Rep. Mike Clampitt dies following cancer battle
Rep. Mike Clampitt was particularly dedicated to wildlife conservation issues, as well as combatting impaired driving.
File photo
Mike Clampitt, the Republican State House representative for Swain, Jackson and Transylvania counties, has passed away at the age of 71.
The conservative legislator was particularly dedicated to wildlife conservation issues, as well as combatting impaired driving.
“Mike Clampitt was my friend, a colleague and a true patriot. For him, public service was both a calling and a duty, from his years as a fire captain to his time in the General Assembly. He loved the people he served and cared deeply about the issues that mattered most to his constituents in Western North Carolina," North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall said in a statement.
Clampitt was seeking election to his fifth term in office Earlier this month. He won the Republican primary for the seat easily over two challengers and was supposed to face off against Transylvania County Democrat Mark Burrows, who lost to Clampitt in the 2024 General Election, this coming November.
According to state law, the governor must appoint Clampitt’s successor, as recommended by the Republican Party, within seven days of receiving the recommendation. That recommendation will be determined by a weighted vote of the GOP Executive Committees from each county comprising the district. In this case, that means Jackson and Transylvania counties, with larger numbers of Republican voters, will have a greater say in who fills the rest of the term, which will end at the beginning of next year.
This is a developing story. Check back for more details, including the procedure to determine which Republican candidate or candidates will be on the November General Election ballot.
