David Slagger
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = David Slagger
| image =
| imagesize =
| smallimage =
| caption =
| order = Member of the Maine House of Representatives
| term_start = January 4, 2012
| term_end = December 2012
| predecessor =
| successor = Henry John Bear
| party = Unenrolled
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|6|22}}
| birth_place = Bangor, Maine
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = University of Maine
| profession = Public Relations
| residence = Sangerville, Maine
| spouse = Wilhilmina Slagger
| website =
}}
David Slagger (born June 22, 1962) is a Maliseet politician in Maine. Slagger served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives, representing the newly recognized Maliseet Tribe. Slagger was sworn-in as the appointed representative to the House of Representatives on January 4, 2012. He held the seat temporarily until a tribal election could be conducted to elect a Maliseet Tribal Representative, which the Maliseet Tribe then did on December 22, 2012 when tribal members elected Henry John Bear as their first elected Tribal Representative to the Maine House of Representatives. Slagger did not seek another term as Maliseet representative.
Slagger was one of three non-voting representatives from Maine's Native American tribes in the House of Representatives. Representatives from each tribe are all elected by tribal members.{{cite news|url=http://bangordailynews.com/2012/01/02/politics/maines-first-maliseet-legislator-to-be-sworn-in-wednesday/|title=Maine's first Maliseet legislator to be sworn in Wednesday|last=Adams|first=Glenn|date=January 4, 2012|work=Bangor Daily News|accessdate=4 January 2012}}
Slagger did not seek another term as the Maliseet representative due to the limitations placed on tribal representatives, including the inability to vote and sponsor bills without co-sponsors. Slagger was humiliated when, during a tie vote in the Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee on which he sat, Slagger's deciding vote was recorded but cast aside by the committee chair. In May 2012, Slagger announced a bid for the non-tribal seat in which he lived, District 22.{{cite news|url=http://bangordailynews.com/2012/05/28/politics/maliseet-representative-to-step-down-run-for-house-district-22-seat/|title=Maliseet representative to step down, run for House District 22 seat|last=Lynds|first=Jen|date=May 28, 2012|work=The Bangor Daily News|accessdate=9 February 2013}} Still running as a non-party (independent) candidate, he challenged incumbent Republican incumbent Stacy Guerin with no Democrat in the race. He received 1,299 votes (26%) and lost.{{cite web|url=http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/2012/tabs-can-staterep-2012.html#22|title=Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions, Elections Division|accessdate=9 February 2013|archive-date=23 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023235234/http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/2012/tabs-can-staterep-2012.html#22|url-status=dead}}
Gubernatorial campaign
In February 2013, Slagger formed a campaign committee to run for Governor of Maine in 2014 as a Democrat.{{cite news|url=http://capitolincite.bangordailynews.com/2013/02/13/former-maliseet-rep-takes-1st-step-toward-gubernatorial-bid/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130430134812/http://capitolincite.bangordailynews.com/2013/02/13/former-maliseet-rep-takes-1st-step-toward-gubernatorial-bid/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 30, 2013 |title=Former Maliseet rep takes 1st step toward gubernatorial bid – Capitol Incite - BDN Maine Blogs |last=Stone |first=Matthew |work=Bangor Daily News |accessdate=18 February 2013 }} In April, Slagger enrolled as a Green Independent and began seeking the Maine Green Independent Party's nomination.{{cite news|url=http://bangordailynews.com/2013/04/26/politics/pingree-announces-that-she-wont-run-for-governor-in-2014/|title=Chellie Pingree announces she won't run for governor in 2014|last=Stone|first=Matthew|date=April 26, 2013|work=Bangor Daily News|accessdate=27 April 2013}} Shortly thereafter, Slagger unenrolled as a Green Independent and continued his run as an unenrolled candidate for Governor.{{cite web|url=http://www.mainecampaignfinance.com/Public/entity_summary.asp?TYPE=CAN&ID=6408&LIMIT=&YEAR=2014 |title=Maine Campaign Finance |accessdate=25 October 2013 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Slagger did not qualify for the November 2014 ballot as an independent.
Personal
Slagger grew up in Aroostook County, Maine{{cite news|url=http://archive.bangordailynews.com/2005/09/08/umaine-student-lands-internship-american-indian-museum-run-by-smithsonian-welcomes-micmac/?ref=search|title=UMaine student lands internship American Indian museum run by Smithsonian welcomes Micmac|work=Bangor Daily News|page=W1|accessdate=14 April 2013}} and lives in Kenduskeag in Penobscot County with his wife (a Mi'kmaq) and their three children. In September 2005, Slagger, a non-traditional undergraduate at the University of Maine, was awarded an internship at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. At the time of his swearing-in in 2012, Slagger was a doctoral candidate at the University of Maine.
References
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Category:Members of the Maine House of Representatives
Category:People from Kenduskeag, Maine
Category:University of Maine alumni
Category:Native American state legislators in Maine
Category:Native American people from Maine