Angus King

Angus King
source
Name	Angus King
Caption	Official portrait, 2013
State	Maine
Jr/sr	United States Senator
Alongside	Susan Collins
Term start	January 3, 2013
Predecessor	Olympia Snowe
Office1	72nd Governor of Maine
Term start1	January 5, 1995
Term end1	January 8, 2003
Predecessor1	John McKernan
Successor1	John Baldacci
Party	Independent (1993–present)
Otherparty	Democratic (before 1993)
Birth name	Angus Stanley King Jr.
Birth date	31 March 1944
Birth place	Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Spouse	Mary Herman, 1984
Education	Dartmouth College (BA), University of Virginia School of Law (JD)
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Coast Guard Reserve
Serviceyears	1969–1972

Angus King is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States Senator from Maine since 2013. A political independent who caucuses with the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 72nd Governor of Maine from 1995 to 2003. Known for his pragmatic and centrist approach, he has focused on issues including energy policy, national security, and cybersecurity.

Early life and education

Angus Stanley King Jr. was born in Alexandria, Virginia, and spent his early years in the Washington, D.C. area. He attended Dartmouth College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1966 and was a member of the Psi Upsilon fraternity. He subsequently enrolled at the University of Virginia School of Law, receiving his Juris Doctor in 1969. Following law school, he served as a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Edward Thaxter Gignoux in Portland, Maine.

Early career and business ventures

After his clerkship, King worked as a staff attorney for the Pine Tree Legal Assistance program, providing legal aid to low-income residents. He later served as chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Alcoholism and Narcotics under Senator William Hathaway. In the late 1970s, he transitioned to the private sector, co-founding a successful energy conservation company. His most prominent venture was founding Northeast Energy Management, Inc., and he gained wider recognition as the host of a public affairs television program, MaineWatch, on the Maine Public Broadcasting Network.

Political career

King entered electoral politics in 1994, running as an independent candidate for Governor of Maine. He defeated both the Republican candidate, Susan Collins, and the Democratic nominee, Joseph E. Brennan. His campaign emphasized fiscal responsibility and bipartisan cooperation. He was re-elected in 1998 by a wide margin, serving two consecutive terms. As governor, he was known for implementing the Maine Learning Technology Initiative, which provided laptop computers to all middle school students, and for his fiscally conservative management of the state budget.

U.S. Senate

Following the retirement of Senator Olympia Snowe, King ran for the United States Senate in 2012 as an independent. He won the general election with a majority of the vote, defeating Republican Charlie Summers and Democrat Cynthia Dill. Upon taking office, he announced he would caucus with the Democratic Party, a decision he has maintained. He was re-elected in 2018 and again in 2024. In the Senate, he serves on the Armed Services Committee, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Rules and Administration Committee.

Political positions and views

King is considered a centrist and a strong advocate for campaign finance reform, having co-sponsored the Democracy for All Amendment. He is a leading voice on cybersecurity, serving as co-chair of the Cybersecurity Solarium Commission. On energy policy, he supports the expansion of renewable energy sources, particularly offshore wind power in the Gulf of Maine. He has been a vocal critic of the filibuster in the Senate and supports modifications to the rule. While generally aligned with Democrats, he has broken with the party on some regulatory and national security issues.

Personal life

King married Mary Herman in 1984, and the couple has five children. He is an avid motorcyclist and has taken long-distance trips across the United States. He and his wife reside in Brunswick, Maine, and also maintain a home in Washington, D.C.. King is a member of the Unitarian Universalist church and has taught courses as an adjunct professor at Bowdoin College.

Category:1944 births Category:American independents Category:Governors of Maine Category:United States senators from Maine