 04 Nov 1992, page 14". Newspapers.com. November 4, 1992. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  12. ^ "The Charlotte Observer 07 Nov 1996, page 13". Newspapers.com. November 7, 1996. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  13. ^ "Asheville Citizen-Times 07 Sep 1999, page Page 13". Newspapers.com. September 7, 1999. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  14. ^ "The News and Observer 04 Dec 2000, page A1". Newspapers.com. December 4, 2000. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  15. ^ a b Schreiner, Mark (December 31, 2002). "Payne on the job". Starnewsonline.com. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  16. ^ "Ex-legislator seeks out CFCC job". Starnewsonline.com. January 11, 2007. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  17. ^ a b "The News and Observer 30 Oct 2010, page V5". Newspapers.com. October 30, 2010. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  18. ^ "Sun-News 05 Nov 2010, page 25". Newspapers.com. November 5, 2010. Retrieved November 24, 2022.

Works cited

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