Keith Kidwell

Keith D. Kidwell (born June 21, 1961) is a Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. He has represented the 79th district (including constituents in Beaufort and Craven counties) since its creation in a mid-cycle redistricting in 2019.

Career

In May 2026, Kidwell introduced a bill to state that legal human life begins at fertilization.

Kidwell has been an advocate for the shrimping industry. He has referenced bills that seek regulation of guns and shrimping as Freddy Kruger bills and stated, “Just about the time you think it's dead, it's going to come back to life and try and kill you again. So I stand ready with my spike to drive through its heart.”

Committee assignments

Source:

2021-2022 session

• Banking (Chair)
• Finance (Chair)
• Agriculture
• Commerce
• Environment
• Regulatory Reform
• Judiciary IV
• Marine Resources and Aqua Culture

2019-2020 session

• Finance
• Commerce
• Environment
• Regulatory Reform
• Pensions and Retirement

Involvement with the Oath Keepers

In late September 2021, it was revealed that Rep. Kidwell's name was among the some 38,000 people whose names appear on a membership roster of the Oath Keepers; a far-right anti-government militia, following a hack of the group's internal data. Rep. Kidwell did not comment on whether he is a member of the group or not. However, records show that Kidwell has been on the Oath Keepers' roster since at least 2012.

Electoral history

2022

2020

2018