Mike Michaud

Mike Michaud
Ranking Member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
In office
December 3, 2012 – January 3, 2015
Preceded byBob Filner
Succeeded byCorrine Brown
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maine's 2nd district
In office
January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2015
Preceded byJohn Baldacci
Succeeded byBruce Poliquin
Member of the Maine Senate
from the 3rd district
In office
December 7, 1994 – January 3, 2003
Preceded byMargaret Ludwig
Succeeded byStephen Stanley
Member of the Maine House of Representatives
from the 134th district
In office
December 3, 1980 – December 7, 1994
Preceded byWalter Birt
Succeeded byHarry Bailey
Personal details
Born
Michael Herman Michaud

(1955-01-18) January 18, 1955 (age 69)
Millinocket, Maine, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic

Michael Herman Michaud (/mɛʃ/ me-SHOO;[1] born January 18, 1955) is an American businessman and politician from Maine. Michaud served as the U.S. representative for Maine's 2nd congressional district from 2003 to 2015. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The primarily rural district comprises nearly 80% of the state by area and includes the cities of Lewiston, Auburn, Bangor, Presque Isle, and Ellsworth. It is the largest Congressional district by area east of the Mississippi River.

Michaud was previously President of the Maine Senate. He was employed for over two decades at the Great Northern Paper Company and remains a member of the United Steelworkers. He was one of the few members of Congress during his tenure who did not attend college.[2] He did, however, attend the John F. Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University.[2][3] He has also been awarded honorary Doctor of Public Service degrees from Maine's Unity College, Husson College, and Maine Maritime Academy.[2][3]

Michaud, who speaks a little French, is the first openly Franco-American to be elected to a U.S. federal office from Maine.[2][4][5][6] He was elected as a co-chair of the congressional French Caucus in January 2011.[5] He came out as gay in 2013, becoming one of the few openly LGBT members of Congress and the first to reside in Maine.

Michaud was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Maine in the 2014 election.[7] While initially considered a favorite by some analysts on account of the general unpopularity of incumbent Paul LePage, he lost by a margin larger than expected. He currently holds a seat on the East Millinocket Board of Selectmen.

  1. ^ Barone, Michael; Cohen, Richard (November 1, 2007). The Almanac of American Politics, 2008. National Journal. p. 752. ISBN 978-0892341177.
  2. ^ a b c d "Election 2012 - Mike Michaud (D)". Wall Street Journal. 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Biography | Congressman Mike Michaud". Michaud.house.gov. January 12, 2007. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  4. ^ Belluck, Pam (June 4, 2006). "Long-Scorned in Maine, French Has Renaissance". New York Times. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Michaud to co-chair French caucus". Bangor Daily News. Associated Press. January 6, 2011. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
  6. ^ R; BillingsPortl, y; Herald, Press (July 6, 2014). "The early years of Mike Michaud". Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  7. ^ "Senate campaign over, Steve Woods is running for governor". Portland Press Herald. Associated Press. November 16, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.