By By JONATHAN CLAYBORNE
jonathan@wdnweb.com
Staff Writer
State Rep. Bill Cook’s first vote in the House was to elect Rep. Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, speaker of the House.
Tillis was elected with 74 votes in the 120-member House, according to The Associated Press. The other contender was outgoing House Speaker Joe Hackney, D-Orange.
Cook was seated in the chamber Wednesday, his first official day on the job as the newly-elected representative for Beaufort County and northeast Pitt County.
“It was very exciting,” the Republican said in a telephone interview from his hotel room at the end of the day.
“It was interesting to note that there were some Democratic votes that moved over to our side on the vote for speaker,” he said.
Cook also took the oath of office with his fellow legislators on the floor of the House.
This was his second time taking the oath, having opted for a public ceremony in Washington earlier this month.
“It was an emotional experience for me again,” said Cook, who took the oath Wednesday with his wife Holly at his side.
After the conclusion of House business, Cook attended a reception with Tillis and other leaders in a legislative office building.
Cook has said he spent the months leading up to the Legislature’s opening day familiarizing himself with issues, meeting with local officials and getting input from constituents.
In representing Beaufort County, Cook is joined by Sen. Stan White, D-Dare, who was selected by a Democratic Party committee to replace retiring Sen. Marc Basnight, D-Dare.
Neither White nor Cook has held a legislative office before, and both have said they’ll need to hear from people back home in order to increase their knowledge of local needs that can be met in Raleigh.