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 professor of political science at East Carolina University 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, espcecially 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. North Carolina Governor James G. Martin appointed James Thomas Broyhill to serve out the rest of East's term. Broyhill was upset in his re-election bid in November 1986 by Terry Sanford.
| Preceded by: Robert Burren Morgan | Senators from North Carolina | Succeeded by: James Thomas Broyhill |
| Served alongside: Jesse Helms | ||