Background
McAdams was born in Orange, California. He moved to St. Petersburg, Alaska in 1977 at age 7 and grew up there.
McAdams was born in Orange, California. He moved to St. Petersburg, Alaska in 1977 at age 7 and grew up there.
McAdams graduated from Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka with a bachelor"s degree in education.
He has served as a school board member and mayor of Sitka, Alaska and came in third against Joe Miller and Lisa Murkowski in the 2010 United States senator"s race after running for and winning the Democratic Party"s nomination for the United States Senate seat held by Lisa Murkowski. He left Alaska during his high school years, but came back to St. Petersburg, eventually settling in Sitka. McAdams went on leave without pay from his job as director of Sitka Community Schools, part of the Sitka School District, while he campaigned for the United States. Senate seat.
He began work for the school district in October 2009, after working as the supervisor of protection and visitors service at the Sheldon Jackson Museum.
McAdams served six years on the Sitka School Board. He served as the board"s president from 2005 to 2008 and served a term as the president of the Association of Alaska School Boards.
McAdams was elected to a two-year term as the mayor of Sitka, Alaska in 2008. After choosing not to run again in the city election for mayor, McAdams" term ended on the 26th of October, 2010.
He was succeeded by Cheryl Westover.
2010 United States. Senate campaign
McAdams defeated Jacob Seth Kern and Frank Vondersaar for the Democratic Senate nomination on August 24, 2010. In the general election, McAdams continued on to face the Republican nominee, former United States. magistrate judge Joe Miller, and the incumbent, Lisa Murkowski, who launched a write-in candidacy. McAdams received 23.5% of the vote, to Miller"s 35.5% and Murkowski"s 39.5%.