Mitchell looking to set another precedent
The first woman to lead both legislative chambers aims to be the first female governor.
By Susan M. Cover scover@mainetoday.com
MaineToday Media State House Writer
AUGUSTA - It may seem hard to believe, but at one time Libby Mitchell was an outsider trying to break into Maine politics.
Libby Mitchell visits with artist Susan Mesick on Tuesday at a gallery in downtown Sanford while campaigning for governor.
Tim Greenway/Staff Photographer
MORE ONLINE
Governor's Race special section
CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR
This is the second in a series profiling candidates for governor. Libby Mitchell will chat with readers live at noon today on this site.
ELIZABETH MITCHELL
DATE OF BIRTH: June 22, 1940
FAMILY: Husband, Jim; four grown children
OCCUPATION: Senate president, lawyer, former teacher, former director of Maine State Housing Authority
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in education, Furman University, Greenville, S.C.; master’s degree in education, University of North Carolina; law degree, University of Maine School of Law
PUBLIC OFFICE EXPERIENCE: Maine House of Representatives, 18 years; Maine Senate, six years
Just three years after moving to Maine to raise a family, Mitchell decided to run for the House of Representatives. It was 1974.
She was so new to the area that Democratic Party elders found another Democrat to challenge her in the primary. The South Carolina native won anyway, then won the seat to represent what had been a traditionally Republican district, in Vassalboro.
Since then, it's been a series of firsts for Mitchell: first female speaker of the House, in 1997; first woman appointed chairman of the board of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston; and, after being chosen Senate president, the first woman in the country to have led both state legislative chambers.
So to Mitchell, a bid to be Maine's first female governor is simply the next step in a groundbreaking political career that has spanned 18 years in the House and six in the Senate.
"You can look at the entire picture as governor," Mitchell said. "The governor gets to lead that effort in a much more profound way. I wanted to step into that arena and offer the skills I have honed over the years."
Mitchell, 69, entered the race for governor in August, putting her political future on an uncertain path in a year when many are vying for the chance to succeed Democratic Gov. John Baldacci.
In the June 8 primary, Mitchell faces three opponents: former Attorney General Steve Rowe, who succeeded Mitchell as speaker; former legislator and Conservation Commissioner Patrick McGowan; and Rosa Scarcelli, who runs a housing company.
That same day, Republicans will go to the polls to choose from seven candidates. The winners of the primaries will face at least two independent candidates in November.
Mitchell said her experience as a teacher, legislator, Senate president and head of the Maine State Housing Authority make her the best choice to lead her party, and the state.
In the housing authority, she worked with many companies to help people get the housing they needed. That job led to an appointment as co-chair of a national task force that created a low-income housing tax credit.
President Bill Clinton -- who sent out a fundraising appeal on Mitchell's behalf in March -- then appointed her chair of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston. "It was a very conservatively managed bank," she said. "It was the wholesale provider for capital for Maine community banks and credit unions."
Mitchell grew up in Gaffney, S.C., and worked in a peach-packing business when she was a teenager. Her father was a salesman and owned a neighborhood grocery store. Her mother taught in a one-room school and later worked at the store with her father. Mitchell, who has one sister, also helped out at the store, stocking shelves and working the cash register.
Her political heritage is well known in Gaffney. Her grandfather was a state lawmaker and sheriff, and her father served on the county election commission, according to the Spartanburg (S.C.) Herald-Journal.
After high school -- she was Gaffney High School senior class president in 1958 -- Mitchell earned bachelor's and master's degrees in education, and went on to teach at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and in Switzerland, where she worked in an international girls' school.
She and husband, Jim, moved to Maine in 1971 for his work. Once settled, she taught English as a second language and adult education.
Her background as a teacher and her interest in education carried over to her legislative career, as she worked to expand the federal Head Start program with the use of state funds. She also pushed to get the state to pay for a 13th year of education -- an effort that failed but led to more scholarship money for students, she said.
More recently, she has worked on the controversial school district consolidation plan, and has seen the results from both sides: as a Vassalboro selectman for nine years and as a state legislator.
"I personally am still grieving over the loss of school unions," she said. "My town of Vassalboro was in a union. All four of my children went to different high schools. They had school choice."
In addition to concerns about changes to the quality of education, Mitchell said consolidation has had a fiscal impact in her town.
"My town did its duty," she said. "It joined with other towns and so its (tax) rate increased."
If she had been governor, Mitchell said, she would have pushed for consolidation to save money on administration, but would have gone about it differently. She would have promised state money to pay for a certain number of administrators and, beyond that, districts would have had to ask taxpayers for extra money if they wanted additional management.
"I will not back away from the need to reduce the size of administration, because we've lost a number of students," she said.
While on the stump, Mitchell spends a fair amount of time talking about jobs and the economy, and the state's shift from large manufacturers to smaller entrepreneurs who will create the jobs of the future.
Part of that future -- either in the private sector or in government -- is likely to include Mitchell's adult children, all of whom have returned to Maine after leaving for a time.
Two of her four children have already served in the Legislature, and another is running for Vassalboro's House seat this year.
