Clampitt, 71, dies

(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 a...