Chellie Pingree

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Chellie Pingree
Chellie Pingree
Maine State Senate Majority Leader
In office
1996 – 2000
Member of the Maine Senate from Maine's Senate District 12
In office
1992 – 2000
Born April 2, 1955 (1955-04-02) (age 53)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Political party Democratic
Alma mater College of the Atlantic
Website http://pingreeforcongress.com/

Chellie Pingree (born April 2, 1955) is the Democratic nominee for the U.S. house of Representatives for Maine's 1st District and the immediate past President and CEO of Common Cause, a nonpartisan citizens' lobbying group based in Washington, DC.

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[edit] Personal

Pingree was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, attended the University of Southern Maine, and graduated from the College of the Atlantic with a degree in Human Ecology.

Pingree held various farming and care-taking jobs until 1981, when she started North Island Yarn, a cottage industry of hand knitters with a retail store on the island of North Haven. Her business expanded and became North Island Designs, employing as many as ten workers. They began marketing knitting kits and pattern books nationwide through 1,200 retail stores and 100,000 mail order catalogues. Through North Island Designs, Pingree authored and produced five knitting books between 1986 and 1992.

Pingree has three children; the oldest, Hannah Pingree, is the Majority Leader of the Maine House of Representatives.

[edit] Common Cause

As Common Cause's leader, Pingree strengthened the organization's programs in media reform and elections, while maintaining programs in ethics and money in politics. Among the specific issues she championed at Common Cause are Net Neutrality, Mandatory Voter-Verified Paper Ballots, Public Financing of Congressional Elections, National Popular Vote (a work-around the Electoral College), and an Independent Ethics Commission for Congress. She stepped down from Common Cause in February 2007 to return to her home state, in order to run for Congress in 2008[1] [2]. If elected she will be Maine's first Democratic woman elected to Congress.

[edit] Public Service

Pingree served as the Senate Majority Leader in the Maine Senate representing her island community of North Haven, Maine. Pingree was first elected in 1992 at the age of 37. She was elected Maine's second female Senate Majority Leader on December 4, 1996. In 2002, she made an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican junior senator Susan Collins, and lost by a margin of 16%. She was outspoken against going to war against Iraq, although counseled by party insiders to avoid that subject.

During her tenure as a state legislator, Pingree led several economic development initiatives including landmark legislation to enhance small business opportunities and keep businesses in Maine. She gained nationwide headlines when she authored the nation's first bill regulating prescription drug prices, Maine Rx. Pingree also shepherded Maine's largest land bill initiative, Land for Maine's Future. In 2000, she was forced to leave the Legislature due to term limits.

In April 2007, Pingree filed papers for her bid to run for Maine's 1st congressional district.[1] On August 15th, 2007, EMILY's List endorsed Pingree's campaign for Congress in Maine's 1st District.[2] In December 2007 she also received the endorsement of 21st Century Democrats.[3] She has also been endorsed by a number of labor organizations and many individuals and state officals, including Congressman Rush D. Holt, Jr., Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, current Maine Senate Majority Leader Libby Mitchell, Fmr. Maine Senate Asst. Majority Leader Anne Rand, State Representative Paulette Beaudoin,State Representative Nancy Smith, progressive writer and activist Jim Hightower, the United Auto Workers, Planned Parenthood, and the League of Conservation Voters.[4]

[edit] Electoral history

  • 2008 Democratic Primary for Congress - 1st District
    • Chellie Pingree 44%
    • Adam Cote 28%
    • Michael Brennan 11%
    • Ethan Strimling 10%
    • Mark Lawrence 5%
    • Stephen Meister 1%
  • 2002 Race for U.S. Senate

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Announcement to run for Congress Accessed 2008-03-05
  2. ^ Emily's List endorsement. Accessed 2008-03-05
  3. ^ 21st Century Democrats endorsement. Accessed 2008-03-05
  4. ^ Complete list of endorsements Accessed 2008-03-05