John Elias Baldacci is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who served as the
73rd GovernorThe governor of Maine is the chief executive of the State of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive....
of the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of
MaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
from 2003 until 2011. A
DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he also served as a member of the
United States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1995 to 2003.
Early life and political career
Born in
Bangor, MaineBangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
, Baldacci grew up with seven siblings in a
LebaneseThe Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
-Italian family. As a child, he worked in the family business, Mama Baldacci's restaurant in Bangor. A 1973 graduate of Bangor High School, he received a B.S. degree in History from the
University of MaineThe University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
at
OronoOrono is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It was first settled in 1774 and named in honor of Chief Joseph Orono of the Penobscot Nation. It is home to The University of Maine. The population was 10,362 at the 2010 census.- Geography :...
in 1986.
Baldacci was first elected to public office in 1978 at the age of 23, when he served on the Bangor City Council. He continued in politics, winning election to the
Maine SenateThe Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, though the Maine Constitution allows for "an odd number of Senators, not less than...
in 1982. Baldacci served as a State Senator for 12 years.
United States House of Representatives
In 1994, following the retirement of his cousin, United States Senator
George J. MitchellGeorge John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
, Baldacci won election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine's Second District, replacing
Olympia SnoweOlympia Jean Snowe , née Bouchles, is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins,...
, who had moved on to Mitchell's open Senate seat. He was reelected to Congress in the elections of 1996, 1998, and 2000, serving on the House Agriculture Committee and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
2002 election
A
DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Baldacci was first elected in the
2002 Maine gubernatorial electionAlthough Republicans made some gains from Democrats, Democrats increased their overall number of governorships.-Democratic gains:* Arizona - State Attorney General Janet Napolitano won an open seat held by term-limited Gov. Jane Dee Hull...
with 47% of the vote, defeating
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate
Peter CianchettePeter Cianchette is a Maine businessman, politician and former United States Ambassador to Costa Rica.-Early life and education:Cianchette was born and raised in Pittsfield...
, who garnered 41% of the vote,
Green IndependentThe Maine Green Independent Party is the oldest state Green party in the United States. It was founded following an informal meeting of 18 environmental advocates, including Bowdoin College professor John Rensenbrink and others in Augusta, Maine...
nominee
Jonathan CarterJonathan Carter is an American politician, environmentalist, teacher and scientist who has run twice for governor of Maine as a Green Independent. In 1992, Carter ran for Congress in Maine's 2nd congressional district. This campaign was not designed to educate the public and to establish a green...
, who received 9%, and unerolled former Democrat
John MichaelJohn Michael is an American former state legislator. Michael was born in Lewiston, Maine and represented a portion of that city in the Maine House of Representatives from 1988-2002. In 2002, Michael ran as an unenrolled candidate for governor of Maine...
, who received 2%. Baldacci was sworn in as Maine's Governor on January 8, 2003. In 2006, Baldacci won re-election from a field of four major candidates. As Governor, he is a member of the
National Governors AssociationThe National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
and the
Democratic Governors AssociationThe Democratic Governors Association is a Washington, D.C. based 527 organization founded in 1983, consisting of U.S. state and territorial governors affiliated with the Democratic Party. The mission of the organization is to provide party support to the election and re-election of Democratic...
.
First term
After being elected, Baldacci attempted to fill a $1.2 billion deficit. This was done through budget cuts and fee increases. Baldacci refused to raise broad based taxes, honoring a campaign pledge.
Baldacci also established a state-funded health care program known as
Dirigo HealthDirigo Health is a government agency run by the State of Maine in the United States. It oversees the state's subsidized health insurance program, DirigoChoice...
. The program offers subsidized health care to individuals and Maine businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Individuals in the system enjoy unlimited preventive care. The program is funded by taxes levied on health insurance companies. Critics claim that it raises health care costs and drives insurers out of the state. Proponents claim that the preventive care eventually lowers health care costs. The Baldacci administration maintains the program can be fixed with more taxpayer money.
In 2004, Baldacci signed executive order 13 FY 04/05 titled "An Order Concerning Access to State Services By All Entitled Maine Residents", which, among other things, prohibited state employees from inquiring about immigration status when people apply for public assistance or services. Due to this executive order, his political opponents have labeled Maine a "sanctuary state" for illegal immigrants.
In 2005, Baldacci introduced
legislationLegislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
to expand Maine's
civil rightsCivil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
law to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. This legislation in Maine had been defeated via referendum by voters two times before. The law passed, but opponents of the law initiated a
referendumA referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
to overturn the law. Voters upheld the new law.
Baldacci is a supporter of regionalization, a sometimes contentious policy of merging local-government services to save money on administrative costs. While Baldacci has had some success with regionalizing local government, it has often come under fire from rural lawmakers who view the process as weakening their communities.
