North Carolina's 79th House district

North Carolina's 79th State House of Representatives district
Representative	Keith Kidwell R – Chocowinity
Demographics	72%  White 17%  Black 7%  Hispanic 3%  Multiracial
Population (2020)	83,663

North Carolina's 79th House district is one of 120 districts in the North Carolina House of Representatives. It has been represented by Republican Keith Kidwell since 2019. ^[1]

Geography

Since 2023, the district has included all of Beaufort, Pamlico, and Hyde counties, as well as most of Dare County. The district overlaps with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Senate districts.

District officeholders

Representative	Party	Dates	Notes	Counties
District created January 1, 1993.				1993–2003 Parts of Pamlico, Craven, Jones, and Lenoir counties. [2]
William Wainwright ( Havelock )	Democratic	January 1, 1993 – January 1, 2003	Redistricted from the 3rd district. Redistricted to the 12th district.
Julia Craven Howard ( Mocksville )	Republican	January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2019	Redistricted from the 74th district. Redistricted to the 77th district.	2003–2005 All of Davie County. Part of Davidson and Iredell counties. [3]
				2005–2013 All of Davie County. Part of Iredell County. [4]
				2013–2019 All of Davie County. Part of Forsyth County. [5]
Keith Kidwell ( Chocowinity )	Republican	January 1, 2019 – Present		2019–2023 All of Beaufort County. Part of Craven County. [6] [7]
				2023–Present All of Beaufort, Pamlico, and Hyde counties. Part of Dare County. [8] [9]

Election results

2024

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district general election, 2024 ^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Keith Kidwell (incumbent)	32,111	63.24%
	Democratic	Mary Beedle	18,667	36.76%
Total votes			50,778	100%
	Republican hold

2022

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district Republican primary election, 2022 ^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Keith Kidwell (incumbent)	8,721	83.30%
	Republican	Ed Hege	1,749	16.70%
Total votes			10,470	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district general election, 2022 ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Keith Kidwell (incumbent)	26,309	100%
Total votes			26,309	100%
	Republican hold

2020

North Carolina House of Representatives th district general election, 2020 ^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Keith Kidwell (incumbent)	25,290	63.83%
	Democratic	Nick Blount	14,330	36.17%
Total votes			39,620	100%
	Republican hold

2018

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district Republican primary election, 2018 ^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Keith Kidwell	4,176	78.06%
	Republican	Jim Chesnutt	1,174	21.94%
Total votes			5,350	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district general election, 2018 ^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Keith Kidwell	17,247	60.59%
	Democratic	Jerry E. Langley	11,220	39.41%
Total votes			28,647	100%
	Republican win (new seat)

2016

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district general election, 2016 ^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Julia Craven Howard (incumbent)	31,255	100%
Total votes			31,255	100%
	Republican hold

2014

North Carolina House of Representatives th district general election, 2014 ^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Julia Craven Howard (incumbent)	18,448	70.25%
	Democratic	Cristina Victoria Vazquez	7,811	29.75%
Total votes			26,259	100%
	Republican hold

2012

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district Republican primary election, 2012 ^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Julia Craven Howard (incumbent)	9,685	70.31%
	Republican	Bill Whiteheart	4,089	29.69%
Total votes			13,774	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district general election, 2012 ^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Julia Craven Howard (incumbent)	27,749	70.06%
	Democratic	Cristina Victoria Vazquez	11,859	29.94%
Total votes			39,608	100%
	Republican hold

2010

North Carolina House of Representatives th district general election, 2010 ^[20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Julia Craven Howard (incumbent)	17,006	100%
Total votes			17,006	100%
	Republican hold

2008

North Carolina House of Representatives th district general election, 2008 ^[21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Julia Craven Howard (incumbent)	25,401	100%
Total votes			25,401	100%
	Republican hold

2006

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district Republican primary election, 2006 ^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Julia Craven Howard (incumbent)	4,101	100%
	Republican	Frank Mitchell	0	0.00%
Total votes			4,101	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district general election, 2006 ^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Julia Craven Howard (incumbent)	12,553	100%
Total votes			12,553	100%
	Republican hold

2004

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district Republican primary election, 2004 ^[24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Julia Craven Howard (incumbent)	3,929	53.07%
	Republican	Frank Mitchell (incumbent)	3,474	46.93%
Total votes			7,403	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district general election, 2004 ^[25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Julia Craven Howard (incumbent)	21,225	100%
Total votes			21,225	100%
	Republican hold

2002

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district Republican primary election, 2002 ^[26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Julia Craven Howard (incumbent)	5,387	73.33%
	Republican	Mike Morris	1,959	26.67%
Total votes			7,346	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district general election, 2002 ^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Julia Craven Howard (incumbent)	15,412	86.70%
	Libertarian	Mike Holland	2,364	13.30%
Total votes			17,776	100%
	Republican hold

2000

North Carolina House of Representatives 79th district general election, 2000 ^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	William Wainwright (incumbent)	14,665	100%
Total votes			14,665	100%
	Democratic hold

References

1. "State House District 79, NC". Census Reporter. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
2. "1992 House Base Plan 5" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
3. "Interim House Redistricting Plan For N.C. 2002 Election" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
4. "House Redistricting Plan" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
5. "Lewis-Dollar-Dockham 4" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
6. "2018 House Election Districts" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
7. "HB 1020, 2nd Edition - 2019 House Remedial Map" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
8. "S.L. 2022-4 House" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
9. "SS.L. 2023-149 House" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
10. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
11. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
12. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
13. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
14. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
15. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
16. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
17. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
18. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
19. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
20. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
21. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
22. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
23. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
24. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
25. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
26. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
27. North Carolina State Board of Elections.
28. "NC State House 079". Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 3, 2022.