Ryan Fecteau

Ryan Michael Fecteau (born September 18 1992) is an American politician from Maine serving as the current Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. A Democrat, Fecteau serves as a member of the Maine House of Representatives representing the 11th district which comprises a portion of his hometown of Biddeford. He is both the youngest and first openly-gay person to serve as Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives.[1][2]

Ryan Fecteau
103rd Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives
Assumed office
December 2, 2020
Preceded bySara Gideon
Member of the Maine House of Representatives
from the 11th district
Assumed office
December 3, 2014
Preceded byPaulette Beaudoin
Personal details
Born
Ryan Michael Fecteau

(1992-09-18) September 18, 1992
Biddeford, Maine, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materCatholic University of America
WebsiteGovernment website

Early life and education

Ryan Fectau was born in Biddeford, Maine to Shara LaBrecque, a senior caregiver, and Marc Fecteau, a small business owner in the building industry. The Fecteau family moved to Biddeford in 1964 from Packington, Quebec. His family made the move in order to earn a living in the Biddeford Textile Mills which comprised the economic engine of the Biddeford-Saco area at the time.[3] Fecteau's grandparents, father, aunt, and mother all worked in the textile mills at various points in time. Fecteau served on the Board of Directors for the Biddeford Mills Museum.[4] Fecteau is the oldest of two children in his family. He attended school in Saco, Maine until his family moved to Biddeford in 2005. He subsequently graduated from Biddeford High School in 2010 and the Catholic University of America in 2014.

Career

He has worked for a publishing company in Portland, Maine and the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn, Maine. He currently operates a retail business in Ogunquit, Maine.

After his election, Fecteau became the third-youngest member of the legislature and the youngest openly gay state representative in the United States.[5] Former Speaker Sara Gideon appointed Fecteau as House Chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research, and Economic Development in 2016.[6]

Fecteau supported Elizabeth Warren in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries.[7]

Personal life

He is a practicing Catholic at his hometown parish in Biddeford. He is openly gay.[8]

Awards

Fecteau received the 2015 Youth Innovator of the Year award from The Trevor Project, a group focused on suicide prevention among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and queer youth, at their annual TrevorLIVE event at the Marriott Marquis in New York City on June 15, 2015.[9] In his speech at the event, Fecteau cited his coming out experience as having been supported by The Trevor Project's social networking website "TrevorSpace" which is a safe, moderated forum for young LGBT and questioning persons.[10][11]

Election history
State House election in Maine, 2014
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Ryan Fecteau 2,475 64.2%
Republican Debi Davis 1,209 31.4%
State House election in Maine, 2016
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Ryan Fecteau 3,185 67.9%
Republican Renee Morin 1,507 32.1%
State House election in Maine, 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Ryan Fecteau 2,391 60.5%
Republican Emily Rousseau 1,464 37%

References
  1. "Ryan Fecteau, Gay and 28, Breaks Ground as Maine House Speaker". www.advocate.com. 13 November 2020.
  2. Thistle, Scott; Portl, Kevin Miller; Herald, Press (December 2, 2020). "Keeping their distance, Maine lawmakers sworn in for historic session".
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-07-03. Retrieved 2015-07-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Biddeford Mills Museum". Biddefordmillsmuseum.org. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  5. "Maine Could Make History With Gay Governor, Youngest Out Legislator". Advocate.com. 11 June 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  6. "Biddeford official named chairman of the House of Representatives". Courier.mainelymediallc.com. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  7. "Candidates vie for Maine endorsements ahead of Super Tuesday". WCSH. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
  8. "Ryan Fecteau, Gay and 28, Breaks Ground as Maine House Speaker". www.advocate.com. November 13, 2020.
  9. "TrevorLIVE". Trevorlive.org. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  10. Ryan Fecteau (17 June 2015). "Rep. Fecteau accepts Youth Innovator of the Year Award at TrevorLIVE". YouTube. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  11. "INTERVIEW - Ryan Fecteau, Democratic member of the Maine House of..." Gettyimages.com. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
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