2006 election
Baldacci ran for reelection in 2006, facing opposition from Republican Chandler Woodcock, Independents
Barbara MerrillBarbara Merrill is an American politician from Maine. Elected as a Democrat to the state legislature, she left the party in 2006 to become an independent candidate for Governor of Maine....
and Phillip Napier, and Green Independent Party candidate
Pat LaMarchePatricia Helen "Pat" LaMarche is an American political figure and activist with the Green Party; she was the party's vice-presidential candidate in the 2004 U.S...
.
Democratic-leaning voters had a wide array of choices. Merrill, who was elected to her state house seat as a Democrat, Woodcock, and LaMarche received money from Maine's
Clean Elections"Clean Elections" is a term used to describe a particular system of government financing of political campaigns, in which the government provides a grant to candidates who agree to limit their and private fundraising efforts and limit their campaign-spending.- In the United States :Clean Election...
law. Merrill and LaMarche were generally seen as taking votes from Baldacci, while Woodcock's socially conservative position prompted many longtime Republicans to throw their votes to Baldacci, Merrill, or LaMarche.
Baldacci won the election with 38% of the vote. Woodcock placed second with 30%. Merrill received a surprising 21%, narrowly defeating Baldacci among unenrolled voters. LaMarche finished with 10%, enough to maintain ballot access for the Green Party.
Second term
Governor Baldacci was inaugurated on January 3, 2007 in Augusta. During his inaugural speech, Baldacci reaffirmed his controversial goal to combine Maine's 152 school districts into only 26.
Shortly after beginning his second term, his biennial budget proposal included consolidating Maine's 152 school districts into 26
Regional School UnitsA regional school unit is a type of school district in Maine.They were created starting in 2008 pursuant to a change in Maine Law that attempted to save on administrative costs by consolidating Maine's many school districts into larger districts...
. Baldacci claims that the proposal will reduce bureaucratic redundancy and make more money available for classrooms. Critics contend it reduces local control. Debate over the proposal continues, with the Legislature initially appearing to favor a compromise proposal that would reduce the number of districts, but not as radically as proposed by Baldacci, and with exceptions for island schools and high achieving districts.
Also as part of his biennial budget proposal Baldacci proposed a controversial cigarette tax of an additional $1.50 per pack, which would bring Maine's tax to the highest cigarette tax in the nation at $3.50 in tax per pack.
Word has emerged that Governor Baldacci had a private meeting with Verizon CEO
Ivan SeidenbergIvan Seidenberg was the Chairman and CEO of Verizon Communications. He is also the current Chairman of the Business Roundtable. Effective Aug. 1, Lowell McAdam, currently President and COO of Verizon Communications, will succeed Seidenberg as CEO...
in the midst of Verizon's significantly challenged sale of its Maine (and two other states) landlines to Fairpoint Communications. Details about the meeting have been sketchy. The deal has been termed the most significant for Maine's PUC in decades.
In February 2008, Baldacci hosted an official visit to Maine by
Premier of New BrunswickThe Premier of New Brunswick is the first minister for the Canadian province of New Brunswick. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive....
,
Shawn GrahamShawn Michael Graham, MLA is a New Brunswick politician, who served as the 31st Premier of New Brunswick. He received a Bachelor of Physical Education Degree in 1991 and a Bachelor of Education Degree in 1993, he worked for New Brunswick's civil service before being elected to the Legislative...
, which was the first official visit to Maine by an incumbent head of a
CanadianCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province. In his visit Graham addressed a joint session of the
Maine LegislatureThe Maine Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. It is a bicameral body composed of the lower house Maine House of Representatives and the upper house Maine Senate...
in which he proposed increasing cross-border trade, tourism, transportation as well as additional co-operation on energy and education.
In the
2008 Democratic Presidential primaryThe 2008 Democratic presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
Baldacci, as a
superdelegate"Superdelegate" is an informal term commonly used for some of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention, the presidential nominating convention of the United States Democratic Party....
, pledged his support for Hillary Clinton despite
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
winning the state's Democratic Presidential Primary. By June 2008, it was clear that Obama would be the nominee and he announced his support for Obama.
On May 6, 2009, Governor Baldacci signed legislation legalizing
Same-sex marriage in MaineSame-sex marriage in Maine is currently unrecognized. A bill to allow same-sex marriages in Maine was signed into law on May 6, 2009, by Governor Baldacci following legislative approval, but opponents successfully petitioned for a referendum on the issue, putting the law on hold before it went into...
. This made him the first governor ever in the U.S. to sign a same-sex marriage bill into law where it was not previously court ordered. (The Governor of Connecticut, Mary Jodi Rell, had been the first to sign a bill codifying same-sex marriage into law on April 23, 2009.) Maine's legalization of same-sex marriage was narrowly overturned by a statewide referendum vote on November 3, 2009.
