| Riley Keaton | |
| Office: | Member of the West Virginia House of Delegates |
| Constituency: | 11th district (2020–2022) 15th district (2022–2023) |
| Term Start: | December 1, 2020 |
| Term End: | October 12, 2023 |
| Predecessor: | Rick Atkinson |
| Successor: | Erica Moore |
| Birth Name: | Nicholas Riley Keaton |
| Birth Date: | 19 August 1997 |
| Birth Place: | Spencer, West Virginia |
| Party: | Republican |
| Education: | Roane County High School |
Nicholas Riley Keaton (born August 9, 1997) is an American politician who served as a Delegate to the West Virginia House of Delegates from 2020 to 2023. Keaton is a Republican.
Keaton was born in Spencer, West Virginia, to Tony and Tracey Keaton. He studied for his Bachelor of Economics degree at West Virginia University. As a teenager, Keaton was politically active. Before assuming office, Keaton was employed as the president of a limited liability company.[1] [2]
In his first primary, Keaton narrowly lost to incumbent Rick Atkinson in a three-way race, receiving 37.36% of the vote and missing the nomination by only 28 votes.[3]
In the 2020 primary, Keaton defeated Atkinson with 52.01% of the vote to win the nomination.[4]
In the general election, Keaton defeated Democrat Mark Pauley with 66.46% of the vote.[5]
In 2022, Keaton's district changed following the states redistricting. He was once again up against Rick Atkinson in the primary. On May 10, 2022, he went on to win the primary with 56% of the vote to Atkinson's 44%.[6]
In the general election, Keaton defeated Democrat Chuck Conner with 30.1% of the vote.
Keaton is an assistant majority whip in the House of Delegates.
Keaton has an "A" rating from the NRA Political Victory Fund[8] and a 100% rating from the West Virginia Citizens Defense League, a regional gun rights organization.
With many of his fellow Delegates, Keaton signed onto a resolution requesting West Virginia Senators and Congresspeople to oppose bills that would allow statehood for the District of Columbia.[9]
Keaton opposed Senate Bill 680, a bill that would make it harder for school staff to be given raises, but the bill passed the House of Delegates despite some Republican opposition.[10]
Keaton was the lead sponsor of House Bill 2595, a bill that would prohibit so-called "divisive concepts" from being taught in West Virginia schools or promoted in other state-funded agencies. It targeted criticisms of American society, eliminating language that would refer to the US as a "fundamentally racist or sexist" country.[11] [12] [13]
Keaton voted for SB 11, a bill that would make it more difficult for employees to strike.[14] [15]
On October 12, 2023, Keaton formally resigned from his position in the West Virginia House of Delegates, stating on his Facebook that he has accepted a legislative role with the Jim Justice Administration’s Department of Human Services.[16]
Keaton is a Catholic.[2] On October 8, 2022, Keaton married Sadie Shields at the Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Charleston.[17]