Bruce Poliquin

Bruce Poliquin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2015
Preceded by	Mike Michaud
49th Maine State Treasurer
In office 2011–2013
Governor	Paul LePage
Preceded by	David Lemoine
Succeeded by	Neria Douglass
Personal details
Born	(1953-11-01) November 1, 1953 Waterville, Maine, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Residence	Oakland, Maine
Alma mater	Harvard University
Religion	Roman Catholic[1]
Website	Campaign website

Bruce Lee Poliquin (born November 1, 1953) is a Maine Republican politician and investor. He is currently a member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing Maine's 2nd congressional district. From 2011 to 2013, he was the Maine State Treasurer.^[2] He was a candidate for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in 2012, finishing second in the primary election.

Poliquin was elected to his seat in the 2014 general election.^[3]

Personal

Poliquin was born and raised in Waterville, Maine. He grew up in a family of French-Canadian ancestry, where his father was a school principal and his mother was a nurse . He received a scholarship to attend Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and later attended Harvard University, where he studied economics, graduating in 1976. After leaving Harvard, Poliquin entered private business, including a position with Harris Trust and Savings Bank in Chicago.^[2] In 1989, he married Jane Carpenter, whom he had known in Waterville, but she died in a swimming accident three years later. He has one son. Poliquin remarried in 2003, and was divorced in 2009.

Gubernatorial campaign

In 2010, Poliquin sought the Maine Republican Party's nomination for Governor of Maine. He spent $711,000 of his own money and over $798,000 in total, but finished sixth of the seven candidates behind winner Paul LePage. After his unsuccessful bid, Poliquin campaigned strongly for LePage, calling him a true fiscal conservative.^[4] Following the election of Republican Paul LePage in November 2010, Poliquin was elected by the state legislature to serve as state Treasurer.^[4]

State Treasurer

In the fall 2011, Poliquin criticized the Maine State Housing Authority for its plans to underwrite federal tax credits to redevelop an historic property in Portland's West End, 68 High Street. The vacant lot at 66 High Street and 68 High Street were planned to turn into Elm Terrace, a low-income facility with 38 units. Poliquin criticized the proposed unit price of $314,000. Dale McCormick, the authority's director and an appointee by Democratic Governor John Baldacci, approved the proposal following a reduction in the per unit price to $265,000. McCormick noted that the average per unit cost in the West End was approximately $220,000 and the building had to be rebuilt to include elevators and other code requirements, while Poliquin argued that it was better and more cost effective to place low income housing on the outskirts of towns and cities.^[5]

In February of 2012, Poliquin faced criticism from Democrats over allegations that he conducted commerce while serving as State Treasurer, which would have been a violation of Article V, Part 3 of the Maine Constitution. One allegation involved his ownership of the Popham Beach Club, a private club in Phippsburg, where he appeared before the Planning Board in a matter involving the club. A second alleged instance of commerce involved his real estate company Dirigo Holdings LLC. Maine Attorney General William Schneider advised Poliquin to disassociate himself from his business ventures but did not offer an opinion as to whether he had actually violated the Constitution. The Maine Legislature, after pressure from Democrats, voted 122-0 to send the matter to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court for review, but the Court declined to do so. ^{[6] [7]}

In February of 2012 Poliquin faced criticism from the left over his use of the Tree Growth Tax Program, a program meant to preserve forestland from development pressures for commercial timber harvesting, with 10 acres of his oceanfront property in Georgetown. The program reduced the value of his property from the originally assessed $1.8 million to $725,500, resulting in Poliquin paying $30 a year in property taxes on the otherwise valuable land.^[8] A Maine Forest Service report in 2009 discussed Poliquin's property as an example of a property that may not be fully complying with the law, stating that restrictions on timber harvesting in shoreland areas would limit any commercial use of the land. They did state, however, that as long as the property was 10 acres, it could remain in the program. ^[9]

Poliquin later transferred the property in question to the Open Space program, a less generous tax abatement program. The Georgetown Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the transfer, and declined to pursue penalties for removing the property from Tree Growth. Poliquin denied that he took his actions due to any alleged improper use of the Tree Growth program, and stated that the issue was a distraction for Georgetown and was politically motivated due to Democrats' dissatisfaction with his policies as Treasurer.^[8]

At the end of his term, Poliquin wrote an op-ed in the Bangor Daily News with a list of his offices' accomplishments as Treasurer. These included reforms to the state workers' pension plan, efforts to reduce the cost of affordable housing, reduced wasteful spending, and retention of the state's Aa2 bond rating, among other initiatives. ^[10]

Post-Treasurer career

In March 2012, Poliquin announced he would be running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Olympia Snowe.^[11] He lost the Republican primary to Charlie Summers, who himself lost to Independent former Gov. Angus King.

Poliquin stated on July 10, 2013 that he was not interested in becoming the Chairman of the Maine Republican Party, despite encouragement to do so from many Republicans, including Gov. LePage. ^[12]

U.S. House of Representatives

2014 election

In August 2013, Poliquin announced that he would seek the Maine Republican Party's nomination for the Second Congressional District.^[13][14]

Poliquin won the primary election against former Maine Senate President Kevin Raye and faced Democratic State Senator Emily Cain and unenrolled retired Navy captain Blaine Richardson in the general election.^[3] Poliquin was declared winner and took office January 3, 2015.

Tenure

One of Rep. Poliquin's first votes in Congress was to pass the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Full Disclosure Act of 2015, an anti-abortion measure. He stated he did so because "I don’t believe requiring taxpayers to fund abortions reflects the values of our 2nd District families".^[15]

On February 3, 2015, Poliquin was one of three House Republicans to vote against repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.^[16] His spokesman stated that while Poliquin supports repeal, the proposed bill did not offer a "free market alternative" to immediately take its place, which he feels is needed.^[17] Poliquin was subsequently criticized by conservative groups seeking immediate repeal of the law, including the Republican Liberty Caucus which voted on February 5, 2015 to rescind their election endorsement of him. Poliquin responded by noting the House has voted numerous times to repeal the law without effect, and that "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."^[18]

References

External links

• Congressman Bruce Poliquin official U.S. House site
• Bruce Poliquin for Congress
• Column archive at The Daily Caller
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Project Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at The Library of Congress

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