Baldacci's term ended in January 2011 and he was replaced by
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Paul LePagePaul Richard LePage is an American businessman and politician who is serving as the 74th and current Governor of Maine. A Republican, he was previously mayor of Waterville from 2003 to 2011, and was a city councilor before that...
.
Personal life and family
Baldacci is a
Roman CatholicThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He lived with his wife Karen and son Jack in the Blaine House in
AugustaAugusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
, while governor.
In Washington as U.S. representative, Baldacci resided for four years in the C Street house of The Fellowship church with other lawmakers. Though considerable controversy came to surrounded the institution, Baldacci dismissed questions about it in 2003, calling it "a cheap rent."
Baldacci is a first cousin once removed of former Maine senator and majority leader
George J. MitchellGeorge John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
and a second cousin of author
David BaldacciDavid Baldacci is a bestselling American novelist.-Biography:Baldacci received a B.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University and a law degree from the University of Virginia. As a student, Baldacci wrote short stories in his spare time, and later practiced law for nine years near Washington, D.C....
. In addition, he is also related to State Representative
Chris GreeleyChristian D. "Chris" Greeley is a former representative in the Maine state legislature. He is a Republican. He represented District 22 in the House of Representatives for four consecutive two-year terms, from 2002 to 2010, at which point he was prohibited from running again by term limits.He is a...
, who like Baldacci and Mitchell, is half-Lebanese. His wife Karen was the head of Maine Reads, a nonprofit umbrella organization for
Read With ME, privately funded by Verizon. Karen now works as a registered dietitian (RD) at the Supplemental Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) in Bangor.
He holds a technician class amateur radio license with
call signIn broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
KB1NXP.
Electoral history
{{BLP sources|date=April 2008}}
John Elias Baldacci (born January 30, 1955) is an AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who served as the 73rd GovernorThe governor of Maine is the chief executive of the State of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive....
of the U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of MaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
from 2003 until 2011. A DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he also served as a member of the United States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1995 to 2003.
Early life and political career
Born in Bangor, MaineBangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
, Baldacci grew up with seven siblings in a LebaneseThe Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
-Italian family. As a child, he worked in the family business, Mama Baldacci's restaurant in Bangor. A 1973 graduate of Bangor High School, he received a B.S. degree in History from the University of MaineThe University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
at OronoOrono is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It was first settled in 1774 and named in honor of Chief Joseph Orono of the Penobscot Nation. It is home to The University of Maine. The population was 10,362 at the 2010 census.- Geography :...
in 1986.
Baldacci was first elected to public office in 1978 at the age of 23, when he served on the Bangor City Council. He continued in politics, winning election to the Maine SenateThe Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, though the Maine Constitution allows for "an odd number of Senators, not less than...
in 1982. Baldacci served as a State Senator for 12 years.
United States House of Representatives
In 1994, following the retirement of his cousin, United States Senator George J. MitchellGeorge John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
, Baldacci won election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine's Second District, replacing Olympia SnoweOlympia Jean Snowe , née Bouchles, is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins,...
, who had moved on to Mitchell's open Senate seat. He was reelected to Congress in the elections of 1996, 1998, and 2000, serving on the House Agriculture Committee and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
2002 election
A DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Baldacci was first elected in the 2002 Maine gubernatorial electionAlthough Republicans made some gains from Democrats, Democrats increased their overall number of governorships.-Democratic gains:* Arizona - State Attorney General Janet Napolitano won an open seat held by term-limited Gov. Jane Dee Hull...
with 47% of the vote, defeating RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate Peter CianchettePeter Cianchette is a Maine businessman, politician and former United States Ambassador to Costa Rica.-Early life and education:Cianchette was born and raised in Pittsfield...
, who garnered 41% of the vote, Green IndependentThe Maine Green Independent Party is the oldest state Green party in the United States. It was founded following an informal meeting of 18 environmental advocates, including Bowdoin College professor John Rensenbrink and others in Augusta, Maine...
nominee Jonathan CarterJonathan Carter is an American politician, environmentalist, teacher and scientist who has run twice for governor of Maine as a Green Independent. In 1992, Carter ran for Congress in Maine's 2nd congressional district. This campaign was not designed to educate the public and to establish a green...
, who received 9%, and unerolled former Democrat John MichaelJohn Michael is an American former state legislator. Michael was born in Lewiston, Maine and represented a portion of that city in the Maine House of Representatives from 1988-2002. In 2002, Michael ran as an unenrolled candidate for governor of Maine...
, who received 2%. Baldacci was sworn in as Maine's Governor on January 8, 2003. In 2006, Baldacci won re-election from a field of four major candidates. As Governor, he is a member of the National Governors AssociationThe National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
and the Democratic Governors AssociationThe Democratic Governors Association is a Washington, D.C. based 527 organization founded in 1983, consisting of U.S. state and territorial governors affiliated with the Democratic Party. The mission of the organization is to provide party support to the election and re-election of Democratic...
