Conservative NC lawmaker ill, wife hospitalized with COVID

In a post dated Tuesday and updated Thursday, Kidwell writes that his wife is in Beaufort Hospital.

“Thursday morning. They've been able to lower her oxygen a little. She was complaining about the food today, so I guess that means she's improving. Please continue to pray for her," he posted.

"This morning not so good news," an earlier update reads. "They've added a new emergency medicine. Please continue to pray for my love."

On the House floor, Rep. Larry Pittman, R-Cabarrus, relayed a message from Kidwell indicating that Kidwell too was ill: “My fever seems to have gone. Just walking to the bathroom is exhausting. Viki is still not out of the woods.”

“So we certainly need to continue to keep them in our prayers,” Pittman added.

Kidwell is the main sponsor of bills that would limit the governor's emergency powers, ban the governor from mandating vaccines by executive order and bar state agencies from requiring the shots for licensing purposes.

In prior Facebook posts, Kidwell has decried “vaccine passports,” employer mandates, mask requirements, and efforts to get more people vaccinated, calling vaccine campaigns “manipulation.”

Kidwell has also reposted stories and posts casting doubt on the danger of COVID and calling into question the safety of the vaccines.

Rep. Kidwell did not respond to multiple inquiries from WRAL News about whether he is vaccinated.

Because several lawmakers missed the budget votes Wednesday and Thursday, WRAL News asked House Speaker Tim Moore's office how many active cases of COVID are in the state House. His staff did not answer the question.