Representative Thom Tillis took the speaker's podium in North Carolina with a gavel made from 300-year-old wood, as the statehouse moved under Republican control for the first time in 140 years.

• Position: People & Politics - Brief article

Representative Thom Tillis took the speaker's podium in North Carolina with a gavel made from 300-year-old wood, as the statehouse moved under Republican control for the first time in 140 years. Tillis thanked his predecessor, Democratic Speaker Joe Hackney, and his staff for making the transition smooth. The gavel was made recently by volunteers using the wood...