Eric Brakey (born August 8, 1988) is an American politician, serving as the current Executive Director of the Free State Project.

After working for Paul's 2012 presidential campaign,[8] Brakey led Defense of Liberty PAC, a libertarian political action committee in Maine.

Bill Nemitz of the Portland Press Herald called this event "the most successful political coup in recent Maine history.

"[17] In August 2013, during his campaign for the state senate, Brakey gained attention for a commercial he acted in for Vita CoCo coconut water several years earlier.

"[20] At the time of the controversy, Brakey noted that he was working as an actor with the Lewiston/Auburn Community Little Theatre in an upcoming production of Monty Python's Spamalot, also a comedic piece.

[21][22] Maine political commentator Matthew Gagnon wrote that the incident boosted Brakey's State Senate campaign by providing "free publicity" and "an opportunity to show his personality and good nature to the voters.

[26] In 2015, Brakey sponsored legislation that eliminated Maine's requirement to obtain a permit to carry a concealed firearm "for legal gun owners who are age 21 or older, and for all military servicemen or servicewomen over 18 years old.

[27] In 2016, as senate chairman for the Health and Human Services Committee, Brakey negotiated welfare reform legislation, which banned the use of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds on purchases of tobacco, liquor, gambling materials, lottery tickets, bail, firearms, vacations, adult entertainment, and tattoos.

[31] In 2015, Brakey sponsored legislation to repeal state restrictions on patient access to medical marijuana in hospital and nursing home settings.

"[35] In 2017, Brakey sponsored legislation to increase access to birth control by making it easier for persons with "an outdated birth-control prescription to get the medication as long as certain conditions are met.

"[36] He "declined to say whether he would support allowing women who may become eligible under any expansion of Medicaid in Maine to have access to reproductive health services including abortions.

[37] Brakey is an opponent of civil asset forfeiture, saying, "The idea that the government can take property from you without trial or due process of law and that you might never be charged or convicted flies in the face of everything this country stands for."

[38] In 2015, Brakey introduced legislation to eliminate cash bail in Maine and replace it with a risk-assessment system that would allow defendants not determined to be a flight risk to be released pending trial.

[51] In September 2019, Brakey announced his candidacy for Maine's second district of the United States House of Representatives against incumbent Democrat Jared Golden.