-->

• Republican Olympia Snowe is the senior Senator from Maine. She is currently in her third term in the position.

• Fast Facts:

  1. Born: February 21, 1947
  2. Birthplace: Augusta, Maine
  3. Alma Mater: University of Maine
  4. Spouse: Former Maine Governor John R. McKernan Jr.
  5. Party: Republican
  6. Assumed Office: January 4, 1995
  7. Named one of "America's Top 10 Senators" by Time Magazine

• Early Life

  Born Olympia Jean Bouchles, Snowe's parents both died before she reached the age of ten. She was raised by her aunt and uncle, and in 1969, she graduated from the University of Maine with a Bachelor's in Political Science. After graduation, Snowe married Peter Snowe, then a Republican state legislator. In 1973, Peter Snowe died in a car accident and Olympia ran for, and won, his seat in the Maine House of Representatives.

• Political Career

  In 1977, Snowe was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine's 2nd Congressional District. Snowe married then-Governor John McKernan in 1989. In 1994, Snowe ran for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell and defeated Democratic nominee Tom Andrews in a landslide. She was re-elected by a wide margin in both 2000 and 2006. Snowe is considered a moderate Republican who often votes with the Democratic Party on environmental, abortion, and gay rights issues. Snowe supported the invasion of Iraq, but has since sought to distance herself from President Bush.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  U.S. Senate | U.S. House of Representatives | Daniel Akaka | Lamar Alexander | Wayne Allard | John Barrasso | Max Baucus | Bob Bennett | Jeff Bingaman | Sherrod Brown | Jim Bunning | Richard Burr | Maria Cantwell | Susan Collins | Maine Exit Polls | Maine Election Results

Categories

• View History
• Discuss on the Message Board
• Embed this Page
• Share this page