(RALEIGH) -- The No. 2 leader in the North Carolina House of Representative announced Tuesday that he wants the No. 2 job in the executive branch. Rep. Dale Folwell joined an already crowded field in the Republican primary for Lt. Governor.

Folwell said he would be able to accomplish plenty as Lt. Governor, even if Gov. Bev Perdue, a Democrat, was reelected.  "Well, to start with, I don't think that the people of North Carolina really care if we get along.  They just want their problems fixed," said Folwell. "My total concentration is on fixing things that save money, saves lives and save brains and minds in North Carolina."

If Folwell were to wins the Lt. Governor's office he would be only the second Republican to hold the office since Jim Gardner broke a 92-year GOP drought in 1988.