Thad A. Eure
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Thaddeus Armie (Thad) Eure (1899-1993) was a North Carolina political figure who holds the record for longest tenure as North Carolina Secretary of State (1936-1989).
Prior to his service as secretary of state, Eure served as mayor of Winton, NC, and as a state legislator. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan recognized Eure as having held public office longer than any official in the nation at that time, with more than 64 years of continuous service. In his later years, he was known as the "oldest rat in the Democratic barn." Ironically, in his first run for the office of Secretary of State, he asked voters to "give a young man a chance."
Eure also served on the board of trustees of Elon University from 1942 to 1989 (chairman, 1955-1989). He was not a graduate of that institution, instead attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill because he wanted to earn a law degree. Elon did not have a law school until the 21st century.
