RALEIGH, N.C.-- A North Carolina state House member will announce Saturday morning he's in the race for governor.

A spokeswoman for Rep. Bill Faison said Friday he will make his announcement at the Greensboro hotel where North Carolina Democrats are holding their annual winter dinner that night.

Faison is an Orange County lawmaker who had toyed for months about a gubernatorial bid and suggested in November fellow party member Gov. Beverly Perdue wouldn't run. Perdue announced Thursday she wouldn't seek a second term.

Faison's entry in the race assures there will be a May 8 Democratic gubernatorial primary. Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton announced late Thursday he was running for the top executive branch spot.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.