Lewis Evangelidis
Lewis George Evangelidis | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1961 Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, lawyer, sheriff |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Known for | Sheriff of Worcester County, Massachusetts; former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives |
Lewis George Evangelidis (born 1961) currently serves as the sheriff of Worcester County, Massachusetts and is a former representative in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Early life and education
Born in Worcester, Massachusetts to parents Judith C. and George L., an attorney, Evangelidis is the oldest among three children. He grew up in Holden, Massachusetts and completed his secondary education at Wachusett Regional High School. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1983 and later earned his Juris Doctor from Temple University School of Law in 1987.
Professional background prior to politics
Evangelidis’s early career involved legal positions within insurance firms, followed by roles as an Assistant State Attorney in Dade County, Florida and an Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Subsequently, he practiced law at the Worcester-based firm Pellegrini and Seeley.
Political trajectory
Prior to his tenure in the state legislature, Evangelidis contributed to the financial oversight as a member of the Holden Finance Committee.
Service in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
In April 2002, Evangelidis declared his intention to run for the first Worcester District seat in the Massachusetts House. He narrowly secured the Republican nomination on September 17, 2002, defeating former Holden Selectman Mark S. Ferguson by just 53 votes—2,568 to 2,515.
In the general election held on November 5, 2002, he unseated incumbent Democrat David C. Bunker Jr., garnering 10,646 votes against Bunker’s 7,854. His legislative service spanned from January 2003 until January 2011, representing communities in central Worcester County such as Holden, Westminster, Hubbardston, Oakham, Princeton, Rutland, and portions of Sterling.
Contest for Massachusetts House Republican leadership in 2009
In November 2008, Evangelidis announced his candidacy for the position of House Minority Leader—the leading Republican role within the Massachusetts House. During the leadership election in January 2009, he was narrowly defeated by incumbent Bradley Jones Jr., with a vote tally of 9-7.
Role as Worcester County Sheriff
Evangelidis entered the race for Worcester County Sheriff on January 25, 2010, and was successfully elected during the November 2, 2010 state elections. He won re-election again in November 2022.
Appointment to Massachusetts Port Authority
In April 2015, Governor Charlie Baker appointed Evangelidis to serve on the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). Soon thereafter, he was elected Chairperson for a three-year term. On July 14, 2020, Governor Baker reappointed him to a seven-year term on Massport’s Board.
Prospective gubernatorial ambitions
Evangelidis has expressed interest in seeking the Republican nomination for the 2026 Massachusetts gubernatorial election.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1961 births
- 21st-century members of the Massachusetts General Court
- Florida lawyers
- Living people
- Massachusetts lawyers
- Massachusetts Port Authority people
- Massachusetts sheriffs
- People from Holden, Massachusetts
- Politicians from Worcester, Massachusetts
- Republican Party members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
- Sheriffs of Worcester County, Massachusetts
- Temple University Beasley School of Law alumni
- University of Massachusetts Amherst College of Social and Behavioral Sciences alumni