The Maine Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Maine .
28-610: After the Civil War, Democrats were a minor player in a political scene dominated by the Republican Party . However, during the 1950s, Edmund Muskie led an expansive political insurgency culminating in his election as Governor of Maine and successive Democratic elections to both state and national offices. It is currently the state's favored party, controlling both houses of the state legislature , governorship , and both of Maine's U.S. House seats. One of Maine's U.S. Senate seats
56-972: A Republican governor in Paul LePage , the party remained strong , holding key offices in the state government and the U.S. Congress and maintaining a majority in the Maine House of Representatives for six of LePage's eight years in office. Democrat Janet Mills was elected Governor of Maine in the 2018 gubernatorial election . Maine Democrats promote economic opportunity, ethical government, freedom, safety, and national security. They also promote voting rights, environmental protection, strong public education, access to health care, civil rights, transportation infrastructure, and help for those in serious poverty. The party advocates economic security through strong support of Social Security , Medicare , and Medicaid . Maine Democrats believe in fair workplace opportunities and support Maine workers' right to form unions through
84-632: A U.S. Senator, and Secretary of State for three Republican administrations. He ran for president in 1884 but lost to Grover Cleveland . In the late 1800s, Thomas B. Reed served in the House of Representatives for three terms. He started many reforms and was sometimes referred to as "Czar Reed". "Reed's Rules of Order" are still used in Maine Legislatures. Except for rare lapses, the Republicans dominated Maine politics until 1954, when young progressives from
112-505: A censure of Chairman Charlie Webster for his handling of the controversy. On January 12, 2019, the Maine Republican Party unanimously elected Waterville Mayor Nick Isgro as the party's vice chair. Isgro's election came less than a year after his controversial tweet telling Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg to "eat it" prompted nationwide attention and an effort to recall him as mayor. Ultimately, Isgro prevailed in
140-535: A right" but "a service" that can be addressed only by using "market based solutions". Indeed, the platform says, "The principles upon which the Republican Party was founded, to which we as Citizens seek return, and to which we demand our elected representatives abide, are summarized as follows: During the 2012 Maine caucuses , the Maine Republican Party received heavy criticism for mistakes and omissions in voter tallies. The Waldo County GOP Committee called for
168-507: A salary of $ 70,000, which is the lowest salary out of all 50 state governors, as of 2022. Under Article V, Section 4, a person must as of the commencement of the term in office, be 30 years old, for 15 years a citizen of the United States, and for five years a resident of Maine. A governor must retain residency in Maine throughout his or her term. Section 5 provides that a person shall not assume
196-715: Is commander-in-chief of "the army and navy of the State, and of the militia" (the Maine National Guard ), except when under federal control (Article V, Section 7). The governor generally has the power to appoint civil, military, and judicial officers (aside from probate judges and justices of the peace), subject to confirmation by the Legislature, unless the Maine Constitution or a statute has provided another means of appointment (Article V, Section 8). The governor also has
224-564: Is currently held by Angus King , an Independent who caucuses with the Democrats. Maine's U.S. Senate Class I seat has been held by Independent Angus King since 2012 (though King does caucus with the Senate Democrats) while the Class II seat has been held by Republican Susan Collins since 1996 . Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell was the last Democrat to represent Maine in
252-477: The 2018 midterm elections . It holds a minority in the Maine Senate and the Maine House of Representatives . It also holds one of the state's U.S. Senate seats, but neither of the state's U.S. House seats. Republicans have controlled Maine's Class II seat since 1979 . Republicans controlled both of Maine's senate seats between 1997—the election of Collins—and 2013, with the retirement of Olympia Snowe . Snowe
280-498: The Republican Party , which dominated Maine due to its anti-slavery stance. Maine was predominantly Republican until 1954. In 1954, in a gubernatorial election, Democratic state representative Edmund Muskie became only the fourth Democrat to win the governorship in the 20th century. He won the state over in part due to his stance on economic growth through industrial development, accessible politics on television and being acceptable to diverse population growth. Between 1954 and 1974,
308-537: The abolitionist movement . Hannibal Hamlin left the Democratic Party because of the slavery issue and helped form the Republican Party. He was the state's first Republican governor. In 1860, he became the first Republican vice president after Abraham Lincoln won the presidency. From the 1860s until 1900, James G. Blaine rose as a dominant Republican figure. He was the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives,
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#1732898499180336-710: The 2 seats Maine is apportioned in the U.S. House of Representatives , both are held by Democrats: Democrats control the Governor's office, as well as the three statewide offices filled by the Maine Legislature : Democrats have controlled the Maine House of Representatives since 2012, and the Maine Senate since 2018. As Maine has no office of lieutenant governor, the Senate President is first in line to become governor in
364-665: The Democratic Party gained strength. Margaret Chase Smith was the first American woman elected to serve in both houses of Congress (elected to the House of Representatives in 1940 and the Senate in 1948). In 1964, she was placed in the nomination for presidency at the Republican National Convention. On August 19, 2013, the resignation of seven members of the State Committee, viewed as libertarian and conservative,
