Chuck Graham
Encyclopedia
Chuck Graham is a Democratic politician who formerly represented the 19th Senate District in the Missouri General Assembly
, which includes the city of Columbia, Missouri
, where he lives. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
in 1987 with a B.S.
in journalism.
He was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives
in 1996, and served there through 2002. He was first elected to the Missouri State Senate in 2004, and served as the party's Assistant Minority Floor Leader. He had been mentioned as a possible candidate in the 2006 U.S. Senate Election, but dropped out in support of then State Auditor and present Senator Claire McCaskill
.
He served on the following committees:
In 1998, Graham proposed a bill which would have permitted death row
prisoners awaiting execution to donate organs (kidneys or bone marrow) in exchange for a commutation of their death sentence. He is a strong supporter of stem-cell research.
On October 20, 2007, Graham was arrested by Columbia Police on suspicion of driving while intoxicated after rear-ending a vehicle near his home in Southwest Columbia. His license was subsequently suspended. On January 10, 2008, his license was reinstated and he is free to drive again after one month, despite the state mandated period of suspension for refusing the chemical blood alcohol test being one year.
Graham is a paraplegic following an automobile accident at age 16. He received national attention during a 2008 televised campaign rally in Columbia. Vice Presidential nominee Joe Biden
asked him to stand up, apparently unaware of his paralysis.
On November 4, 2008, Graham lost his seat after being defeated in the general election by Republican Kurt Schaefer. He announced that he has no plans to run for office in the near future.
Missouri General Assembly
The Missouri General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Missouri. The bicameral General Assembly is composed of a 34-member Senate, and a 163-member House of Representatives. Members of both houses of the General Assembly are subject to term limits...
, which includes the city of Columbia, Missouri
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
, where he lives. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
in 1987 with a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in journalism.
He was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives
Missouri House of Representatives
The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 31,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections held in even-numbered years.In 1992 Missouri...
in 1996, and served there through 2002. He was first elected to the Missouri State Senate in 2004, and served as the party's Assistant Minority Floor Leader. He had been mentioned as a possible candidate in the 2006 U.S. Senate Election, but dropped out in support of then State Auditor and present Senator Claire McCaskill
Claire McCaskill
Claire Conner McCaskill is the senior United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Democratic Party. She defeated Republican incumbent Jim Talent in the 2006 U.S. Senate election, by a margin of 49.6% to 47.3%. She is the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri in her own...
.
He served on the following committees:
- Education
- Gubernatorial Appointments
- Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence
- Pensions, Veterans' Affairs and General Laws
In 1998, Graham proposed a bill which would have permitted death row
Death row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
prisoners awaiting execution to donate organs (kidneys or bone marrow) in exchange for a commutation of their death sentence. He is a strong supporter of stem-cell research.
On October 20, 2007, Graham was arrested by Columbia Police on suspicion of driving while intoxicated after rear-ending a vehicle near his home in Southwest Columbia. His license was subsequently suspended. On January 10, 2008, his license was reinstated and he is free to drive again after one month, despite the state mandated period of suspension for refusing the chemical blood alcohol test being one year.
Graham is a paraplegic following an automobile accident at age 16. He received national attention during a 2008 televised campaign rally in Columbia. Vice Presidential nominee Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
asked him to stand up, apparently unaware of his paralysis.
On November 4, 2008, Graham lost his seat after being defeated in the general election by Republican Kurt Schaefer. He announced that he has no plans to run for office in the near future.