.
First term
After being elected, Baldacci attempted to fill a $1.2 billion deficit. This was done through budget cuts and fee increases. Baldacci refused to raise broad based taxes, honoring a campaign pledge.
Baldacci also established a state-funded health care program known as Dirigo HealthDirigo Health is a government agency run by the State of Maine in the United States. It oversees the state's subsidized health insurance program, DirigoChoice...
. The program offers subsidized health care to individuals and Maine businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Individuals in the system enjoy unlimited preventive care. The program is funded by taxes levied on health insurance companies. Critics claim that it raises health care costs and drives insurers out of the state. Proponents claim that the preventive care eventually lowers health care costs. The Baldacci administration maintains the program can be fixed with more taxpayer money.
In 2004, Baldacci signed executive order 13 FY 04/05 titled "An Order Concerning Access to State Services By All Entitled Maine Residents", which, among other things, prohibited state employees from inquiring about immigration status when people apply for public assistance or services. Due to this executive order, his political opponents have labeled Maine a "sanctuary state" for illegal immigrants.
In 2005, Baldacci introduced legislationLegislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
to expand Maine's civil rightsCivil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
law to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. This legislation in Maine had been defeated via referendum by voters two times before. The law passed, but opponents of the law initiated a referendumA referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
to overturn the law. Voters upheld the new law.
Baldacci is a supporter of regionalization, a sometimes contentious policy of merging local-government services to save money on administrative costs. While Baldacci has had some success with regionalizing local government, it has often come under fire from rural lawmakers who view the process as weakening their communities.
2006 election
{{Main|Maine gubernatorial election, 2006}}
Baldacci ran for reelection in 2006, facing opposition from Republican Chandler Woodcock, Independents Barbara MerrillBarbara Merrill is an American politician from Maine. Elected as a Democrat to the state legislature, she left the party in 2006 to become an independent candidate for Governor of Maine....
and Phillip Napier, and Green Independent Party candidate Pat LaMarchePatricia Helen "Pat" LaMarche is an American political figure and activist with the Green Party; she was the party's vice-presidential candidate in the 2004 U.S...
.
Democratic-leaning voters had a wide array of choices. Merrill, who was elected to her state house seat as a Democrat, Woodcock, and LaMarche received money from Maine's Clean Elections"Clean Elections" is a term used to describe a particular system of government financing of political campaigns, in which the government provides a grant to candidates who agree to limit their and private fundraising efforts and limit their campaign-spending.- In the United States :Clean Election...
law. Merrill and LaMarche were generally seen as taking votes from Baldacci, while Woodcock's socially conservative position prompted many longtime Republicans to throw their votes to Baldacci, Merrill, or LaMarche.
Baldacci won the election with 38% of the vote. Woodcock placed second with 30%. Merrill received a surprising 21%, narrowly defeating Baldacci among unenrolled voters. LaMarche finished with 10%, enough to maintain ballot access for the Green Party.
Second term
Governor Baldacci was inaugurated on January 3, 2007 in Augusta. During his inaugural speech, Baldacci reaffirmed his controversial goal to combine Maine's 152 school districts into only 26.
Shortly after beginning his second term, his biennial budget proposal included consolidating Maine's 152 school districts into 26 Regional School UnitsA regional school unit is a type of school district in Maine.They were created starting in 2008 pursuant to a change in Maine Law that attempted to save on administrative costs by consolidating Maine's many school districts into larger districts...
. Baldacci claims that the proposal will reduce bureaucratic redundancy and make more money available for classrooms. Critics contend it reduces local control. Debate over the proposal continues, with the Legislature initially appearing to favor a compromise proposal that would reduce the number of districts, but not as radically as proposed by Baldacci, and with exceptions for island schools and high achieving districts.
Also as part of his biennial budget proposal Baldacci proposed a controversial cigarette tax of an additional $1.50 per pack, which would bring Maine's tax to the highest cigarette tax in the nation at $3.50 in tax per pack.
Word has emerged that Governor Baldacci had a private meeting with Verizon CEO Ivan SeidenbergIvan Seidenberg was the Chairman and CEO of Verizon Communications. He is also the current Chairman of the Business Roundtable. Effective Aug. 1, Lowell McAdam, currently President and COO of Verizon Communications, will succeed Seidenberg as CEO...
in the midst of Verizon's significantly challenged sale of its Maine (and two other states) landlines to Fairpoint Communications. Details about the meeting have been sketchy. The deal has been termed the most significant for Maine's PUC in decades.
In February 2008, Baldacci hosted an official visit to Maine by Premier of New BrunswickThe Premier of New Brunswick is the first minister for the Canadian province of New Brunswick. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive....
