ROCKINGHAM — Just weeks ahead of the filing period, Rep. Ben Moss, is announcing his plan to run for a third term in the N.C. House of Representatives.
Moss, R-Richmond, is currently serving his second term in the House.
“My family and I are excited to announce our decision to run for reelection in the N.C. House,” Moss said in a press release. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished over the last four years, and I know there’s more work to be done to advance our conservative agenda.”
He was elected to his first term in 2020 — defeating Scott Brewer, who had been appointed to fill the remaining term of Ken Goodman — representing House District 66, which included Richmond and Montgomery counties and the eastern sliver of Stanly County.
The districts were redrawn, placing all of Richmond County in District 52 with a portion of southeastern Moore County, and Moss had to square off against Jamie Boles — who was a sitting state representative at the time — in a Republican primary.
Moss won the primary and ran unopposed in the general election.
Last month, the General Assembly redrew state and federal district maps again. However, Moss’ district remains unchanged.
“I’m fully committed to my constituents in Moore and Richmond counties, and I look forward to once again earning their support to continue serving as their voice in the legislature,” said Moss. “Together, we will make North Carolina the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Moss had initially announced in December plans to run for labor commissioner in 2024, but withdrew from that race in July.
According to the press release, Moss, as a small business owner (co-owner of Doug’s Tire and Automotive in Laurinburg) and blue-collar employee (engineer with CSX Transportation), has “signed both the front and the back of paychecks” over the past 20-plus years.
Moss is currently on a leave of absence from CSX while serving in the legislature.
Online records show Moss has sponsored several pieces of legislation this year, including bills to study both the effects of eliminating the grocery tax and excluding law enforcement retirement pay from the state individual income tax, as well as to evaluate the state’s economic tier system.
Moss also introduced a bill requiring public utilities to provide security cameras to prevent vandalism and other threats.” That bill came about following an attack on two Duke Energy substations in Moore County that left more than 40,000 homes and businesses — including some in Richmond County — without power for days.
Earlier this year, Moss was appointed as chair of the House Wildlife Resources Committee, vice chair of the Transportation Committee, and as a member of the following committees: Appropriations; Appropriations on Transportation; Commerce; Local Government; and Local Government-Land Use, Planning and Development.
Prior to running for state office, Moss served a decade on the Richmond County Board of Commissioners, becoming the first Republican elected to a seat in more than a century. He is also the first Republican in recent memory to represent the county in the state House.
The House districts to comprise Richmond County have long been held by a Richmond County resident, including Brewer, Goodman, and the husband-wife duo of Wayne and the late Melanie Goodwin.
As of Monday afternoon, the RO was unaware of any other candidates for the House District 52 seat.
