There’s a familiar and friendly face serving constituents in Augusta. South Portland voters elected IBEW Local 1837 member Matthew Beck to represent them in the Maine House of Representatives for District 122.
Beck, who served as an Organizer and Business Representative for the local for decades before his retirement in April 2023, secured a decisive victory with more than 70% of the vote in a special election held in March. He will serve the remainder of the term for the late Rep. Lois Galgay Reckitt, a longtime champion of human rights, who passed away at the age of 78 from colon cancer.
“It’s a tremendous honor to represent the people in South Portland House District 122, especially following in the footsteps of the late human rights champion Lois Galgay Reckitt, who served in that seat for seven years,” Rep. Beck said. “I’m also pleased to be another voice in support of organized labor, alongside IBEW 1837 members Kevin O’Connell and Marc Malon, who also serve in the Maine House of Representatives. I’m looking forward to the general election in November and look forward to serving a full 2-year term starting in December.”
Rep. Beck brings a wealth of knowledge to his new role. He served as the union’s registrar and was the co-chair of the Maine AFL-CIO’s Political and Legislative Committee. Before joining 1837 staff, he worked at WGME-TV in Portland for nearly 20 years as a Producer/Director and served as Chief Steward.