Eric Brakey

Eric Brakey
Brakey at the 2022 Hazlitt Summit hosted by Young Americans for Liberty Foundation
Member of the Maine Senate
from the 20th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 7, 2022
Preceded byNed Claxton
In office
December 3, 2014 – December 5, 2018
Preceded byJohn Cleveland
Succeeded byNed Claxton
Personal details
Born (1988-08-08) August 8, 1988 (age 36)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationOhio University (BFA)

Eric Brakey (born August 8, 1988) is the current Executive Director of the Free State Project,[1][2][3] and an American politician, serving in his third term as a Maine state senator.

Brakey was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in the greater suburb of Shaker Heights, Ohio before attending Ohio University, where he studied theater performance. After college, he moved to New York City and worked as a professional actor.[4] A supporter of Congressman Ron Paul, Brakey took a job on his 2012 presidential campaign and moved to Maine.[5]

Brakey was elected to the state senate for district 20 in 2014. This district includes Auburn, New Gloucester, Poland, Minot, and Mechanic Falls. He was re-elected in 2016.[6] Brakey served as chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.[7]

Brakey was Maine state director for the 2012 Ron Paul presidential campaign; he led Ron Paul's supporters to win a majority of Maine delegate seats to the 2012 Republican National Convention, and won key seats on the Maine Republican state committee and national committee. After working for Paul's 2012 presidential campaign,[8] Brakey led Defense of Liberty PAC, a libertarian political action committee in Maine.[9]

Brakey was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2018, losing to incumbent Senator Angus King with 35% of the vote in a three-way race.[10] In 2020, Brakey sought the Republican nomination for Maine's 2nd congressional district, but placed third in the Republican primary election behind state representative Dale Crafts and Adrienne Bennett.[11] Later that year, he was selected as the Republican candidate for Secretary of State of Maine.[12]

In 2022, Brakey won a third term in the Maine State Senate after four years out of office. He defeated former Maine State Representative Bettyann Sheats.[13]

  1. ^ "Free State Project taps Maine state senator as its next leader". New Hampshire Public Radio. 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  2. ^ "Board & Staff". Free State Project. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  3. ^ Kobin, Billy (2023-11-30). "Maine GOP senator will lead New Hampshire libertarian group". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  4. ^ "Dancing Candidate Video: Eric Brakey Gets Heat Over Swimsuit Boogie". August 7, 2013.
  5. ^ Dwyer, Neil (7 December 2017). "Meet state Senator Eric Brakey, millennial for US Senate". Washington Examiner. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  6. ^ "Maine 2016 General Election results". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on 2010-06-12. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  7. ^ Cousins, Christopher (23 December 2014). "Maine lawmakers release committee assignments". The Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  8. ^ Katy Steinmetz, The Maine Moment: Loyal Paul Delegates Leave the Floor, Time (August 28, 2012).
  9. ^ Moretto, Mario (2013-08-11). "Libertarian group commends 10 GOP lawmakers, calls 21 Democrats 'constitutional threats'". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  10. ^ Shepherd, Michael (2018-11-07). "Angus King eases to re-election win over young challengers". fosters.com. Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  11. ^ "Dale Crafts to be GOP nominee for Maine's 2nd District after Bennett, Brakey concede". WGME. 15 July 2020.
  12. ^ "I am honored to accept the invitation of Republicans in the Maine Legislature to serve as the GOP candidate for Maine Secretary of State. #mepolitics". Twitter. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  13. ^ "Eric Brakey". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 28, 2023.