392-629: The Employee Free Choice Act, which gives employees the chance to strike without being punished by employers and also keeps the workplace free of hazards, harassment, and discrimination. The platform also supports environmental protection through an energy plan to curb pollution and increase productivity. Maine Republican Party The Maine Republican Party is an affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Maine . It
420-457: The Maine House of Representatives in 2012, and the Maine Senate in 2018. Control of the Senate determines who is first in line to be governor in the event of a vacancy, as Maine has no office of lieutenant governor. The Maine Republican Party caused a stir during its 2010 convention when the party, which has been moderate since the 1950s, passed a constitutionally conservative platform supported by " Tea Party " activists. The new platform calls for
448-562: The U.S. Senate. Appointed in May 1980 to fill the vacancy left by Edmund Muskie after Muskie's appointment as the U.S. Secretary of State , Mitchell was subsequently elected to a full term in 1982 . After winning a second term in 1988 , Mitchell opted to retire instead of seeking a third term. Congressman Thomas Andrews ran as the Democratic nominee in the 1994 election and was subsequently defeated by Republican challenger Olympia Snowe . Out of
476-460: The cabinet is as follows: Maine is one of five states that does not have an office of lieutenant governor . Under current law, if there is a vacancy in the office of governor, the president of the Maine Senate becomes governor. As of December 5, 2018 , the Senate president is Democrat Troy Jackson . The Blaine House in Augusta is the official governor's mansion, and is located across
504-696: The elimination of the United States Department of Education and the Federal Reserve System , the rejection of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child , a freeze and prohibition on stimulus spending, and the prosecution of perpetrators of the " global warming myth". It also demands a "return to the principles of Austrian Economics ", and the assertion that healthcare is "not
532-663: The event of a vacancy. The Democratic Party has history dating back to the 1800s. Maine entered the Union in 1820 as an Anti-Federalist state. Soon after, in 1834, the Anti-Federalists adopted the Democratic Party name. The Democrats had limited success for nearly a hundred years, in part due to slavery. The Northeast was predominantly anti-slavery whereas the South was pro-slavery. When the Whig party split in 1856, most of its northern wing formed
560-416: The number of registered Democrats more than doubled from 99,000 to 212,000. In more recent years, Maine has been roughly evenly split between Democrats, Republicans, and independents. For instance in 1990, independent registered voters constituted 37% of the electorate, Democrats 33%, and Republicans 30%. This is a great contrast to the first hundred years of Maine politics. From 2012 to 2019, despite having
588-454: The office of Governor while holding any other office under the United States, Maine, or "any other power". Governors are elected directly for four-year terms. They may be elected any number of times, but with a limit of two consecutive elected terms.(Article V, Section 2). Elections are by popular vote, but if two people tie for first place, the Legislature meets in joint session to choose between them (Article V, Section 3). The governor
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#1732898499180616-467: The other three major statewide offices, the Attorney General , Secretary of State , and State Treasurer , are selected by the Legislature. As Republicans have not held a majority of total seats in the Legislature since 2012, they have been unable to select these officials on their own. They did help to elect independent Treasurer Terry Hayes , a former Democrat, in 2014. Republicans last controlled
644-439: The power to grant pardons , reprieves, and commutations , except in cases of impeachment . This clemency power also includes juvenile offenses (Article V, Section 11). The Governor oversees the executive branch, which includes Maine's state agencies. Their cabinet is often considered to be the state's commissioners, which are generally nominated by the governor but legally chosen by the Maine Legislature . As of January 2019,
672-461: The recall election, retaining his position as mayor by a margin of 91 votes. Governor of Maine The governor of Maine is the head of government of the U.S. 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. The current governor of Maine is Janet Mills , a Democrat , who took office January 2, 2019. The governor of Maine receives
700-481: The seat again in 2022 , but lost. Maine has not elected a GOP Governor since 2014 , when Paul LePage was re-elected as governor. In 2018, term limits prevented LePage from seeking a third consecutive term. Businessman Shawn Moody ran as the Republican nominee in the 2018 election and was subsequently defeated by Democratic challenger Janet Mills . LePage ran for governor again in 2022 , but lost. The holders of
728-510: Was announced along with their unenrollment from the Party. Those who resigned cited numerous grievances with the Party at both the state and national levels, including Party rule changes, support from Congressional Republicans of National Security Agency surveillance programs, and the failure of Legislative Republicans to block tax increases in the recently passed State budget. The Maine Republican Party controls no statewide state-level offices after
756-449: Was founded in Strong, Maine , on August 7, 1854. The party currently does not control the governor's office or either chamber of the Maine Legislature , nor either of Maine's two U.S. House . The only federal elected office that the party controls is one of Maine's two U.S. Senate seats, currently held by Susan Collins . The Republican Party formed in Maine in 1854 due to Prohibition and
784-418: Was replaced in the senate by independent Angus King , who caucus with the Democrats. Both of Maine's congressional districts have been held by Democrats since 2018 . The last Republican to represent Maine in the House of Representatives was Bruce Poliquin . First elected in 2014 , Poliquin was subsequently defeated in his bid for a third term in 2018 by Democratic challenger Jared Golden . Poliquin sought
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