RALEIGH - The executive committee of Wake County's Democratic Party on Wednesday picked former state House Speaker Dan Blue to replace Rep. Bernard Allen of Raleigh, who died 12 days ago, to represent District 33 in the legislature.

The vote was unanimous. By law, Gov. Mike Easley must follow the group's wish to appoint Blue, 57, a Raleigh lawyer raised on a Robeson County farm. Blue gave up his state legislative career in 2002 to run for U.S. Senate but lost in the primary election.

Blue takes the seat for the remaining months of Allen's term, and he will get Allen's ballot votes Nov. 7. Because Allen was unopposed, Blue will have the job through 2008.

Fast head-counting and firm persuasion returned Blue quickly to office without the effort or expense of a traditional campaign.

One initial candidate, Rosa Gill, vice chairwoman of the Wake school board, withdrew her nomination by a committee member in deference to Blue.

"Dan and I have been friends for a very long time," Gill said.

Another, Bernard Allen Jr., seconded former Raleigh City Council member Brad Thompson's motion to pick Blue to succeed his father and gave a speech supporting him.

"We desperately need his leadership," Allen said.

"We need somebody who can hit the ground running," Thompson said. "Dan will serve well. It will give us the quality and continuity of service that we need for the people of this district."

But the committee might have elected more than just a representative for District 33.

There is talk that Blue, who served four years as House speaker in the 1990s, might try to return next year to that powerful post, posing a challenge to embattled Speaker Jim Black and to other possible contenders.

"He has been speaker twice, so he knows the job and he knows the issues," said former state Rep. Bob Hensley of Raleigh, an ally who helped orchestrate Blue's victory Wednesday. "There are a lot of people in Wake County and in the Democratic Party throughout the state who would love to see him as speaker again."

Other potential speakers would not. One of them, Rep. Jim Crawford, an Oxford Democrat, said he supports Black's desire to remain as House speaker -- but would like to serve if Black doesn't.

"Dan's had his turn," Crawford said Wednesday. "We need him in the legislature. I don't think I'd support him for speaker."

Black's spokeswoman could not be reached for comment.

Other potential Democrat candidates for speaker include Rep. Joe Hackney of Chapel Hill and Rep. Mickey Michaux of Durham.

None of them stands a chance if Republicans gain a majority of the 120 House seats.

Black, a four-term speaker at the center of a growing corruption scandal, might not be re-elected. And if he is, he might lack the support of his fellow Democrats to remain as their leader.

That is why Blue's return to the General Assembly is notable.

During his 22 years in the House, Blue served as its speaker from 1991 to 1995, when Republicans gained control of it.

In 1999, when Democrats regained control, Blue had the backing of other Democrats and Republicans to challenge Black for speaker. He fell one vote short.

In his acceptance speech Wednesday, Blue said he wants to focus on the district's needs. But statewide issues move him still: good education, transportation and high-school dropouts.

"Thank you all so much for this vote of confidence," Blue told the gathering of several dozen people. "Now let's go out over the next 13 days, and let's make a difference in this election for our district and for our state."

Speaker aspirations?

In an interview afterward, Blue deflected questions about his interest in becoming speaker.

"Until I see the lay of the land, I won't know," he said. "Every member down there has a desire to rise to the highest level possible. But that can't be the primary goal. My concern is to go there and be as effective as I can."

Clearly, though, Blue hopes to have considerable influence.

"I do not strive to go down there and be a back-bencher," he said. "I don't want to sit in Seat 120."