North Carolina Representative Mike Clampitt has died.
The North Carolina General Assembly announced that Clampitt, who represented District 119, died Wednesday, March 18, after battling cancer. He was 71 years old.
Clampitt served Swain, Jackson and Transylvania counties in the N.C. House and had recently won the March 3 Republican primary.
In a statement, House Speaker Destin Hall called Clampitt a friend, colleague and true patriot, saying public service was both a calling and a duty for him. Hall praised Clampitt’s years as a fire captain and his service in the General Assembly, saying he cared deeply about the people of Western North Carolina.
Clampitt’s office said he died at 1:30 Wednesday afternoon at Duke University Hospital after a battle with leukemia.
Governor Josh Stein also paid tribute, saying Clampitt was one of the first people he called about rebuilding Western North Carolina after Helene, and remembered him as a steadfast public servant for the region.
Clampitt, a Bryson City Republican, was first elected to the N.C. House in 2016 and also won election again in 2020. He was known for advocating on issues important to Western North Carolina and for sponsoring legislation, including a bill to lower the state’s legal alcohol limit to point-oh-five.
State Auditor Dave Boliek also honored Clampitt, calling him a true North Carolinian who fought fiercely for Western North Carolina.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. The House Clerk says those details will be released when available.
