Peter Mills

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For the British Conservative Member of Parliament, see Peter Mills (UK politician).

Peter Mills (born 1943) is an American politician, a Republican from Maine.

He was born in Farmington, Maine, and grew up in Maine. After graduating from Harvard College in 1965, he served five years on Navy destroyers with several duty tours to the Vietnam gunline for which he was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal. He later conducted intelligence missions against the Soviets for which he was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal.

After graduating with honors from Maine Law School in 1973, he spent 32 years working as a lawyer in Maine. For 23 years, he has owned Wright & Mills in Skowhegan. He is a founding member of the Somerset Economic Development Corporation and a founding member of FirstPark, a business park in central Maine.

During 10 years in the Legislature (most recently in the State Senate), he has served as a Republican lead on Tax, Labor, Judiciary and Appropriations Committees. He is outspoken in advocating change in tax and school funding systems. He has worked with both parties to pass significant reforms in health care and education. He has a reputation as a coalition builder with practical and independent views and a business-like approach to state finances.

In 2005 Mills declared his candidacy for Governor in the 2006 election. In the Republican primary he faced former US Representative Dave Emery and State Senator Chandler Woodcock. Woodcock, the winner, lost to incumbent Democrat John Baldacci in the November 7, 2006 general election. Peter will be returning to the State Senate, and will continue to have the longest overall service in that body, beginning his sixth Senate term in December 2006.

Mills' family is well-known in Maine politics in both parties. One sister, Janet Mills, serves as a Democratic State Representative from Farmington; another, Dora Mills, is the state's health director under two consecutive Governors and a former member of the Democratic National Committee. Peter's brother Paul is a Republican and a well-known political analyst.

[edit] Electoral History

Office	Year	Candidate	Party	Pct	Opponent	Party	Pct
Maine Legislative Elections
St. Senate	1996	Peter Mills	Republican	61%	Gerald York	Democratic	39%
St. Senate	1998	Peter Mills	Republican	59%	Richard Smith	Democratic	41%
St. Senate	2000	Peter Mills	Republican	55%	Pamela Hatch	Democratic	45%
St. House	2002	Peter Mills	Republican	52%	Michael Cray	Democratic	48%
St. Senate	2004	Peter Mills	Republican	53%	Pamela Hatch	Democratic	47%
St. Senate	2006¹	Peter Mills	Republican	63%	Paul Hatch	Democratic	36%
2006 Republican Primary for Governor of Maine
		Chandler Woodcock	Republican	38.6%
		Peter Mills	Republican	35.2%
		David F. Emery	Republican	26.3%