John Porter East

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John Porter East (May 5, 1931 – June 29, 1986) was a Republican U.S. senator from the state of North Carolina from 1981 until his suicide in 1986.

A paraplegic since 1955, because of polio, East was a professor of political science at East Carolina University in Greenville and a protege of prominent conservative Senator Jesse Helms. East ran for the Senate in 1980 and narrowly defeated incumbent Democrat Robert Burren Morgan in the Republican landslide that year. In the Senate, he earned a reputation as a staunch social conservative, especially on the issue of abortion. In 1986, he announced that he would not seek re-election, and would instead return to his teaching position. That summer, East, suffering from cancer, committed suicide at his North Carolina home.

[edit] Death

On Friday, June 27, Senator East completed work on the book galleys of his collected essays. He met with Supreme Court nominee Antonin Scalia. Then, commitments met, the Senator drove to Greenville with his aide, John Petree, and arrived home about noon on Saturday. Petree stayed with him until daughter Kathryn arrived for a visit. Kathryn left her father "in good spirits" about midnight. Petree returned to East's house on Sunday morning, June 29. He found the front door ajar. The senator was dead in his garage, an apparent suicide, a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning.^{[citation needed]}

North Carolina Governor James G. Martin appointed U.S. Representative James Thomas Broyhill to serve out the rest of East's term. Broyhill was defeated in his election bid in November 1986 by the Democratic former Governor Terry Sanford. Broyhill won a disputed primary, but thereafter Helms worked for Broyhill's election.

East is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

[edit] References

• John Porter East Congressional Biography
• John Porter East Memorial Service transcript (U.S. Senate)

[edit] External links

• John Porter East's Gravesite

Preceded by Robert Burren Morgan

United States Senator (Class 3) from North Carolina 1981-1986 Served alongside: Jesse Helms

Succeeded by James Thomas Broyhill