Joe Sam Queen Explained

Joe Sam Queen
State House:North Carolina
District:119th
Term Start:January 1, 2019
Term End:January 1, 2021
Predecessor:Mike Clampitt
Successor:Mike Clampitt
Term Start1:January 1, 2013
Term End1:January 1, 2017
Predecessor1:Phil Haire
Successor1:Mike Clampitt
State Senate2:North Carolina
District2:47th
Term Start2:January 1, 2007
Term End2:January 1, 2011
Predecessor2:Keith Presnell
Successor2:Ralph Hise
Term Start3:January 1, 2003
Term End3:January 1, 2005
Predecessor3:Constituency established
Successor3:Keith Presnell
Party:Democratic
Birth Date:18 June 1950
Birth Place:Waynesville, North Carolina, U.S.
Alma Mater:North Carolina State University (BS, MS)
Profession:Architect
Residence:Waynesville, North Carolina, U.S.
Spouse:Dr. Kate Queen MD
Website:http://ncleg.net/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=H&nUserID=669

Joe Sam Queen (born June 18, 1950) is a North American Democratic Party politician and architect from North Carolina. He has served in both the North Carolina Senate and the North Carolina House of Representatives.

Political career

Queen represented the state's 47th Senate district, including constituents in Avery, Haywood, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell and Yancey counties. He was first elected in 2002, serving in the 2003-2004 session before being defeated in 2004 by former Yancey County commissioner Keith Presnell. Queen then defeated Presnell in 2006 and again in 2008. In 2010, he lost a bid for reelection to Ralph Hise.[1]

He was elected to the North Carolina House in 2012, defeating Mike Clampitt, and defeated Clampitt again in 2014. He began his second term in the North Carolina House of Representatives (his 5th total term in the General Assembly) on January 14, 2015. He represented the 119th district, including constituents in Jackson, Swain and Haywood counties. He was defeated for reelection by Mike Clampitt in the 2016 general election. In the 2018 general election, Queen defeated Clampitt in a rematch to gain back his seat.[2] In the 2020 general election, Queen lost to Clampitt.[3]

Queen has served as the vice-chairman of the Aging Committee[4] and was a voting member of committees on Agriculture, Transportation, Appropriations, Appropriations General Government, Judiciary II and Regulatory Reform.[5] He was a vocal leader in the call to expand Medicaid in North Carolina and issues such as raising teacher pay.[6] He is adamantly against fracking in North Carolina and has made strong public remarks against it.[7]

Personal life

An architect and a sixth generation resident of Haywood County, Queen is also heavily involved in other civic and cultural activities, including producing the summer street dances on Main Street in Waynesville and serving as director of the Smoky Mountain Folk Festival for more than 30 years.[8] [9] He has also served as a boy scout master, a Sunday school teacher, a youth soccer coach and on various boards and committees. He attends many arts and educational events in his district, including plays and concerts. He is married to Dr. Kate Queen and has two children, both of whom are graduates of North Carolina State University. He has an architectural practice in Waynesville.

Electoral history

2002

External links

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: NC SBE Contest Results. er.ncsbe.gov. 2019-02-12.
  2. Web site: Queen wins election in back-and-forth NC House District. Hodge. Rex. 2018-11-07. WLOS. 2019-02-12.
  3. Web site: North Carolina House of Representatives District 119.
  4. Web site: Aging House Standing Committee - North Carolina General Assembly. www.ncleg.gov. 2019-02-12.
  5. Web site: North Carolina General Assembly - Representative Joe Sam Queen (Democrat, 2015-2016 Session). https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063340/http://ncleg.net/gascripts/members/reports/committeeAssignments.pl?nUserid=669&Chamber=H. 2016-03-04.
  6. Web site: SMN 01 14 15. issuu. 14 January 2015 . 2019-02-12.
  7. Web site: In Their Words: Rep. Joe Sam Queen.
  8. [Folkmoot USA]
  9. Web site: About Us. Folkmoot USA. en-US. 2019-02-12.