RALEIGH — A candidate for the North Carolina House has received the title "representative" before the fall election.

New Hanover County Commissioner Ted Davis Jr. has been appointed to the House by Gov. Bev Perdue to succeed N.C. Rep. Danny McComas, who resigned earlier this month to become the next chairman of the State Ports Authority. The formal appointment late last week followed Davis' nomination by New Hanover County Republicans to fill the final three months of McComas' term. The legislature is not scheduled to meet again until early next year.

McComas already was not seeking re-election. He said months ago he was retiring after 18 years in the legislature. Davis won the May GOP primary and will face Democrat Emilie Swearingen in November for a two-year House term.