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Representative Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort, Pamlico, Hyde, Dare) has announced his intent to campaign for North Carolina Speaker of the House. His announcement follows one from current Speaker Tim Moore who last week confirmed he would not seek re-election. Moore was first named Speaker of the House in 2015 and has served five consecutive terms. 

Kidwell made the announcement via his political Facebook page on Tuesday, July 25.  

In explaining why he is running for Speaker of the House, Kidwell said, “North Carolina needs a strong conservative leader who is willing to push back against the Biden Administration and the Democrats and advance our shared ideas of lower taxes, less government, more freedom, personal responsibility and family values.”  

In March, Kidwell filed the Human Life Protection Act of 2023 which banned abortions at conception with an exception that an abortion could be performed if the pregnancy were deemed life-threatening to the pregnant woman or would cause her great bodily harm. 

The NC General Assembly did not pass Kidwell’s bill; however, in May they passed and overturned a veto from Governor Cooper on SB20 which bans abortions after 12 weeks. 

Also in May, Kidwell resigned from his position as Deputy Whip in relation to a private comment he made about Rep. Diamond Staton-Williams being a member of the “Church of Satan” as she spoke on the House Floor about being a Christian who was raised in church and who also had an abortion.