, Shawn GrahamShawn Michael Graham, MLA is a New Brunswick politician, who served as the 31st Premier of New Brunswick. He received a Bachelor of Physical Education Degree in 1991 and a Bachelor of Education Degree in 1993, he worked for New Brunswick's civil service before being elected to the Legislative...
, which was the first official visit to Maine by an incumbent head of a CanadianCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province. In his visit Graham addressed a joint session of the Maine LegislatureThe Maine Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. It is a bicameral body composed of the lower house Maine House of Representatives and the upper house Maine Senate...
in which he proposed increasing cross-border trade, tourism, transportation as well as additional co-operation on energy and education.
In the 2008 Democratic Presidential primaryThe 2008 Democratic presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
Baldacci, as a superdelegate"Superdelegate" is an informal term commonly used for some of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention, the presidential nominating convention of the United States Democratic Party....
, pledged his support for Hillary Clinton despite Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
winning the state's Democratic Presidential Primary. By June 2008, it was clear that Obama would be the nominee and he announced his support for Obama.
On May 6, 2009, Governor Baldacci signed legislation legalizing Same-sex marriage in MaineSame-sex marriage in Maine is currently unrecognized. A bill to allow same-sex marriages in Maine was signed into law on May 6, 2009, by Governor Baldacci following legislative approval, but opponents successfully petitioned for a referendum on the issue, putting the law on hold before it went into...
. This made him the first governor ever in the U.S. to sign a same-sex marriage bill into law where it was not previously court ordered. (The Governor of Connecticut, Mary Jodi Rell, had been the first to sign a bill codifying same-sex marriage into law on April 23, 2009.) Maine's legalization of same-sex marriage was narrowly overturned by a statewide referendum vote on November 3, 2009.
Baldacci's term ended in January 2011 and he was replaced by RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Paul LePagePaul Richard LePage is an American businessman and politician who is serving as the 74th and current Governor of Maine. A Republican, he was previously mayor of Waterville from 2003 to 2011, and was a city councilor before that...
.
Personal life and family
Baldacci is a Roman CatholicThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He lived with his wife Karen and son Jack in the Blaine House in AugustaAugusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
, while governor.
In Washington as U.S. representative, Baldacci resided for four years in the C Street house of The Fellowship church with other lawmakers. Though considerable controversy came to surrounded the institution, Baldacci dismissed questions about it in 2003, calling it "a cheap rent."
Baldacci is a first cousin once removed of former Maine senator and majority leader George J. MitchellGeorge John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
and a second cousin of author David BaldacciDavid Baldacci is a bestselling American novelist.-Biography:Baldacci received a B.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University and a law degree from the University of Virginia. As a student, Baldacci wrote short stories in his spare time, and later practiced law for nine years near Washington, D.C....
{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}}. In addition, he is also related to State Representative Chris GreeleyChristian D. "Chris" Greeley is a former representative in the Maine state legislature. He is a Republican. He represented District 22 in the House of Representatives for four consecutive two-year terms, from 2002 to 2010, at which point he was prohibited from running again by term limits.He is a...
, who like Baldacci and Mitchell, is half-Lebanese. His wife Karen was the head of Maine Reads, a nonprofit umbrella organization for Read With ME, privately funded by Verizon. Karen now works as a registered dietitian (RD) at the Supplemental Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) in Bangor.
He holds a technician class amateur radio license with call signIn broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
KB1NXP.
Electoral history
{{BLP sources|date=April 2008}}
John Elias Baldacci (born January 30, 1955) is an AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who served as the 73rd GovernorThe governor of Maine is the chief executive of the State of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive....
of the U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of MaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
from 2003 until 2011. A DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he also served as a member of the United States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1995 to 2003.
Early life and political career
Born in Bangor, MaineBangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
, Baldacci grew up with seven siblings in a LebaneseThe Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
-Italian family. As a child, he worked in the family business, Mama Baldacci's restaurant in Bangor. A 1973 graduate of Bangor High School, he received a B.S. degree in History from the University of MaineThe University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
at OronoOrono is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It was first settled in 1774 and named in honor of Chief Joseph Orono of the Penobscot Nation. It is home to The University of Maine. The population was 10,362 at the 2010 census.- Geography :...
in 1986.
Baldacci was first elected to public office in 1978 at the age of 23, when he served on the Bangor City Council. He continued in politics, winning election to the Maine SenateThe Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, though the Maine Constitution allows for "an odd number of Senators, not less than...
in 1982. Baldacci served as a State Senator for 12 years.
United States House of Representatives
In 1994, following the retirement of his cousin, United States Senator George J. MitchellGeorge John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
, Baldacci won election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine's Second District, replacing Olympia SnoweOlympia Jean Snowe , née Bouchles, is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins,...
