Justin Chenette

Justin Chenette
State Rep. Justin Chenette of Maine
Member of the Maine House of Representatives
from the 15th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
2012
Preceded by Linda Valentino
Maine State Board of Education
In office
2008–2009
Personal details
Born April 23, 1991
Political party Democratic
Residence Saco, Maine
Occupation Entrepreneur & Non-Profit Professional
Website justinchenette.com

Justin Chenette is a Democratic member of the Maine House of Representatives for District 15 representing the City of Saco. Chenette made history at age 21 becoming the youngest legislator in Maine and the youngest openly-gay legislator in the United States.[1]

Early life and education

Chenette was born, Justin Mark Chenette, in St. Albans, Vermont. He is the son of Jennifer Minthorn and Dr. Steven Mark Chenette, who graduated from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University. His father passed away Sept. 20th, 2000 when Chenette was just nine years old from complications of Diabetes. Chenette's step father is Alan Minthorn.

Chenette graduated high school from Thornton Academy in Saco, Maine. While in high school, Chenette was the station manager, executive producer, anchor, reporter, and host of Thornton Academy's TATV Channel 3, Saco's educational television station. TATV is one of the only student-run educational TV stations in the entire country. At the station, Chenette hosted a public affairs show he created, The Issue. Over the course of three years, Chenette interviewed over 50 candidates and politicians and produced three live election results shows. His work was recognized by the Student Television Network by honoring Chenette as the 2009 Student Broadcast Journalist of the Year.[2] Chenette also took courses through the early studies program at the University of Southern Maine. He attended Lyndon State College and went on to graduate a semester early with a Bachelor's Degree in broadcasting, Associate's Degree in TV news, and minors in political science and multimedia communications.[3]

Journalism

Based on his media efforts in high school, Chenette was selected as a Gannett Journalism Scholar for two consecutive years in 2009 and 2010. After interning at WPFO FOX 23 in Portland, Maine in 2011, Chenette was offered a job created for him as the assistant morning producer of their news program, Good Day Maine. Chenette worked on developing new segments and booked various entertainment and informative guests for the show. He also updated FOX's website on the weekends as web producer.

Early political career

State Board of Education

In 2008, Governor John Baldacci appointed Chenette to the Maine State Board of Education making him the first student member in the history of the board.[4] In his 16-month term, Chenette pushed for civic engagement curriculum, a universal grading system, increased drug prevention, and to shore up the educational disparity between northern and southern Maine. Chenette served on the Student Voices Committee.[5]

Democratic National Convention

In May 2012, Chenette was elected at the Maine State Democratic Convention as an at-large delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention down in Charlotte, North Carolina. Chenette was one of the youngest members of Maine's delegation to the DNC.[6]

Business

In 2013, Chenette started his first business venture, Chenette Media LLC, a multimedia public relations company based in Saco. Clients have included the Saco Drive-In, Way Way Store, political candidates, and small businesses. He is also a certified Notary Public. Chenette previously worked at Rocky Coast Marketing, a full service advertising and marketing firm, as vice-president of social media, specializing in web creation/management, media relations, and social media outreach.[7]

Maine House of Representatives

2012 election

Chenette announced his first run for public office at the age 20, while he was still attending college, when the sitting State Representative Linda Valentino was termed out and seeking the State Senate seat.[8] He announced his intention of running for the open State House seat in Saco being vacated by then Rep. Linda Valentino due to term limits. He faced a Democratic challenger in the June Primary.

Chenette was elected in 2012 to the Maine House of Representatives after winning the Democratic primary for the seat against challenger Sonya Lundh-Gay with 78% of the vote,[9] and going on to win the general election over Republican challenger Roland Wyman with 60% of the vote.[10]

2014 election

Chenette was unopposed in his re-election to the newly redrawn district 15 in the June Primary. He went on to face Saco Republican Chairwoman Carol Patterson in the General Election replacing Republican candidate Frederick Fortier who dropped out of the race. There was controversy surrounding the transparency of his replacement in selecting Patterson.[11] In what many considered to be a wave election for Republicans, Chenette won re-election two percentage points higher than his previous election with 62% of the vote.[12]

Committee assignments and caucuses

Electoral history

Maine House of Representatives District 15 General Election 2014
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Justin Chenette 2,451 62
Republican Carol Patterson 1,508 38

[16]

Maine House of Representatives District 134 General Election 2012
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Justin Chenette 3,074 60
Republican Roland Wyman 2,028 40

[17]

Maine House of Representatives District 134 Primary Election 2012
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Justin Chenette 543 78
Democratic Sonya Lundh-Gay 154 22

[18]

Personal life

Chenette was named to The Advocate's "Forty under 40" list of the most influential openly gay people in the country in 2013 based on his role model status as the youngest openly gay legislator in the country.[19] In Maine, he is one of five openly gay members of the Maine Legislature[20][21]

References

  1. ↑ Marnie Maclean (December 6, 2012). "Maine home to youngest, openly gay lawmaker in nation". NECN.
  2. ↑ "Thornton Academy grad on path to media prominence". Keep Me Current. April 1, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Lyndon State Senior Justin Chenette Elected State Rep. in Maine". Lyndon State College. November 7, 2012.
  4. ↑ Maine Department of Education (July 23, 2019). "First student members of State Board of Education". Maine Gov. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ↑ "Student Members". State of Maine.
  6. ↑ Democratic National Committee. "2012 Convention Delegates".
  7. ↑ "Vice President of Social Media". Rocky Coast Marketing.
  8. ↑ Kate Irish Collins (December 22, 2011). "Chenette to run for State House". Keep Me Current.
  9. ↑ Editor (June 13, 2012). "Biddeford, Saco, OOB Primary Elections Results". Keep Me Current.
  10. ↑ Editor (November 7, 2012). "Election Results". WGME 13.
  11. ↑ Editor (August 13, 2014). "Maine GOP Busted Rigging Recruitment Rules for State House Candidates". Maine Democratic Party.
  12. ↑ Editor. "Election Results 2014". Bangor Daily News.
  13. ↑ Editor (2014). "Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety". State of Maine.
  14. ↑ Editor (2014). "Representative Justin M. Chenette". Maine House Democrats.
  15. ↑ Editor (October 23, 2014). "Election 2014: Incumbent seeks second term in Saco". Courier Newspaper.
  16. ↑ Editor (December 12, 2014). "2014 General Election results for Maine". Bangor Daily News.
  17. ↑ Editor (November 7, 2012). "Election Results". WGME 13.
  18. ↑ "House roundup House primary races". Portland Press Herald.
  19. ↑ Advocate Editors (April 17, 2013). "40 Under 40".
  20. ↑ alongside Reps. Andrew McLean (D–Gorham), Matt Moonen (D–Portland), Terry Morrison (D–South Portland) and Craig Hickman (D–Winthrop)
  21. ↑ http://www.gaypolitics.com/2012/11/07/victory-fund-celebrates-huge-night-for-gay-candidates/