Moore was first elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2002, after defeating the incumbent House Majority Whip, Democratic Representative Andy Dedmon. A staunch conservative Republican, Moore spent his first four terms in office in the minority party, as Democrats then controlled the House. In 2010, the Republicans won control of the House, and Speaker Thom Tillis appointed Moore to the powerful post of chairman of the Rules Committee, where he became known for abruptly cutting off many floor debates.