, who had moved on to Mitchell's open Senate seat. He was reelected to Congress in the elections of 1996, 1998, and 2000, serving on the House Agriculture Committee and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
2002 election
A DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Baldacci was first elected in the 2002 Maine gubernatorial electionAlthough Republicans made some gains from Democrats, Democrats increased their overall number of governorships.-Democratic gains:* Arizona - State Attorney General Janet Napolitano won an open seat held by term-limited Gov. Jane Dee Hull...
with 47% of the vote, defeating RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate Peter CianchettePeter Cianchette is a Maine businessman, politician and former United States Ambassador to Costa Rica.-Early life and education:Cianchette was born and raised in Pittsfield...
, who garnered 41% of the vote, Green IndependentThe Maine Green Independent Party is the oldest state Green party in the United States. It was founded following an informal meeting of 18 environmental advocates, including Bowdoin College professor John Rensenbrink and others in Augusta, Maine...
nominee Jonathan CarterJonathan Carter is an American politician, environmentalist, teacher and scientist who has run twice for governor of Maine as a Green Independent. In 1992, Carter ran for Congress in Maine's 2nd congressional district. This campaign was not designed to educate the public and to establish a green...
, who received 9%, and unerolled former Democrat John MichaelJohn Michael is an American former state legislator. Michael was born in Lewiston, Maine and represented a portion of that city in the Maine House of Representatives from 1988-2002. In 2002, Michael ran as an unenrolled candidate for governor of Maine...
, who received 2%. Baldacci was sworn in as Maine's Governor on January 8, 2003. In 2006, Baldacci won re-election from a field of four major candidates. As Governor, he is a member of the National Governors AssociationThe National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
and the Democratic Governors AssociationThe Democratic Governors Association is a Washington, D.C. based 527 organization founded in 1983, consisting of U.S. state and territorial governors affiliated with the Democratic Party. The mission of the organization is to provide party support to the election and re-election of Democratic...
.
First term
After being elected, Baldacci attempted to fill a $1.2 billion deficit. This was done through budget cuts and fee increases. Baldacci refused to raise broad based taxes, honoring a campaign pledge.
Baldacci also established a state-funded health care program known as Dirigo HealthDirigo Health is a government agency run by the State of Maine in the United States. It oversees the state's subsidized health insurance program, DirigoChoice...
. The program offers subsidized health care to individuals and Maine businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Individuals in the system enjoy unlimited preventive care. The program is funded by taxes levied on health insurance companies. Critics claim that it raises health care costs and drives insurers out of the state. Proponents claim that the preventive care eventually lowers health care costs. The Baldacci administration maintains the program can be fixed with more taxpayer money.
In 2004, Baldacci signed executive order 13 FY 04/05 titled "An Order Concerning Access to State Services By All Entitled Maine Residents", which, among other things, prohibited state employees from inquiring about immigration status when people apply for public assistance or services. Due to this executive order, his political opponents have labeled Maine a "sanctuary state" for illegal immigrants.
In 2005, Baldacci introduced legislationLegislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
to expand Maine's civil rightsCivil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
law to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. This legislation in Maine had been defeated via referendum by voters two times before. The law passed, but opponents of the law initiated a referendumA referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
to overturn the law. Voters upheld the new law.
Baldacci is a supporter of regionalization, a sometimes contentious policy of merging local-government services to save money on administrative costs. While Baldacci has had some success with regionalizing local government, it has often come under fire from rural lawmakers who view the process as weakening their communities.
2006 election
{{Main|Maine gubernatorial election, 2006}}
Baldacci ran for reelection in 2006, facing opposition from Republican Chandler Woodcock, Independents Barbara MerrillBarbara Merrill is an American politician from Maine. Elected as a Democrat to the state legislature, she left the party in 2006 to become an independent candidate for Governor of Maine....
and Phillip Napier, and Green Independent Party candidate Pat LaMarchePatricia Helen "Pat" LaMarche is an American political figure and activist with the Green Party; she was the party's vice-presidential candidate in the 2004 U.S...
.
Democratic-leaning voters had a wide array of choices. Merrill, who was elected to her state house seat as a Democrat, Woodcock, and LaMarche received money from Maine's Clean Elections"Clean Elections" is a term used to describe a particular system of government financing of political campaigns, in which the government provides a grant to candidates who agree to limit their and private fundraising efforts and limit their campaign-spending.- In the United States :Clean Election...
law. Merrill and LaMarche were generally seen as taking votes from Baldacci, while Woodcock's socially conservative position prompted many longtime Republicans to throw their votes to Baldacci, Merrill, or LaMarche.
Baldacci won the election with 38% of the vote. Woodcock placed second with 30%. Merrill received a surprising 21%, narrowly defeating Baldacci among unenrolled voters. LaMarche finished with 10%, enough to maintain ballot access for the Green Party.
