Keith Kempenich
North Dakota State Representative, District 39 since 1992. Ran in 11 elections between 1992 and 2022, winning 11. 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
- Elections
- 12
- 1992–2026
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
No bills in this list for the 2025–2026 session.
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 | — | — | — |
| 2022 | North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 | Won | D+5.0 | R+70.9 | −75.9 |
| 2018 | North Dakota House of Representatives, District 39 | Won | R+5.0 | R+71.7 | −66.7 |
| 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
- 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