Which of the following are good choices to replace the word "said" in a quote: "I am hungry," he remarked.
"I am hungry," he claimed.
"I am hungry," he affirmed.
all of the above.
I would say "He remarked" would be the best choice to replace the word said because affirmed and claimed are saying a phrase as a fact while said is meant as a comment and remarked can be used as a comment as said.