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.

Contents

[edit] Committee assignments

[edit] Election History

Year Office Election Subject Party Votes  % Opponent Party Votes  % Opponent Party Votes  %
2002 Maine's 2nd congressional district General Mike Michaud Democratic 116,868 52.01 Kevin Raye Republican 107,849 47.99
2004 Maine's 2nd congressional district General Mike Michaud Democratic 199,303 58.03 Brian Hamel Republican 135,547 39.47 Carl Cooley Independent[1] 8,586 2.50
2006 Maine's 2nd congressional district General Mike Michaud Democratic 176,218 70.49 Laurence D'Amboise Republican 73,779 29.51
2008 Maine's 2nd congressional district General Mike Michaud Democratic 220,669 67.2 John Frary Republican 107,736 33.8

[edit] References

  1. ^ Cooley represented the Socialist Equality Party

[edit] External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
John Baldacci
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maine's 2nd congressional district

2003 – present
Incumbent
Languages