Tom Allen (Maine politician)

Thomas Hodge Allen (born April 16, 1945) is an American author and former politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Maine's 1st congressional district, and the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2008 against Republican incumbent senator Susan Collins. Allen lost to Collins (61.5% to 38.5%).

Tom Allen
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maine's 1st district
In office
January 3, 1997  January 3, 2009
Preceded byJim Longley
Succeeded byChellie Pingree
110th Mayor of Portland
In office
1991–1992
Preceded byPeter O'Donnell
Succeeded byCharles Harlow
Member of the Portland City Council
In office
1989–1995
Personal details
Born
Thomas Hodge Allen

(1945-04-16) April 16, 1945
Portland, Maine, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Diana Allen
EducationBowdoin College (BA)
Wadham College, Oxford (BPhil)
Harvard University (JD)

Allen was first elected in 1996, defeating Republican incumbent James Longley, Jr. with 55 percent of votes cast to Longley's 45 percent. Allen was re-elected five times, receiving over 55 percent of the vote each time in his district, until his defeat in his 2008 run for the U.S. Senate. After, Allen was appointed president and CEO of the Association of American Publishers and began his term on May 1, 2009.[1] His book Dangerous Convictions: What's Really Wrong with the U.S. Congress came out in 2013.

Early life

Tom Allen and his wife, Diana Allen.

Allen was born in Portland, Maine to Genevieve ("Sukey") Lahee and Charles W. Allen.[2] He graduated from Deering High School. He went on to Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine before winning a Rhodes Scholarship to Wadham College, Oxford. During this time he became friends with fellow Rhodes scholar Bill Clinton. After Oxford he went on to Harvard Law School and practiced as a lawyer.

Early political career

He entered the field of politics when he became a staff member for Governor Kenneth M. Curtis and later for Senator Edmund S. Muskie. Allen was elected to the city council of Portland, Maine in 1989 and served as the city's mayor between 1991 and 1992 before winning election to the House. Allen ran for governor in 1994, losing to Joe Brennan in the Democratic primary.

U.S. House

Tenure

Allen fought Republican efforts to weaken environmental rollbacks between 1996 and 2007. Allen called for a pay-as-you-go system that would require offsets to pay for new tax cuts and new spending while on the Budget Committee, much like the system Democrats enacted in their first 100 hours of Congressional control in the 110th Congress.

Allen has made health care, campaign finance reform, and small business his legislative priorities.

Committees

  • House Energy and Commerce Committee
    • Subcommittee on Health
    • Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee
    • Environment and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee
  • House Budget Committee
  • House Affordable Medicines Task Force (Co-Chairman)
  • House Oceans Caucus

Election history

Year Office Winner Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes %
1996 Maine's
1st
congressional
district
Tom Allen Dem. 173,745 55.32 Jim Longley Jr. (Inc.) Rep. 140,354 44.68
1998 134,336 60.33 Ross Connelly 79,160 35.55 Eric Greiner Ind. 9,182 4.12
2000 202,823 59.81 Jane Amero 123,915 36.54 J. Frederic Staples Lib. 12,356 3.64
2002 172,646 63.81 Steven Joyce 97,931 36.19
2004 219,077 59.74 Charlie Summers 147,663 40.26
2006 168,709 60.67 Darlene Curley 87,589 31.50 Dexter Kamilewicz Ind. 21,792 7.84
Maine U.S. Senate Election 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Susan Collins (incumbent) 444,587 61.5
Democratic Tom Allen 278,651 38.5

Footnotes

  1. Tom Allen Archived 2015-05-08 at the Wayback Machine Association of American Publishers
  2. "Genealogy". rootsweb.com. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
Political offices
Preceded by
Peter O'Donnell
Mayor of Portland
1991–1992
Succeeded by
Charles Harlow
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Jim Longley
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maine's 1st congressional district

1997–2009
Succeeded by
Chellie Pingree
Party political offices
Preceded by
Chellie Pingree
Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Maine
(Class 2)

2008
Succeeded by
Shenna Bellows
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