news-record.com

So watching House Speaker Thom Tillis bounce around the state to various town hall meetings, like the one in Morrisville tonight, has been enough to get political folks – who will start a good rumor if they don’t have one to chew on – thinking that the Cornelius Republican has designs on higher office.

It’s not a crazy thought. Tillis is bright, good on his feet and seems to enjoy politicking. Oh, and he's pretty cogent on television, a skill vital to statewide candidates.

But for what office might he run? Former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory has staked out the 2012 GOP nomination for governor and Tillis has regularly appeared at events backing McCrory. Any other council of state position would be a step down in terms of power and visibility. To boot, Tillis would probably like at least one more term in office before racing off to do something else.

That’s why there’s some speculation that Tillis might try to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan in 2014.

TO BE CLEAR: This is speculation. There’s a whole 2012 election to get through before we start working about the 2014 cycle. Lots of stuff can happen between now and then. But I’ve heard enough conjecture that it seemed worth putting the question to Tillis.

So I asked him if he had any ambition to run for U.S. Senate.

“I have an ambition to run for Speaker next year,” Tillis quipped.

Okay, what about after that?

“Honestly, I never look past the next year. Right now, we’re starting a process that to me – it’s unlikely I’ll do anything in politics again if we’re not back in the majority again in 2013 and if we’re not leading the state down the path that we started down. All of those are things that I’m focused on now,” he said.

A couple thoughts here:

a) he never really answered the question.
b) he didn’t rule it out and didn’t say I was crazy for asking.
c) he is absolutely correct that he would have much better resume as a statewide candidate if he helps his caucus keep their majority in the state House.

Make of that what you will.