NC House majority leader to resign seat

North Carolina House Majority Leader Mike Hager will resign his seat in the general assembly on Tuesday.

Hager, R-Rutherford, confirmed his departure Saturday morning after WBTV obtained a memo from the North Carolina Republican Party that said he had already resigned.

Although Hager said the memo had been sent prematurely, the three-term lawmaker said he was leaving to devote more time to family.

Hager’s departure comes just weeks after Rep. Charles Jeter, R-Mecklenburg, resigned his seat in late July.

Jeter served as chairman of the House Republican Caucus.

The memo prematurely sent by the NCGOP said party leaders in the 112th House District — which includes parts of Burke and Rutherford Counties — will meet to select Hager’s replacement on Wednesday.

NC GOP Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse praised Hager in an email Saturday.

But he did not respond to a question about why the memo regarding Hager’s resignation was sent before Hager resigned.

This story was originally published August 13, 2016 at 12:39 PM with the headline "NC House majority leader to resign seat."