Second term
Governor Baldacci was inaugurated on January 3, 2007 in Augusta. During his inaugural speech, Baldacci reaffirmed his controversial goal to combine Maine's 152 school districts into only 26.
Shortly after beginning his second term, his biennial budget proposal included consolidating Maine's 152 school districts into 26 Regional School UnitsA regional school unit is a type of school district in Maine.They were created starting in 2008 pursuant to a change in Maine Law that attempted to save on administrative costs by consolidating Maine's many school districts into larger districts...
. Baldacci claims that the proposal will reduce bureaucratic redundancy and make more money available for classrooms. Critics contend it reduces local control. Debate over the proposal continues, with the Legislature initially appearing to favor a compromise proposal that would reduce the number of districts, but not as radically as proposed by Baldacci, and with exceptions for island schools and high achieving districts.
Also as part of his biennial budget proposal Baldacci proposed a controversial cigarette tax of an additional $1.50 per pack, which would bring Maine's tax to the highest cigarette tax in the nation at $3.50 in tax per pack.
Word has emerged that Governor Baldacci had a private meeting with Verizon CEO Ivan SeidenbergIvan Seidenberg was the Chairman and CEO of Verizon Communications. He is also the current Chairman of the Business Roundtable. Effective Aug. 1, Lowell McAdam, currently President and COO of Verizon Communications, will succeed Seidenberg as CEO...
in the midst of Verizon's significantly challenged sale of its Maine (and two other states) landlines to Fairpoint Communications. Details about the meeting have been sketchy. The deal has been termed the most significant for Maine's PUC in decades.
In February 2008, Baldacci hosted an official visit to Maine by Premier of New BrunswickThe Premier of New Brunswick is the first minister for the Canadian province of New Brunswick. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive....
, Shawn GrahamShawn Michael Graham, MLA is a New Brunswick politician, who served as the 31st Premier of New Brunswick. He received a Bachelor of Physical Education Degree in 1991 and a Bachelor of Education Degree in 1993, he worked for New Brunswick's civil service before being elected to the Legislative...
, which was the first official visit to Maine by an incumbent head of a CanadianCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province. In his visit Graham addressed a joint session of the Maine LegislatureThe Maine Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. It is a bicameral body composed of the lower house Maine House of Representatives and the upper house Maine Senate...
in which he proposed increasing cross-border trade, tourism, transportation as well as additional co-operation on energy and education.
In the 2008 Democratic Presidential primaryThe 2008 Democratic presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
Baldacci, as a superdelegate"Superdelegate" is an informal term commonly used for some of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention, the presidential nominating convention of the United States Democratic Party....
, pledged his support for Hillary Clinton despite Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
winning the state's Democratic Presidential Primary. By June 2008, it was clear that Obama would be the nominee and he announced his support for Obama.
On May 6, 2009, Governor Baldacci signed legislation legalizing Same-sex marriage in MaineSame-sex marriage in Maine is currently unrecognized. A bill to allow same-sex marriages in Maine was signed into law on May 6, 2009, by Governor Baldacci following legislative approval, but opponents successfully petitioned for a referendum on the issue, putting the law on hold before it went into...
. This made him the first governor ever in the U.S. to sign a same-sex marriage bill into law where it was not previously court ordered. (The Governor of Connecticut, Mary Jodi Rell, had been the first to sign a bill codifying same-sex marriage into law on April 23, 2009.) Maine's legalization of same-sex marriage was narrowly overturned by a statewide referendum vote on November 3, 2009.
Baldacci's term ended in January 2011 and he was replaced by RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Paul LePagePaul Richard LePage is an American businessman and politician who is serving as the 74th and current Governor of Maine. A Republican, he was previously mayor of Waterville from 2003 to 2011, and was a city councilor before that...
.
Personal life and family
Baldacci is a Roman CatholicThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He lived with his wife Karen and son Jack in the Blaine House in AugustaAugusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
, while governor.
In Washington as U.S. representative, Baldacci resided for four years in the C Street house of The Fellowship church with other lawmakers. Though considerable controversy came to surrounded the institution, Baldacci dismissed questions about it in 2003, calling it "a cheap rent."
Baldacci is a first cousin once removed of former Maine senator and majority leader George J. MitchellGeorge John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
and a second cousin of author David BaldacciDavid Baldacci is a bestselling American novelist.-Biography:Baldacci received a B.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University and a law degree from the University of Virginia. As a student, Baldacci wrote short stories in his spare time, and later practiced law for nine years near Washington, D.C....
{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}}. In addition, he is also related to State Representative Chris GreeleyChristian D. "Chris" Greeley is a former representative in the Maine state legislature. He is a Republican. He represented District 22 in the House of Representatives for four consecutive two-year terms, from 2002 to 2010, at which point he was prohibited from running again by term limits.He is a...
