North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore to run for Congress
State Rep. Tim Moore, North Carolina’s longest-serving state House speaker, will run for Congress in 2024.
"He plans to make a formal announcement next week on his congressional campaign," Moore adviser and veteran Republican political strategist Paul Shumaker told WRAL late Thursday.
Moore, R-Cleveland County, has been making calls to members of the North Carolina delegation and key supporters alerting them to his run, Shumaker said.
The decision comes days after North Carolina Republicans redrew and approved the state's congressional districts. The new congressional map, which is not subject to a gubernatorial veto, is projected to net GOP candidates at least three and possibly four seats, including flipping the 14th District which includes Moore's home county of Cleveland.
Moore didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The 14-member delegation is currently split 7-7 between Democrats and Republicans. Republicans could hold 10 or 11 of the seats after the 2024 elections.
Democrat Jeff Jackson currently represents the 14th Congressional District, but the new-look district heavily leans Republican. After the maps were approved, Jackson announced a run for state attorney general.
The new 14th District runs along the South Carolina border. It stretches from the Charlotte suburbs west into Gastonia and Moore’s hometown of Kings Mountain, then north to Morganton.
Many expected Moore to run for the U.S. House in 2022, and there appeared to be a perfect district in the Republican-passed maps. But then-U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn opted to run in that district. Eventually, the maps were tossed and Moore opted for a record-breaking fifth term as House Speaker in North Carolina.
Moore announced in June that he wouldn't seek another term as speaker. He said late last month that he was considering a 2024 run for Congress, his first public confirmation of what has been long speculated.
In recent months, Moore has been acting like a congressional candidate, taking a trip to the Southern border, passing a resolution supporting Israel and visiting Ukraine during a legislative break earlier this year.
Moore took over after the previous Republican speaker, Thom Tillis, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014.
Moore has had victories as House speaker, such as convincing Rep. Tricia Cotham, R-Mecklenburg, to switch parties earlier this year to give Republicans a veto-proof supermajority at the state legislature.
Moore faced a lawsuit in June from a former Apex town councilman who alleged that the House speaker "destroyed" the former councilman’s marriage. Moore, who is divorced, admitted to "casual relationship" with the woman, who worked for a government-funded entity and received large raises during the time period. The suit has been "resolved," according to attorneys.
Republican Pat Harrigan had already announced his candidacy in the 14th District. Harrigan lost to Jackson in 2022.
"Tim Moore carries a legacy of corruption, from being bought and paid for by the casino and gambling bosses, to taxpayer-funded sexual escapades," Harrigan said in a statement. "Such a man does not represent NC-14's values, nor does he deserve its trust."
