Diane Russell
Diane Russell | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Maine House of Representatives for the 120th District | |
| In office December 3, 2008 – December 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Anne Rand |
| Succeeded by | Michael Sylvester |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 9, 1976 Bryant Pond, Maine, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | University of Southern Maine |
| Profession | Public relations consultant |
Diane Marie Russell (born August 9, 1976; formerly Russell-Natera[1]) is an American politician who served in the Maine House of Representatives. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Political career
[edit]When Russell first ran for the State House in 2008, she was working as a cashier at a local convenience store.[2] She served on the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee and the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee.[3][4]
In 2011, The Nation magazine named her "Most Valuable State Representative" on its annual Progressive Honor Roll.[5]
In 2011, Russell introduced a bill to legalize marijuana in Maine. The bill, LD 1453, was voted down in committee (3-8) in March[6] and down by the House of Representatives in June.[7] After being re-elected in 2012, Russell introduced a similar bill to legalize marijuana in 2013. It was co-sponsored by Republican Rep. Aaron Libby.[8][9]
In November 2012, Russell unsuccessfully sought the Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives position, losing in a Democratic Party caucus vote to Mark Eves of York County.[10]
In 2016, Russell, who was barred by Maine's term limits law from running again for a House seat, ran for a seat in the Maine Senate, and lost in the Democratic primary election, coming in third among the three candidates.[11]
On August 10, 2017, Russell announced her campaign for Governor of Maine in the 2018 race.[12] She finished sixth of seven candidates in the primary with 2.2%.
Personal life
[edit]Russell is a native of Woodstock, Maine, and is a graduate of Leavitt Area High School.[13] She received a B.A. in media studies from the University of Southern Maine.[13] She has also worked as a public relations consultant.[13]
Electoral history
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Diane Marie Russell-Natera | 566 | 63.9 | |
| Democratic | Edward J. Democracy | 320 | 36.1 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Diane Marie Russell-Natera | 2,104 | 51.6 | |
| Green | Sandy L. Amborn | 1,231 | 30.2 | |
| Republican | Peter L. Doyle | 741 | 18.2 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Diane Marie Russell | 1,690 | 53.2 | |
| Green | Anna Trevorrow | 945 | 29.7 | |
| Republican | Thomas T. Elliman | 413 | 13.0 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Diane Marie Russell | 3,008 | 64.4 | |
| Republican | Davian Jon Akers | 658 | 14.1 | |
| Green | Justine A. Lynn | 619 | 13.3 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Diane Marie Russell | 2,701 | 63.2 | |
| Green | Lauren Marie Besanko | 1,020 | 23.9 | |
| Blank votes | N/A | 547 | 12.8 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ben Chipman | 1,778 | 52.5 | |
| Democratic | Charles Radis | 797 | 23.5 | |
| Democratic | Diane Marie Russell | 770 | 22.7 | |
| Party | Candidate | Maximum round |
Maximum votes |
Share in maximum round |
Maximum votes First round votes Transfer votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Janet Mills | 4 | 63,384 | 54.1% |
| |
| Democratic | Adam Cote | 4 | 53,866 | 45.9% |
| |
| Democratic | Betsy Sweet | 3 | 29,944 | 24.4% |
| |
| Democratic | Mark Eves | 2 | 19,521 | 15.7% |
| |
| Democratic | Mark Dion | 1 | 5,200 | 4.1% |
| |
| Democratic | Diane Russell | 1 | 2,728 | 2.2% |
| |
| Democratic | Donna Dion | 1 | 1,596 | 1.3% |
| |
References
[edit]- ↑ "General Election Tabulation for the Election held on November 4, 2008 for Representative to the Legislature" (PDF). Maine Secretary of State. May 5, 2009.
- ↑ "From Behind the Counter: A Different View of the 47%". huffingtonpost.com. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ↑ "Representative Diane Marie Russell's Biography". votesmart.org. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ↑ "Diane Russell". maine.gov. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ↑ "The Progressive Honor Roll of 2011". thenation.com. 2011-12-22. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ↑ Haskell, Meg (March 14, 2011). "Lawmakers vote down marijuana legalization but ease access to medical pot". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
- ↑ Miller, Kevin (June 14, 2011). "House votes against fully legalizing pot". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ↑ Cousins, Christopher (February 21, 2013). "Democratic and Republican legislators unite on bill to legalize and tax marijuana". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ↑ Byrne, Matt; Hoey, Dennis (2012-11-14). "Maine lawmaker seeks to legalize marijuana". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ↑ Carkhuff, David (November 14, 2012). "Russell vies for Speaker of the House post; Alfond tapped in Senate". Portland Daily Sun. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
- ↑ "Ben Chipman wins hard-fought Democratic Senate primary in Portland". Portland Press Herald. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- ↑ Cousins, Christopher; Staff, B. D. N. "Former state representative launches Democratic bid for Maine governor". The Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
- 1 2 3 "Diane Russell". emergemaine.org. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
External links
[edit]- 1976 births
- Living people
- American public relations people
- Democratic Party members of the Maine House of Representatives
- Politicians from Portland, Maine
- University of Southern Maine alumni
- Women state legislators in Maine
- 21st-century American women politicians
- People from Woodstock, Maine
- 21st-century members of the Maine Legislature