Updated at 4 p.m.
North Carolina House Majority Leader John Bell and Rules Chairman Destin Hall say they'll run for House speaker after Tim Moore steps down at the end of next year.
Moore has served as speaker since 2015, and he recently said this term will be his last. He has said he is interested in looking at other elected offices — Congress could be a possibility depending on the outcome of redistricting — but didn't rule out running for re-election to his state House seat. But he said he's told fellow Republicans for months that he's "made it clear that this is my last term as speaker."
Bell, R-Wayne, told the WUNC Politics Podcast that he's talked to colleagues about his interest in the job.
"I feel like I've got a great reputation," Bell said. "I feel like I've worked hard to earn that trust. But we've still got a long ways to go to get through this session first."
Hall, R-Caldwell, runs the House's most powerful committee that controls the flow of legislation. It's a position Moore held prior to becoming speaker.
"I've heard from an overwhelming number of members who are encouraging me to run, and I'm planning to do so," Hall told WUNC. "Right now I'm focused on passing a budget, overseeing our redistricting process, and enlarging our majority in 2024."
Rep. Jason Saine, R-Lincoln and chair of the budget committee, also says he's considering a run for speaker.
"We have several members that I believe have potential to serve in the role of speaker and do it well," Saine told WUNC. "I certainly believe I would be counted by most of our members as someone who fits that description, and I have been approached by a number of our members and others to consider the possibility."
Current Speaker Pro Tem Sarah Stevens, R-Surry, told WUNC she's not running.
