Michael H. Michaud 2012
Michael Michaud (1955- ) was a U.S. Representative first elected in 2002, then re-elected in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012. He was a Democratic State Senator Democrat from East Millinocket, unanimously elected Maine’s 107th Senate President on December 6, 2000 under the State Senate’s unique power sharing arrangement resulting from a first-ever partisan tie.
Born in 1955 in Millinocket, Michaud is the second of six children. He was raised in Medway and attended nearby Schenck High School in East Millinocket. These three towns are clustered along the West Branch of the Penobscot River, just west of I-95 on Routes 11/157.
After graduation, he followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, gaining employment at the Great Northern Paper Company. He is a 30 year employee of GNP and a member of PACE union Local #1-0037.
Citing a desire to help clean up the badly polluted Penobscot River near his home, Michaud first ran for, and was elected to, the Maine House of Representatives in 1980 where he went on to serve seven consecutive terms. In 1994, he was elected to the Maine Senate serving four consecutive terms.
As a member of the minority party during his first State Senate term, Senator Michaud was appointed to Governor King’s Productivity Realization Task Force. When Democrats regained control of the State Senate in 1996, Michaud was appointed as Chair of the Appropriations Committee. In 2000 he was elected President of the Maine State Senate.
In 2001, Senator Michaud was honored with the dedication of the Michael H. Michaud Technology Center in recognition of his critical leadership in securing state funding for the University of Maine at Presque Isle Houlton Higher Education Center. Michaud also received the College Board’s Education Award at the National Council of State Legislatures Annual Meeting in Texas for his lifelong commitment to higher education.
He was awarded a Doctor of Public Service from Unity College in 1989, and completed the Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, Michaud served on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and on its the Benefits Subcommittee. He has also served on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Additionally, he has served on the House Committee on Small Business where he sits on both the Subcommittee on Tax, Finance, and Exports and the Rural Enterprises, Agriculture and Technology Subcommittee. During his first term, Michaud formed the first-ever Labor and Working Families Caucus which, with over 75 members, leading the fight for fairer trade and economic policies to better the lives of America’s working families and small businesses.
In November 2014, he was the Democratic Party candidate for governor. He lost to incumbent Paul LePage in a close contest 48.2% to 43.3%. An independent candidate received 8.4%, possibly affecting the election outcome.
Source: Primarily condensed and edited from Michaud for Congress 2002 and 2006 Internet web sites, with additional content form other sources.
Additional resources
“Rep. Michael Michaud (D-Maine) biography.” Congress.org. (an online resource of the Congressional Quarterly. http://congress.org/bio/id/4441 (accessed June 4, 2012)
MICHAUD, MICHAEL H., a Representative from Maine; born in Millinocket, Penobscot County, Maine, January 18, 1955; graduated from Schenck High School, East Millinocket, Maine, 1973; mill worker; member of the Maine state house of representatives, 1980-1994; member of the Maine state senate, 1994-2002, president, 2001, president pro tempore, 2002; elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Eighth and to the five succeeding Congresses (January 3, 2003-January 3, 2015); was not a candidate for renomination to the One Hundred Fourteenth Congress in 2014, but was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Maine.
Congressional Biography: https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=m001149 (accessed December 31, 220)
Maine State Senate. “Past President, Michael H. Michaud, Democrat, 2000-2001.” http://www.maine.gov/legis/senate/Michael-Michaud.html (accessed June 4, 2012)
Photo: from http://www.facebook.com/RepMikeMichaud (accessed 1/19/2012)