(The Center Square) – Rep. Mike Clampitt, fourth-term member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, died Wednesday.
He was 71.
The retired fire captain in Charlotte served Swain, Jackson and Transylvania counties in District 119 touching the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Nantahala National Forest and Blue Ridge Mountains. The Qualla Boundary, the 57,000-acre land trust home to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, was part of his district.
“He faced cancer with the same courage that defined his life, carrying himself with strength and grounding himself in his unwavering faith in God every step of the way,” said House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell.
The legislator was known for his work in disaster recovery following Hurricane Helene; proposals in public safety and impaired driving, first responders and veterans, and tribal sovereignty. He was an advocate for successful implementation of universal school choice, Second Amendment rights, photo voter identification requirements, and was an opponent of policies attached to the phrasing diversity, equity and inclusion.
A silvery beard and mustache, colorful clothing and megawatt smile notwithstanding, Clampitt earned admiration for his principles on the chamber floor. His strength through medical challenges resonated with many around him.
Rep. Robert Reives, D-Chatham, the minority party leader, said Clampitt was “a complete gentleman with a really kind heart.”
“He could always be depended on to keep the rest of us uplifted even in the midst of his illness,” Reives said.
“He was a true North Carolinian who proudly and fiercely fought on behalf of western North Carolina every day,” first-term Republican state Auditor Dave Boliek said. “I still have the wooden coin he gave me when we first met that served as his ‘business card.’ We will miss him. God speed my friend.”
Former state Rep. David Lewis said Clampitt was a “genuine, kind public servant who truly loved life and serving others.”
Clampitt most recently had been vice chairman of the House Select Committee on Hurricane Helene Recovery. He was chairman of the Committee on Federal Relations and American Indian Affairs, and vice chairman of Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery.
Clampitt was a member of committees on Appropriations; Appropriations, Justice and Public Safety; Health; Higher Education; and Wildlife Resources. He also was part of the Joint Legislative Economic Development and Global Engagement Oversight Committee.
