Name Dudley Spade | Role Politician | |
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Education Eastern Michigan University | ||
Dudley Spade (born March 8, 1956) is a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. He has served as State Representative from the 57th district since 2004. He is a Democrat. His district includes almost all of Lenawee County. Prior to becoming a State Representative, Spade was a child and family activist.
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Early life
Dudley Spade was born on a small farm in Hillsdale County, Michigan to Victor and Mirabel Spade. His father was a retired World War II veteran, and his mother was a teacher. His older brother, Doug, also served as a Representative from the 57th District despite being blind. Dudley Spade received his bachelor's degree in business and accounting from Eastern Michigan University. Spade spent 25 years as a child and family advocate, including 17 years as the controller of the Boysville of Michigan, a facility for troubled youth. In 1994, he received Michigan Federation of Private Child and Family Agencies' Peer Award for outstanding dedication in service to Michigan's families and children.
Political career
Dudley Spade was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2004. He is noted for introducing legislation to ban the sale of Marijuana-Flavored Candy in Michigan and amending the state's Deaf-Interpreter Act. Spade sats on the Appropriations Committee and chairs the Subcommittee on Human Services. He is also Chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.
Dudley succeeded his brother Doug in the 57th District, making them the first Democrats since 1914 to represent that area. In 2005 he was named as the "Visionary Freshman Legislator" by Michigan's Children, honored in 2006 by the Michigan Agri-Business Association as their "Legislator of the Year", and in 2007 was selected for that same honor by the Association of Independent Colleges."
Spade received criticism for supporting the closing of the Adrian Training School, a public girls juvenile detention facility. It was alleged that this act was a conflict of interest, as he continued to work closely with Boysville and Star Commonwealth, both private facilities. His brother had actively campaigned against closing the Adrian Training School during his term.
On November 4, 2008, Dudley Spade was re-elected for his third term with 68% of the vote.
After being term-limited, Spade was appointed to a position in the administration of Republican governor Rick Snyder
Personal
Spade lives in Tipton with his wife Nancy. They have three children. He belongs to the First Presbyterian Church in Tecumseh, where Dudley used to serve as a deacon.