# Mike Pushkin > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mike_Pushkin > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mike_Pushkin.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Pushkin > Source revision: 1348860346 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Mike Pushkin** (born February 8, 1970)[1] is the Chair of the [West Virginia Democratic Party](/source/West_Virginia_Democratic_Party) and a [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) member of the [West Virginia House of Delegates](/source/West_Virginia_House_of_Delegates) representing District 37 since 2014.[2] He is also a taxi driver and musician, taking passengers or playing as a guitarist for his band "600 Lbs of Sin!" when the legislature is not in session.[3] Pushkin authored the original legislation to [impeach the Justices](/source/Impeachment_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_Appeals_of_West_Virginia) of the [Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia](/source/Supreme_Court_of_Appeals_of_West_Virginia).[4] ## Early life and education Pushkin's family arrived from Eastern Europe, most likely from [Russia](/source/Russia), in the late nineteenth century and settled in Charleston. Pushkin is the son of a doctor who worked at the [Charleston Area Medical Center](/source/Charleston_Area_Medical_Center).[3] Pushkin started playing drums at the age of eight and switched to guitar at 13. He attended [The Hill School](/source/The_Hill_School) for a year.[5] He attended [West Virginia University](/source/West_Virginia_University) but did not obtain a degree largely due to struggles with addiction. ## Career In 2001, Pushkin moved from [Morgantown](/source/Morgantown,_West_Virginia) to [Charleston](/source/Charleston,_West_Virginia) and started working as a taxi driver, but continued to fight his addiction and was fired.[3] He was rehired after attaining sobriety, which he maintains. ### Taxi driver As a taxi driver, he sees a side of Charleston oblivious to many politicians and has been held at gunpoint. He sometimes serves as a designated driver for his legislative colleagues.[3] ### Musical Pushkin is a member of the American Federation of Musicians Local 136. His current band is a five-member ensemble known as 600 Lbs of Sin! which takes its name from a [Grateful Dead](/source/Grateful_Dead) song.[3] Many of his original songs are political in content, in response to coal mining or environmental issues. His most famous song is a reaction to the [Upper Big Branch Mine disaster](/source/Upper_Big_Branch_Mine_disaster), a 2010 mine collapse. Pushkin taxied reporters to the site of the mine and was moved to sadness by the plight of miners. More recently, he has played in a new band, “Mike Pushkin and the Loyal Opposition”.[3] As a musician, he often covers the Grateful Dead and has played *[Country Roads](/source/Take_Me_Home,_Country_Roads)* at rallies.[3] ### Political In 2014, Pushkin announced plans to run for Elections to West Virginia's 37th District after the incumbent launched a Congressional campaign. His campaign slogan was “I'll take YOU there” and used the hashtag #TaxiHippie.[3] In 2016, he won a second term.[3] Pushkin was endorsed by [American Federation of Teachers](/source/American_Federation_of_Teachers), [Communications Workers of America](/source/Communications_Workers_of_America), [UMWA](/source/UMWA), [AFL–CIO](/source/AFL%E2%80%93CIO), [Teamsters](/source/Teamsters), [WVEA](/source/WVEA), [United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America](/source/United_Electrical,_Radio_and_Machine_Workers_of_America), [Carpenters](/source/Carpenters), Operators and Engineers, Charleston Firefighters, and the [Sierra Club](/source/Sierra_Club).[6] Pushkin's legislative district, District 37 in the [West Virginia House of Delegates](/source/West_Virginia_House_of_Delegates), was the only legislative district in either chamber of the [West Virginia State Legislature](/source/West_Virginia_State_Legislature) that supported Democratic nominee [Hillary Clinton](/source/Hillary_Clinton) over Republican [Donald Trump](/source/Donald_Trump) in the [2016 United States presidential election](/source/2016_United_States_presidential_election). In 2016, Clinton carried the state legislative district with 64.48 percent of the vote.[7] Pushkin carried the same district with 75.2 percent of the vote in that year's general election, outrunning the Democratic presidential nominee by more than ten percentage points.[8] The [West Virginia Democratic Party](/source/West_Virginia_Democratic_Party) elected Mike Pushkin to be Chair of the party at their organizational meeting on June 18, 2022 in Bridgeport, West Virginia.