K. Joseph Shekarchi (born May 17, 1962) is an American politician currently serving as the

Speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** I ...

of the

Rhode Island House of Representatives The Rhode Island House of Representatives is the lower house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island, the upper house being the Rhode Island Senate. It is composed of 75 members, elected ...

. A

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

, he has represented District 23 in

Warwick Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whi ...

since January 1, 2013. He was chairman of the House Labor Committee until his Democratic colleagues elected him as the House majority leader in November 2016. After four years as majority leader, his colleagues elected him speaker in November 2020 following the defeat of longtime speaker Nicholas Mattiello. Shekarchi considers himself a

moderate Democrat New Democrats, also known as centrist Democrats, Clinton Democrats, or moderate Democrats, are a centrist ideological faction within the Democratic Party in the United States. As the Third Way faction of the party, they are seen as cultura ...

Education

Shekarchi earned his

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...

from Suffolk University and his JD from the Suffolk University Law School. He attended Mount St. Charles Academy in Woonsocket, Rhode Island prior to attending Suffolk.

Elections

*2012 When incumbent District 23 Democratic Representative Robert Flaherty failed to qualify for the ballot, Shekarchi was unopposed for the September 11, 2012, Democratic Primary, winning with 536 votes and won the November 6, 2012, General election with 4,302 votes (67.9%) against

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

nominee John Falkowski.

Personal

Shekarchi is openly

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

. He is the second openly gay speaker of the Rhode Island House, after Gordon Fox.

References

External links

Official page
at the

Rhode Island General Assembly The State of Rhode Island General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. A bicameral body, it is composed of the lower Rhode Island House of Representatives with 75 representatives, and the upper Rhode Island Se ...

Campaign site
*
K. Joseph Shekarchi
at Ballotpedia , - 1962 births Living people 21st-century American politicians Gay politicians LGBT state legislators in Rhode Island Place of birth missing (living people) Politicians from Warwick, Rhode Island Rhode Island lawyers Speakers of the Rhode Island House of Representatives Democratic Party members of the Rhode Island House of Representatives Suffolk University Law School alumni {{RhodeIsland-politician-stub