- John Elias Baldacci
Democratic Governor John Elias Baldacci is the first governor to enact same-sex marriages without a court order. Born in Bangor, Governor Baldacci gained a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Maine.
In the 1990s, Baldacci won an election to become a U.S. Representative and then spent three years in Congress. He became Governor of Maine in 2002 and is currently serving his second term.
His accomplishments as governor are varied. They include a controversial cigarette tax increase. Maine has the highest cigarette tax rate, $3.50 per pack, in the United States. He’s also pushing to consolidate school districts within Maine to save money.
Facts about Maine’s Previous Governors
- Maine’s first governor, William King, was a self-educated tradesman who eventually opened his own lumber mill, cotton mill and merchant shipping trade.
- The 40th Governor of Maine left home at the age of eight to work as a farmhand. Joseph Bodwell grew up in a poor family and eventually moved in with his older sister and her husband where he worked on a farm. He eventually returned to school and worked during the night to earn money to support himself.
- Former Governor Percival Baxter deeded his summer home in Falmouth to the State of Maine to launch the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf. He also gave Mackworth Island to the state.
2010 Republican Candidates:
2010 Democratic Candidates:
- Peter Truman
- Steven Rowe
Maine became a state in 1820. Before 1820, Maine was a part of Massachusetts. 37 governors have been Republican, 23 Democrats and 13 from other parties.
