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'''Chellie M. Pingree''' (born [[April 2]], [[1955]]) is the Congresswomen-elect 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.
'''Chellie M. Pingree''' (born [[April 2]], [[1955]]) is the Congresswomen-elect 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.



Revision as of 20:16, 6 November 2008

Template:Future election candidate

Chellie Pingree
File:ChelliePingree2.jpg
Maine State Senate Majority Leader
In office
19962000
Member of the Maine Senate from Maine's Senate District 12
In office
19922000
Personal details
Born (1955-04-02) April 2, 1955 (age 69)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materCollege of the Atlantic
Websitechelliepingree.com

Chellie M. Pingree (born April 2, 1955) is the Congresswomen-elect 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.

Personal

Pingree was born in St. Paul, 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.

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 of 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.

Maine Senate

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.

2008 U.S. House of Representatives campaign

In April 2007, Pingree filed papers for her bid to run for Maine's 1st congressional district.[3] On August 15th, 2007, EMILY's List endorsed Pingree's campaign for Congress in Maine's 1st District.[4][5] In December 2007 she also received the endorsement of 21st Century Democrats.[6] She has also been endorsed by a number of labor organizations and many individuals and state officials, 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.[7]

Electoral results

  • 2008 General Election - Maine's 1st Congressional District
    • Chellie Pingree (D) 55%
    • Charlie Summers (R) 45%
  • 2008 Democratic Primary - Maine's 1st Congressional District
  • 2002 Race for U.S. Senate

References

  1. ^ [1] Portland Press Herald
  2. ^ [2] Portland Press Herald
  3. ^ Announcement to run for Congress Boston Globe, April 6, 2007 Accessed 2008-03-05
  4. ^ EMILY's List Announces Endorsement of Chellie Pingree for Maine 1st District EMILY'S List, press release Accessed 2008-03-05
  5. ^ Chellie Pingree U.S. House, ME EMILY'S List profile
  6. ^ Pingree Announces Endorsements December 20, 2007 Accessed 2008-03-05
  7. ^ Complete list of endorsements ChelliePingree.com Accessed 2008-03-05