Republican lawmaker considering running for state superintendent in 2020

Rep. Craig Horn, R-Union, has been thinking about joining the race for several weeks, he said, after educators and community members from both sides of the aisle approached him and asked him to run. If current State Superintendent Mark Johnson, also a Republican, decides to seek re-election, Horn said he probably won't compete against him, but he won't rule it out either.

"Once [Johnson] makes his decision, that will elicit a decision out of me," Horn told WRAL News by phone late Thursday after a reporter asked him about rumors circulating that he was eyeing the office. "The idea of a statewide campaign is a scary thought, especially in these days of contentious politics. But if I sense that people believe in me, I would consider it."

Horn said he called Johnson to ask if he'll seek re-election, but the state superintendent wouldn't say.

"I've asked people affiliated with him, and they don't know the answer either," Horn said.

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Johnson has not announced whether he will run again, but six Democrats are actively campaigning for the office. They are:

The state superintendent oversees 1.5 million students and 180,000 full-time public school employees across the state. The job comes with a lot of power, Horn said, but maybe not as much power as his current job as a lawmaker. He'll be weighing those considerations in the next few months as he decides whether to move forward with a campaign.

"As superintendent, you get money ... [but] in the legislature, I can have an influence over how much money you get," Horn said.

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At age 75, Horn says he believes his experience as a lawmaker who regularly visits schools and helps decide education policy would make him a good candidate for the job, even though he has never taught, which he admits may be seen as a weakness. He worked as a Russian linguist in the U.S. Air Force and was a food broker and businessman before he was elected in 2010.

"I'm not a teacher. I've never been a teacher," he said. "But people pointed out, superintendents don't teach, superintendents manage."

Horn points to his time chairing several education committees, including education appropriations and K-12 education. He is most proud of his work championing advanced teaching roles for educators, his efforts in early education and his work to pass Kilah's Law on child abuse that became a national law when passed by the U.S. Congress in 2016.

Horn said he saw some of the criticism Thursday but quickly brushed it off.

"I'm not motivated by drumbeat of naysayers," he said. "They have been throwing me under the bus for several years ... They don't impact my decision."

"It's not a matter of whether I want the job," Horn said. "The decision has to be, can I deliver for kids in North Carolina?"