Dale Folwell

Dale Folwell is the Speaker Pro Tempore of the North Carolina House of Representatives. He is a Republican from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, serving his fourth term in the North Carolina General Assembly. However, he announced he will not run for reelection to the legislature. He announced his candidacy for N.C. Lieutenant Governor in January 2012. He faces Dan Forest and Tony Gurley in the May primary.

His committee assignments include: Appropriations; Commerce & Job Development; Finance; Government; Insurance; Rules, Calendar & Operations of the House; and State Personnel. He is a chairman of the Finance Committee and vice-chairman of the State Personnel Committee. He is also chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and a member of the Commerce and Job Development Subcommittee on Business and Labor. He was also the 2007-2008 Joint Republican Caucus Leader.

The most recent ranking of the non-partisan North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research ranked Folwell 38th in effectiveness in the House, down from 32nd the prior session. In both sessions, Folwell ranked as one of the more effective members of the minority party. The North Carolina Free Enterprise Foundation gave Rep. Folwell a top 10 business rating among all state representatives and senators for the 2011 legislative session. The 2011 NCFEF business rating report ranked him seventh in the House. In 2009, Civitas Action rated him the most conservative member of the House. In 2011, Civitas Action ranked Folwell as the 6th most conservative member of the House.