The Republican primary race for state Senate pits incumbent Harris Blake against the wife of his former closest political ally.

Blake represents Senate District 22, which includes Moore and Harnett counties.

County Commissioner Cindy Morgan is challenging Blake in the May 6 primary. She said Blake has not been effective and that it is time for a change in Raleigh.

The winner will face Democrat Dr. Abraham Oudeh, a former Dunn mayor, in November. Blake defeated Oudeh in 2006.

During Blake's first few years in the Senate, he said he worked closely with then-state Rep. Richard Morgan of Eagle Springs. Blake said he was a mentor and friend to Morgan.

Richard Morgan, who lost to current state Rep. Joe Boylan in the May 2006 primary, is running for state superintendent of public instruction this year.

It's clear that at some point, Blake's relationship with the Morgans fell apart. He said that he has no idea what happened.

"I'd really like to know myself," Blake said.

Even when Morgan made a power-sharing deal with Democrat Jim Black to be co-speaker of the House, a move that brought down the wrath of the state Republican Party on Morgan, Blake said he still stood up for him.

"I was so pro-Richard, I took a lot of grief," he said. "It held me back a little bit."

But during an appearance last year at the opening of the Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, the two had words. Blake said he couldn't believe the "venom" coming from Morgan.

"I've never been so shocked in all my life," he said.

Proud of Accomplishments

Blake is a Pinehurst commercial real estate broker.

He said he is proud of what he accomplished in the Senate during the last two years, his third term. He said he has forged diplomatic ties with China through efforts to return the remains of Hoyle Upchurch, a World War II pilot from Highfalls who crashed in Guidong Province.

"It's unbelievable," he said. "In 30 years, China will have an economy like ours. People are moving from the barn to a job."

He also said he opposes higher taxes and would work to reduce state spending.

Blake also had a moment for Hollywood movies when he challenged the entire General Assembly on the adoption of the North Carolina Education Lottery.

"It put a freeze on that floor," he said. "I felt the absolute cesspool we were in. I thought, 'If I don't make a comment about this, I don't deserve to be in the Senate.'"

Blake has been an ardent opponent of the lottery and said that it's been terrible for the state.

"To even call it the Education Lottery," he said. "How did we ever do that? The damn lottery is corrupt to the hilt."

Blake said he is proud of his ability to serve his constituents, which is an important part of the job.

'Base on Performance'

For Cindy Morgan's part, she said she is just trying to bring good leadership to the residents of Moore County.

"I'm not running on personal vendettas," she said. "It's all based on performance. We haven't had any performance up there that would earn him a trip to the Senate."

A recent study ranked Blake one of the least effective members of the Senate.

Blake said that the bi-annual study consistently ranks Republicans low because they are not in power and because it relies too heavily on the opinions of lobbyists. It doesn't account for constituent services, he said.

"When you're in the legislative system, you'll really be judged on what you do," he said.

Morgan said that a senator in the minority has to work harder but can still have impact.

"I think you have to go in with the attitude that you believe you can get things done," she said.

Morgan, who is a nurse and lives with her husband on their Eagle Springs farm, said that working 20 years as a nurse has impressed on her the importance of health-care issues.

She said she would push the legislature to address the shortage of nurses and nursing instructors. Childhood obesity is also a problem she wants the legislature to address.

"Health-care issues are where I feel most comfortable," she said.

Morgan said she would favor tax cuts and opposes the lottery. She said that during the 18 years her husband was in the General Assembly, she worked hard for him but rarely offered advice.

"I am his spouse," she said. "I worked hard on his campaign. But he made his own decisions just as I make my own."

Contact Matthew Moriarty at 693-2479 or by e-mail at moriarty @thepilot.com.