Politics

Moffitt's 'ironclad personal rule' ensures neutrality in House race

By RAY GRONBERG, NC Tribune, Published: November 29, 2025

Sen. Tim Moffitt wants one and all to understand that he’s staying neutral in the upcoming GOP primary between Rep. Jake Johnson, R-Polk, and former House Majority Leader Mike Hager, R-Rutherford.

“Trust is essential to my ability to craft complex, bipartisan legislation. Nothing undermines it more quickly than the appearance of involvement in intra-party fights,” Moffitt says.

“Accordingly, I have an ironclad personal rule: I do not participate in primaries, and I neither seek nor give endorsements in contested primary races.”

In addition, he said, “I live in House District 117 and trust the folks in House District 113 to make the decision on whom they want to represent them in Raleigh without my weighing in on either candidate.”

Moffitt’s comments followed a Trib report — republished by the Hendersonville Lightning — that mentioned that he’s listed to appear as a “special guest” at a Hager fundraiser scheduled for Dec. 5 in Forest City.

He was similarly listed as a special guest for a Nov. 12 Johnson fundraiser in Rutherfordton, alongside a number of other GOP luminaries. 

Hager publicly announced his candidacy via Facebook on Nov. 7. 

Moffitt said that afterward, he told Johnson that for reciprocity, he’d “allow Mike to list my name for his fundraiser” to avoid the appearance of offering an endorsement.

In the event, Moffitt didn’t go to the Johnson fundraiser and says he won’t be going to Hager’s either. He cited “traveling conflicts” and added that he hasn’t contributed to either campaign.

He also said the invitations to Johnson’s fundraiser were printed before Hager formally announced his candidacy.

Moffitt also noted that he has ties to both candidates.

As a local party executive committee member, he backed Johnson’s appointment to the seat in 2019 following the resignation of former state Rep. Cody Henson. 

He and Hager, meanwhile, were part of the same House freshman class in 2011 and “collaborated closely on major initiatives” during their tenure in the chamber. Moffitt also supported Hager’s early moves up the House leadership ladder.