Mike Michaud

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Mike Michaud
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 2003
Preceded by	John Baldacci
Born	January 18, 1955 (1955-01-18) (age 54) Millinocket, Maine
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Single
Residence	East Millinocket, Maine
Alma mater	Schenck High School
Occupation	Factory foreman
Religion	Roman Catholic

Michael Herman (Mike) Michaud (born January 18, 1955 in Millinocket, Maine) has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, representing Maine's 2nd congressional district. The district is in the northern part of the state and includes Bangor, Presque Isle, Lewiston and Auburn.

He was first elected in 2002, narrowly defeating Republican Kevin Raye in the race to replace John Baldacci, who gave up the seat to run (successfully) for governor. The 2002 race garnered considerable publicity because the Democratic candidate was pro-life while the Republican was pro-choice. Michaud was the only freshman Democratic member of Congress to vote for 2003's ban on partial-birth abortion. He was re-elected in 2004, defeating Republican Brian Hamel of Presque Isle by a large margin. In the 2006 elections he won 70.5% of the vote against Republican Laurence S. D'Amboise. In the 2008 elections he defeated Republican and retired Prof. John Frary of Farmington with a large majority.

Michaud grew up in Medway, Maine, and is a graduate of Schenck High School. From 1973 until his election to Congress in 2002 he was a millworker at Great Northern Paper. His political career began in the late 1970s when he campaigned to clean up the Penobscot River. He was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 1980, and to the Maine Senate in 1994. In 1996, he became the chair of the state Senate Appropriation Committee. He was unanimously elected President of the Maine Senate in 2000.

Since being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, Michaud has been a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee and its Health Subcommittee. Michaud has fought for extended benefits for veterans. He has also called for the lowering of the cost of prescription drugs.

Michaud represents the largest House district east of the Mississippi River.

Michaud is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of conservative congressional Democrats. Nevertheless, Michaud has voted with his party's leadership 96.3% of the time^{[citation needed]}.

On October 19, 2007, he endorsed former Senator John Edwards for President.

With the election of Chellie Pingree to Maine's 1st district in 2008, Michaud is the only male in Maine's four member delegation.

[edit] Committee assignments

• Committee on Small Business
  • Subcommittee on Finance and Tax
  • Subcommittee on Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Health (Chairman)

[edit] Election History

[edit] References

1. ^ Cooley represented the Socialist Equality Party

[edit] External links

• U.S. Congressman Mike Michaud, U.S. House site
• Mike Michaud for U.S. Congress, Campaign site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia
• John Frary Campaign site