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Last week, Destin Hall stood on the dais next to his wife and took the oath as speaker of the House, becoming one of the state’s three top elected officials. He succeeds Tim Moore, who held the job for a decade.

At 37, he’s also one of America’s youngest legislative leaders and the youngest North Carolina speaker since 1819.

Hall is also the state’s first Republican speaker never to have served in the minority. He inherits a chamber where his party lost its supermajority by a single seat, which could make it harder to override vetoes by new Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. He could face big decisions on issues such as Medicaid funding and aid to mountain counties still recovering from Hurricane Helene.  

Jim Morrill spent time with Hall and colleagues to learn more about his past and what he brings to the new role.

How Destin Hall Rose From Humble Beginnings to House Speaker

The five-term lawmaker grew up in modest circumstances with troubled parents. Now Hall, the youngest North Carolina speaker in 200 years, will have even more influence over the Republican agenda. 

Foxx News

The Hill reports that U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has tapped Rep. Virginia Foxx to be the next chair of the powerful House Rules Committee.

Foxx, 81, has represented North Carolina’s 5th District since 2005 and will be the only female committee chair this Congress.

“Her drive and personality have established her as among the most universally respected members of our Republican Conference,” said Johnson in a statement.

Read our 2023 profile of Foxx for more on her approach to legislating.

Have a news tip for our team? You can reach us at scoops@theassemblync.com.

What We’re Reading

Roll Call: Protesters gathered in Raleigh Tuesday to read the names of the 60,000 voters whose ballots are being challenged by Republican state Supreme Candidate Jefferson Griffin, WRAL reports.

Bourbon Bust: People are drinking less these days, and Wall Street Journal reports that companies like Statesville-based Southern Distilling have had to change distribution plans.

Good Bye: Per Axios Charlotte, longtime Duke Energy CEO Lynn Good is retiring after 11 years, and longtime company veteran Harry Sideris will succeed her.

Our Recent Stories

Scholars, Farmers Try to Perfect a New Use for a Southern Staple Food

Okra seeds yield a greenish-golden liquid comparable to a fine extra-virgin olive oil, but the crop isn’t ready for big-time commercial production.

Tourism-Dependent Hot Springs Tries to Rebuild by Spring

Damage from Hurricane Helene has put the upcoming hiking season in question for the first town on the Appalachian Trail.

How the N.C. Legislature Bankrolls Anti-Abortion Centers

Over the past three years, the state legislature has given $30 million to crisis pregnancy centers, with little oversight or outcomes.

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