John Baldacci
John Elias Baldacci (born January 30, 1955) is an American politician who served as the 73rd Governor of Maine from 2003 to 2011. A Democrat, he also served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.
John Baldacci
Constituency established
Karen Baldacci
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During his tenure as governor, Baldacci initiated reforms in the areas of health care, energy development, administrative reform and efficiency, public education, and led significant efforts to expand investment in workforce training and development. During his four terms in the U.S. Congress, he served on the Agriculture Committee and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He currently serves as vice chair of the board of the non-partisan Northeast-Midwest Institute,[1] a Washington-based, private, nonprofit, and nonpartisan research organization dedicated to economic vitality, environmental quality, and regional equity for Northeast and Midwest states.
Early life and political career[edit]
Born in Bangor, Maine, Baldacci grew up with seven siblings in an Italian-Lebanese family. As a child, he worked in the family business, Mama Baldacci's[2] restaurant in Bangor. A 1973 graduate of Bangor High School, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Maine at Orono in 1986.[3]
Baldacci was first elected to public office in 1978 at the age of 23, when he served on the Bangor City Council. He continued in politics, winning election to the Maine Senate in 1982 from a Bangor-area district. He was reelected two times, serving a total of 12 years.[3]
Personal life and family[edit]
Baldacci lived with his wife Karen and son Jack in the Blaine House in Augusta, while governor.
Baldacci's brother, Joe, is a member of the Bangor City Council.[15] He is a first cousin once removed of former Maine senator and majority leader George J. Mitchell and a second cousin of author David Baldacci.[16] In addition, he is also related to State Representative Chris Greeley, who like Baldacci and Mitchell, is half-Lebanese. His wife Karen was the head of Maine Reads, a nonprofit umbrella organization for Read With ME, privately funded by Verizon. Karen now works as a registered dietitian (RD) at the Supplemental Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) in Portland.
Baldacci held a technician class amateur radio license with call sign KB1NXP, which expired in 2018.[17]