RALEIGH — The Republican Party in House District 119 has tapped Anna Ferguson to fill the remainder of the term for Rep. Mike Clampitt (R-Swain), who died in March after a battle with cancer.
In an email statement to North State Journal, Ferguson applauded Clampitt’s service.
“I hope Mike Clampitt continues to be remembered for the good he did for his district, and I am saddened by the circumstances leading to the selection of a House Representative Designate for District 119,” Ferguson wrote. “However, I am excited to bring the voices of Jackson, Swain, Transylvania Counties and the Qualla Boundary to Raleigh in the most effective way possible.”
Ferguson is the first enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) to head to the legislature. She grew up in the Qualla Boundary, a land trust area of the EBCI that spans 57,000 acres in the western half of North Carolina.
Others who were up for the nomination to the seat included Shira Hedgepeth and Molly McKim from Jackson County, and Larry Chapman from Transylvania County.
According to her official website, Ferguson has held positions on the EBCI Governing Board of Audit and Ethics, and the Eastern Band of Cherokees Planning Board. Additionally, she’s the third generation to live on their family’s farm and has “over 30 years experience working in construction finance.”
The news of her nomination to fill Clampitt’s seat came in a congratulatory post on Facebook by EBCI Principal Chief Mitchell Hicks this past Saturday.
House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Granite Falls) also congratulated Ferguson.
“Congratulations to Anna Ferguson on her win,” said Hall in a statement. “The people of Jackson, Swain, and Transylvania counties have chosen a dedicated advocate to represent their district.
“I look forward to working with Anna in the North Carolina House to continue advancing policies that support western North Carolina and our entire state, including our ongoing efforts to help our neighbors recover and rebuild from Hurricane Helene.”
Ferguson was one of two challengers in the March primary for Clampitt’s seat, along with Mike Yow. Clampitt had prevailed in the primary with 4,508 (56.72%) votes. Ferguson came in second with 2,988 votes (37.59%), and Yow garnered 452 votes (5.69%).
The House 119 seat is +3 Republican leaning, according to the Civitas Partisan Index. To keep the seat, Ferguson will face Democrat Mark Burrows in November.
