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Ralph Chapman (politician)

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Ralph Chapman
Member of the Maine House of Representatives
from the 133rd district
In office
December 3, 2014 – January 3, 2019
Preceded byBarry J. Hobbins
Succeeded bySarah Pebworth
Member of the Maine House of Representatives
from the 37th district
In office
December 1, 2010 – December 3, 2014
Preceded byJames M. Schatz
Succeeded byRichard R. Farnsworth
Personal details
Born (1951-02-05) February 5, 1951 (age 73)
Political partyGreen Independent (since 2017)
Other political
affiliations		Democratic (before 2017)
Independent (2017)
ResidenceBrooksville, Maine
Alma materTufts University

Ralph Chapman (born February 5, 1951) is a former Green member of the Maine House of Representatives. He represented the 133rd district, which covers parts of Hancock County. Originally elected as a Democrat, he later became an independent and finally a Green under the Maine Green Independent Party since September 22, 2017.

Biography

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Chapman graduated from Tufts University in 1973. He worked as the principal and technical director of LEO Engineering from 1987 until 1993 and was consultant and owner of Ralph Chapman Consulting from 2000 until 2003. Beginning in 2003, he served as coordinator and instructor of United Technologies Center.[1]

Chapman was first elected to the House in 2010, and reelected in 2012, 2014, and 2016. On May 26, 2017, Chapman, along with fellow representative Denise Harlow, unenrolled from the Democratic Party and became an independent.[2][3] Both were speculated to have unenrolled due to their opposition to a bill which would allow open-pit mining in the state of Maine.[4] On September 22, 2017, Chapman became a member of the Maine Green Independent Party.[5][6] He is the first Green Party legislator in Maine since John Eder, who served from 2003 until 2007 and the first Green Party state legislator in the country since Fred Smith of Arkansas, who was elected as a Green but became a Democrat in 2014.[7]

Chapman was term-limited in 2018 and left office in January 2019.

Personal life

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Chapman and his wife, Rebecca, have 5 children.[1]

Political positions

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For the 2016 United States presidential election, Chapman endorsed Bernie Sanders.[8] He also is an advocate of environmental issues.[9]

Electoral history

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Maine House District 37 Democratic primary, 2010[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ralph Chapman 580 53.02
Democratic J. Benjamin Wootten 514 46.98
Total votes 1,094 100.00
Maine House District 37 election, 2010[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ralph Chapman 2,266 50.39
Republican Madeleine Gay Leach 2,231 49.61
Total votes 4,497 100.00
Maine House District 37 Democratic primary, 2012[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ralph Chapman 436 59.97
Democratic James M. Schatz 291 40.03
Total votes 727 100.00
Maine House District 37 election, 2012[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ralph Chapman 2,958 55.74
Republican Sherman H. Hutchins 2,349 44.26
Total votes 5,307 100.00
Maine House District 133 election, 2014[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ralph Chapman 2,481 57.30
Republican Susan Walsh 1,849 42.70
Total votes 4,330 100.00
Maine House District 133 election, 2016[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ralph Chapman 3,074 57.62
Republican Nancy Faye Colwell 2,261 42.38
Total votes 5,335 100.00

References

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  1. ^ a b "Ralph Chapman's Biography". Project VoteSmart. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  2. ^ Miller, Kevin (May 26, 2017). "Two Democratic lawmakers drop out of party". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  3. ^ Berleant, Anne (June 1, 2017). "Rep. Ralph Chapman drops out of Democratic Party". Penobscot Bay Press. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  4. ^ Sainato, Michael (May 30, 2017). "Two Pro-Sanders Legislators in Maine Just Left the Democratic Party". The New York Observer. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  5. ^ Berleant, Anne (September 28, 2017). "Rep. Chapman joins Maine Green Party". The Weekly Packet. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  6. ^ Goldthwait, Jill (October 13, 2017). "The "I's" have it: Maine House undergoes party affiliation shakeup". The Ellsworth American. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  7. ^ Cousins, Christopher (September 22, 2017). "Lawmaker's party switch gives Greens a seat in the Maine House". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  8. ^ "Bernie Sanders' Campaign in Maine Announces 60 Endorsements". The Bern Report. January 21, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  9. ^ "House District 133: Ralph Chapman and Nancy Colwell". The Ellsworth American. October 17, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  10. ^ "ME State House 037 - D Primary 2010". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  11. ^ "ME State House 037 2010". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  12. ^ "ME State House 037 - D Primary 2012". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  13. ^ "ME State House 037 2012". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  14. ^ "ME State House 133 2014". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  15. ^ "ME State House 133 2016". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
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