, who like Baldacci and Mitchell, is half-Lebanese. His wife Karen was the head of Maine Reads, a nonprofit umbrella organization for Read With ME, privately funded by Verizon. Karen now works as a registered dietitian (RD) at the Supplemental Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) in Bangor.
He holds a technician class amateur radio license with call signIn broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
KB1NXP.
Electoral history
{{ushr|Maine|2|}
}: Results 1994–2000
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|1994
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|John Baldacci}}
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |109,615
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |46%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Richard A. BennettRichard Bennett is an American politician from the state of Maine. Currently, Bennett serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Corporate Library, LLC, a Maine based independent research firm which focuses on corporate governance and director/executive compensation.An Oxford resident,...
}}
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |97,754
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |41%
|
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |John M. Michael
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |IndependentIn politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |21,117
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |9%
|
|{{Party shading/Green}} |Charles Fitzgerald
|{{Party shading/Green}} |Maine Green IndependentThe Maine Green Independent Party is the oldest state Green party in the United States. It was founded following an informal meeting of 18 environmental advocates, including Bowdoin College professor John Rensenbrink and others in Augusta, Maine...
|{{Party shading/Green}} align="right" |11,353
|{{Party shading/Green}} align="right" |5%
| |*
|-
|1996
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |John Baldacci
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |205,439
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |72%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Paul R. Young
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |70,856
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |25%
|
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |Aldric Saucier
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |IndependentIn politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |9,294
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |3%
|
|
|
|
|
| |*
|-
|1998
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |John Baldacci
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |146,202
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |76%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Jonathan Reisman}}
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |45,674
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |24%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|2000
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|John Baldacci}}
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |219,783
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |73%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Richard Campbell}}
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |79,522
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |27%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
{{S-end}}
{{Election box begin |title=Maine Gubernatorial Election 2002}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| |party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = John Baldacci
|votes = 233,543
|percentage = 47.2
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| |party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Peter CianchettePeter Cianchette is a Maine businessman, politician and former United States Ambassador to Costa Rica.-Early life and education:Cianchette was born and raised in Pittsfield...
|votes = 205,335
|percentage = 41.5
|change =
}}
{{election box candidate with party link
| |party = Green Party (US)
|candidate = Jonathan CarterJonathan Carter is an American politician, environmentalist, teacher and scientist who has run twice for governor of Maine as a Green Independent. In 1992, Carter ran for Congress in Maine's 2nd congressional district. This campaign was not designed to educate the public and to establish a green...
|votes = 46,903
|percentage = 9.28
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin |title=Maine Gubernatorial Election 2006}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = John Baldacci (Incumbent)
|votes = 206,991
|percentage = 38.0
|change = -9.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Chandler Woodcock
|votes = 164,861
|percentage = 30.3
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Independent (politician)
|candidate = Barbara MerrillBarbara Merrill is an American politician from Maine. Elected as a Democrat to the state legislature, she left the party in 2006 to become an independent candidate for Governor of Maine....
|votes = 117,111
|percentage = 21.5
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Green Party (United States)
|candidate = Pat LaMarchePatricia Helen "Pat" LaMarche is an American political figure and activist with the Green Party; she was the party's vice-presidential candidate in the 2004 U.S...
|votes = 52,150
|percentage = 9.6
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}
External links
{{CongBio|B000081}}{{GovLinks | natgov = 2c28224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD | votesmart = 22174 | washpo = John_E._Baldacci | cspan = 36617 | ontheissues = John_Baldacci.htm | followmoney = 3733 | nyt = | findagrave = }}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=Olympia SnoweOlympia Jean Snowe , née Bouchles, is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins,...
}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the House of Representatives
from Maine's 2nd congressional districtMaine's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Maine. Covering , it comprises nearly 80% of the state. It is the largest district east of the Mississippi River and the 24th-largest overall. The district consists of all of the state north of the Portland and...
|years=1995–2003}}
{{s-aft|after=Mike MichaudMichael Herman Michaud is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district comprises nearly 80% of the state by area and includes the cities of Lewiston, Auburn, Bangor, and Presque Isle...
}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Angus KingAngus S. King, Jr. served two terms as the 72nd Governor of Maine from 1995 to 2003. Since 2004, King has been a distinguished lecturer at Bowdoin College teaching a course called "Leaders and Leadership"; in the fall of 2009, he also taught a similar course at Bates College...
}}
{{s-ttl|title=Governor of MaineThe governor of Maine is the chief executive of the State of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive....
|years=2003–2011}}
{{s-aft|after=Paul LePagePaul Richard LePage is an American businessman and politician who is serving as the 74th and current Governor of Maine. A Republican, he was previously mayor of Waterville from 2003 to 2011, and was a city councilor before that...
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Governors of Maine}}
{{Persondata
| NAME =Baldacci, John
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH =January 30, 1955
| PLACE OF BIRTH =Bangor, MaineBangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baldacci, John}}