Leonidas Raptakis

Leonidas Raptakis

Rhode Island State Senator

United States

In 1996, State Representative Leonidas Raptakis became the
first Greek-American State Senator elected in Rhode Island,
defeating a six-term incumbent by a 2-1 margin. Before that, he
had served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives for two
terms. Senator Raptakis has won re-election four times,
including a 2002 victory in a newly enlarged district. He ran
unopposed in the November 2004, 2006, and 2008 elections.
Raptakis served in the Rhode Island State Senate until 2010,
when he left to run his first state-wide race for Secretary of
State. While he lost a primary election that year, he continued to
play an active role in state politics and in November of 2012, Raptakis returned to the State
Senate, winning nearly 62% of the vote and he has won re-election in 2014, 2016, 2018 and was
unopposed in 2020 and 2022.
Throughout his public service career, Raptakis has been a staunch supporter of Greece and
Cyprus. During his time in the Rhode Island legislature, Raptakis won passage of resolutions
regarding the Pontian Genocide, recognizing the Hellenic roots of Macedonia, a peaceful
solution to the Cyprus problem and safeguarding the Ecumenical Patriarchate by urging Turkey
to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Patriarchate and re-open the Theological
School of Halki.
Raptakis was a leader in the successful Liberty Project, an ambitious effort that secured
Congressional passage of a Special Act authorizing the donation of the Arthur M. Huddell, the
last remaining Liberty Ship in private hands, to Greece for use as a floating museum in Piraeus.
Raptakis has assisted Greece in the economic area, supporting a fair resolution to the Greek
economic crisis, asking Delta airlines to increase winter service to Athens, serving as a leading
supporter of the Trans Adriatic Project, pushing for an increase in the quota limit for job
opportunities in the United States and promoting Greek products being introduced in the United
States.
On April 12, 2021 Senator Raptakis took over the helm of the World Inter-Parliamentary
Association (WHIA) elected legislators outside of Greece as President and pledged to expand
the mission, making the organization an essential resource for connecting Hellenes worldwide
and building stronger communications between members.
Both his parents were from the island of Andros. His mother, the former and late Evangelia
Valmas is from the village of Apikia and his late father, Paraskevas Raptakis was from the
village of Strapouryes. Senator Raptakis has spent many childhood summers on Andros and his
family still retains a home in Apikia. He is member of the Annunciation Greek-Orthodox Church
in Cranston, Rhode Island, along with his wife Donna-Marie and his two children, Alexandra
and Nicholas. He is a member of AHEPA chapter 106, District 7.