Keith Kempenich
North Dakota State Representative, District 39 since 1992. Ran for re-election in 2026; the count goes on.
- In office
- 34 yrs
- Since 1992
- Bills became law
- 0
- 6 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 8.5%
- Chamber median 2.4%
- With party
- 83%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- −5.0
- Won 2022
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Appropriations · vice chair
- Agriculture and Water Management
- Appropriations: Government Operations Division
- Budget Section
- Budget Section Government Operations Division
- Budget Section Regulatory Division
- Legacy and Budget Stabilization Fund Advisory Board
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Failed in the Senate Mar 2025
Failed in the House Feb 2025
Failed in the House Feb 2025
Failed in the House Feb 2025
Failed in the House Jan 2025
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Kempenich sits in the North Dakota House of Representatives
Kempenich is closer to the center than 47% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: Lisa Meier, Jay Fisher, Dwight Kiefert
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:56 PM ET
With Kempenich’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans83%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills4%
Black tick: the average of Republicans in the North Dakota House of Representatives.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Kempenich’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.
| Date | Bill | Kempenich | Rep. majority | Dem. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 2025 | HB 1459: AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 38-12 of the North Dakota Century… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 63–26 |
| May 1, 2025 | HB 1298: AN ACT to amend and reenact sections 39-06.1-06, 39-09-02, 39-09-04, and 39-09-07.1, and… | Yes | No | Yes | Failed 46–45 |
| Apr 23, 2025 | SB 2018: AN ACT to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the department of… | Yes | No | Yes | Passed 48–44 |
| Apr 21, 2025 | HB 1482: AN ACT to amend and reenact sections 15.1-07-03, 15.1-07-04, 21-03-04, 21-03-07,… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 88–4 |
| Apr 21, 2025 | HB 1540: AN ACT to create and enact a new chapter to title 15.1 of the North Dakota Century Code,… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 49–43 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Kempenich was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | North Dakota Legislative District 39 | Counting | — | R+73.2 | — |
| 2022 | North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 | Won | D+5.0 | — | — |
| 2018 | North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 | Won | R+5.0 | — | — |
| 2014 | North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 | Won | R+3.2 | — | — |
| 2014 | North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 (primary) | Won | +2.2 | — | — |
| 2010 | North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 | Won | R+1.2 | — | — |
| 2006 | North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 | Won | D+0.9 | — | — |
| 2002 | North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 | Won | R+0.7 | — | — |
| 1998 | North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 | Won | D+0.4 | — | — |
| 1996 | North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 | Won | D+1.6 | — | — |
| 1994 | North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 | Won | D+0.6 | — | — |
| 1992 | North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 | Won | R+0.1 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $17.7K
- Spent
- $75
Source: North Dakota Secretary of State filings through Sep 18, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 7:46 AM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| Keith Kempenich State | Active |
Source: North Dakota Secretary of State filings through Sep 18, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 7:46 AM ET
Seats Kempenich has held
- North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 · since 1992
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Kempenich has run against
- Republican (R) · 2026 general
- Mike Schatz (R) · 2022 election, won
- Denton B. Zubke (R) · 2018 election, won
- David Drovdal (R) · 2010 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)
How we know Kempenich
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/3075343c-75ba-4957-a1a2-411eb1708c6b
- Wikidata Q20706851
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET