Luke Backen

The Hon. Luke Backen (b. May 6, 1965) is the Chief Minister of West Mainland. He was elected on July 16, 2004 and sworn in later that month. He is the first Conservative Chief Minister of his state, and the first Conservative Chief Minister on Mainland since the defeat of Leyton Douglas in 1998. Backen is the youngest current Chief Minister and a leading moderate voice within his party. Backen supports gay marriage and the legalisation of marijuana, as well as heroin injection rooms. His support for these left-wing causes is offset by his fiscal conservatism, pro-business stance and opposition to the ban on nuclear reactors. Backen's approval rating was 70% in January 2006, though it is more than two years until he must face a state election. He was polling well ahead of the state opposition leader, Leah Brown, as Preferred Chief Minister, scoring 52% to Brown's 44%.