[9] #### Legislation Pushkin has developed a reputation for providing an independent voice on bills. He opposed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which gives businesses the right to decline to serve gay customers.[3] In his first term, he introduced the Second Chance for Employment Act, which provides the opportunity for felons to have their records cleared after 10 years.[3] He also unsuccessfully introduced a bill to legalize recreational marijuana during his first term. He reintroduced the Second Chance bill during his second term and the bill passed when a compromise was reached that would expunge misdemeanors, not felonies. He fought to successfully pass the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act, thanks to support Pushkin secured from his Libertarian colleagues.[3] In 2018, Pushkin was a staunch proponent of the successful impeachment of the Supreme Court of West Virginia. Pushkin wrote the original resolution to initiate [impeachment](/source/Impeachment_in_the_United_States) proceedings back in February.[4] He was one of the first legislators to push for an investigation into [Justice Loughry](/source/Allen_Loughry) for his personal use of state property and the subsequent cover-up.[10] In 2018, Pushkin was a vocal supporter of the efforts to give teachers a pay raise and improve wages in the public sector.[3] In 2019, Pushkin directed derogatory comments towards fellow Kanawha County Delegate Diana Graves. Pushkin did not apologize for the incident. ## Personal life On September 3, 2004, he started attending Narcotics Anonymous and became sober, which he maintains to this day.[3] Pushkin is the only [Jewish](/source/Judaism) member of the West Virginia legislature.[11][3] ## References 1. [https://www.wvlegislature.gov/house/lawmaker.cfm?member=Delegate%20Pushkin](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/house/lawmaker.cfm?member=Delegate%20Pushkin) 1. ["Richard J. Iaquinta"](http://www.legis.state.wv.us/House/lawmaker.cfm?member=Delegate%20Iaquinta). [Charleston, West Virginia](/source/Charleston,_West_Virginia): [West Virginia Legislature](/source/West_Virginia_Legislature). Retrieved April 1, 2014. 1. Hudson, Craig (25 April 2018). ["This Liberal Cab Driver Is Also West Virginia's Unlikeliest Politician"](http://narrative.ly/this-liberal-cab-driver-is-also-west-virginias-unlikeliest-politician/). *narrative.ly*. Retrieved 25 April 2018. 1. Singh, Lakshmi (12 August 2018). ["Entire West Virginia Supreme Court Faces Impeachment"](https://www.npr.org/2018/08/12/638018031/entire-west-virginia-supreme-court-faces-impeachment). *npr*. NPR. Retrieved 12 August 2018. 1. ["The Hill School | 2019 Commencement"](https://www.thehill.org/about-us/hill-traditions/2019-commencement) 1. ["Candidate Profile: Mike Pushkin"](https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/politics/candidate-profile-mike-pushkin/article_ce2c09ed-a7cb-55d8-aef4-f50767047763.html). *wvgazettemail*. Charleston Gazette Mail. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2018. 1. ["Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts"](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/6/1629653/-Daily-Kos-Elections-2016-presidential-results-for-congressional-and-legislative-districts). *Daily Kos Elections*. Retrieved 14 May 2019. 1. ["West Virginia House of Delegates 37th District Results: Mike Pushkin Wins"](https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/west-virginia-state-house-district-37). *The New York Times*. August 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2019. 1. McElhinny, Brad (2022-06-19). ["Democrats pick delegates Pushkin and Walker to lead state party"](https://wvmetronews.com/2022/06/18/democrats-pick-delegates-pushkin-and-walker-to-lead-state-party/). *WV MetroNews*. Retrieved 2022-08-02. 1. Robertson, Campbell (14 August 2018). ["A Coup or a Couch? What's Behind the Impeachment of West Virginia's Supreme Court"](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/14/us/west-virginia-impeachment-supreme-court.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved 14 August 2018. 1. Robinson, Kathryn (10 January 2017). ["Charleston mayor makes controversial comment about U.S. Senator"](http://www.wsaz.com/content/news/Charleston-mayor-makes-controversial-comment-about-US-Senator-410324515.htmlml). *wsaz*. WSAZ. Retrieved 12 August 2018. ## External links - [Official page](http://www.wvlegislature.gov/House/lawmaker.cfm?member=Delegate%20Pushkin) at the [West Virginia Legislature](/source/West_Virginia_Legislature) - [Campaign website](https://www.pushkin4house.com/) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mike Pushkin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Pushkin) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Pushkin?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.