David Eastman (politician)

David Eastman
Member of the Alaska House of Representatives
from the 10th district
Assumed office
January 17, 2017 (2017-January-17)
Preceded by Wes Keller
Personal details
Born Redwood City, California
Political party Republican
Residence Wasilla, Alaska
Occupation Firefighter/EMT
Website http://www.daveeastman.org/

David Eastman is a Republican member of the Alaska House of Representatives, serving the 10th district. He has served since January 17, 2017. He was elected to office on November 8, 2016, with 73.98% of the vote.[1]

Named 2010 Alaska State Volunteer of the Year by First Lady Sandy Parnell (First Lady's Volunteer Awards; Juneau, AK) primarily for volunteer work with children and families.[2]

Selected in April 2012 by Republicans in House District 13 as their first choice to fill the House Seat left vacant by the death of Rep. Carl Gatto (R-Palmer). Selected as one of 15 aspiring conservative policy leaders nationally in 2010-2011 to join Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell in being named an Abraham Lincoln Fellow by the Claremont Institute for Statesmanship and Political Philosophy.[3]

Political positions

Eastman was a Tea Party activist[4] and is considered very right-wing. He ran to the right of a very conservative candidate in his 2016 election as member of the Alaska House of Representatives.

President Trump

Eastman is an ardent Trump supporter, and was actively involved very early in the Trump candidacy.[5]

Abortion

Eastman is against abortion in all forms.

He once tried to add a right-to-life amendment to a non-controversial resolution in 2017 that designated April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and filed a complaint when the committee wouldn't consider his amendment.[6]

Honoring veterans

In April 2017, Rep. David Eastman (R-Wasilla) voted against a bill in Alaska to honor Hmong veterans and the more than 100,000 Hmong people who died in the Vietnam War supporting the United States. He also voted against a bill honoring black soldiers who worked on the Alaska Highway. His reasoning is that all soldiers should be honored equally.[7]

Abortion remark censure

In May 2017, Eastman was involved in a controversy regarding his remarks suggesting that native Alaskan women in villages try to get pregnant on purpose to get a "free trip to the city" for abortion. He claims there are too many incentives to get an abortion and said, "We have folks who try to get pregnant in this state so that they can get a free trip to the city, and we have folks who want to carry their baby past the point of being able to have an abortion in this state so that they can have a free trip to Seattle." [8]

The Alaska House of Representatives voted to censure Eastman because of his remarks.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "GEMS ELECTION RESULTS". www.elections.alaska.gov. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  2. ↑ "First Lady Announces Volunteers of the Year Awards - Alaska Business Monthly - April 2010 - Anchorage, AK". www.akbizmag.com. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  3. ↑ Frontiersman.com. "Republicans nominate 3 to fill Gatto's seat". Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  4. ↑ http://www.washingtontimes.com, The Washington Times. "Palin tests her political clout with long-shot pick in Alaska". The Washington Times. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  5. ↑ Reynolds, Casey (December 12, 2016). "What Really Happened At This Weekend's AK GOP Meeting". The Midnight Sun. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Eastman calls for reprimand after LeDoux blocks committee debate". www.ktva.com. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Wasilla representative casts lone no vote on bill honoring Alaska's Hmong veterans". www.ktva.com. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Alaska lawmaker mum amid apology demand for abortion remarks". WILK-FM. May 8, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  9. ↑ http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/11/politics/alaska-censure-david-eastman-abortion-trnd/
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