"They love politics," she said. "I never knew that they would, because I took them to so many bean suppers when they were growing up. Public service is very much a part of my family."
During the campaign, she has emphasized her ability to work with Republicans. She often talks about the two bipartisan budgets and two bipartisan bond packages that were passed during her tenure as Senate president.
Her husband is a Kennebec County probate judge. He ran for Congress once. After that, his wife says, he put his political dreams aside so she could pursue hers.
"He was just as supportive of me as he was of his own ambitions to be in office, which is pretty remarkable," she said.
When she's not focused on politics, Mitchell has three places in Maine where she loves to take pictures: the state Capitol, the Pemaquid lighthouse and Moosehead Lake, where her family has a camp.
"All of these places are food for the soul," she said.
While in her 60s, Mitchell returned to school to earn her law degree. She practiced with her husband's firm, Mitchell & Davis. Once she was elected Senate president, she no longer had time to practice law.
She once tried a probate case in Machias, but she doesn't claim to have a lot of law experience.
"I wanted to go to law school when I was a young girl and I didn't know that I could," she said. "It was not a door that was easily opened to my generation, but now I could go and I could do it."
As a gubernatorial candidate, she talks about the need for 40,000 Mainers to go back to school to get the education they need to drive a successful economy moving forward.
It's her priority to make education more accessible for high school graduates and adults who need additional training.
"If I'm elected, I'd like to be remembered as the education governor," she said. "It's important to me."
MaineToday Media State House Reporter Susan Cover can be contacted at 620-7015 or at:
scover@centralmaine.com
Were you interviewed for this story? If so, please fill out our accuracy form
Copyright ©2010 MaineToday Media, Inc.
24 COMMENTS
Since1710 said...
Wow, look at that "know it all" body language. She's only out for herself, that's plain to see.
May 12, 2010 at 4:26 AM Report abuse
heyjoe said...
This "carpetbagger" has been spending "Mainers" money freely for years.... Time to send her packing!!!! It would just be more of the same only turned up a notch!!!
May 12, 2010 at 4:27 AM Report abuse
Sam said...
Mitchell appears to have learned the "Boss Hogg" approach to running things well from her southern politician relatives. She is way too prone to many back room deals out of the sight of the taxpayers. For example: She teamed up with John Martin of Eagle Lake (the poster child for term limits) and tried to sneak through a literal midnight raid to eliminate the ONLY legislative watchdog agency that looks for savings and misuse of funds. Maine does not need this kind of power hungry leader with so much contempt for taxpayers she thinks it's OK to play political games hidden in the dark of the night. There are 3 better Democratic candidates and at least 3 on the Republican side who would be better than Mitchell. I hope she is sent packing `in the primary. If she is nominated I will feel compelled to campaign for whoever is running against her. A governor with her elitist anti citizen rights attitude would be a disaster as governor.
May 12, 2010 at 5:52 AM Report abuse
Rocky4 said...
DISASTER !
May 12, 2010 at 6:00 AM Report abuse
Govt2Big said...
Libby Mitchell has proven she supports raising taxes for most Maine residents and the status quo management style that has buried our state in dept and a poor quality of life. If you want more of the same, vote for Libby Mitchell. If you're ready to help swing Maine around into a better place for our kids to live, please help Paul LePage become our next Governor. He is truly the 'real deal' for what Maine needs to get back on track. Read about his positions at http://www.lepage2010.com/positions.php
May 12, 2010 at 6:16 AM Report abuse
Biddy said...
If Pat McGowan isn't nominated Democrats also have an excellent candidate to vote for in Independent Cutler. There is no reason to vote for a Republican in Maine. They have proven themselves to be a group of people who's sole asset is obstruction. They have no answers to the issues facing Mainers or the American people. Additionally they have allowed the right wing, lunaric fringe, to co-opt their party. Note the Nemitz column today and see what these people are capable of.
May 12, 2010 at 6:27 AM Report abuse
Felix said...
THE SUDDEN BELL LEFTY SCARES THE CRAP OUTTA ME, SHE SEEMS LIKE BOZO ON BOURBON AND STEROIDS!!!!!!!!
May 12, 2010 at 6:36 AM Report abuse
Sam said...
Biddy - I disagree. The right fringe of the Republican party has hijacked it to a large degree, but moderate Republicans do still exist. For example, I consider Peter Mills to be a very qualified candidate who has proven his ability to work in a bipartisan manner and to go against the right wing on a regular basis. I also find some of the Democratic moderates to be reasonable candidates. I am against the extremists on either side and Libby Mitchell is both an extremist AND a "good ol boys" typical politician's politician who wallows in the mud of back room deals on a regular basis. IMO She is either the worst candidate running from either side - or very close to it.
May 12, 2010 at 6:53 AM Report abuse
YmF5Y2Fz said...
Anyone who pays taxes should be offended by her agenda. Even Massachusetts got sick of this 'feel good' waste of money spending by the democrats.
May 12, 2010 at 7:03 AM Report abuse
Biddy said...
Sam. Peter Mills isn't going to win the nomination. He is considered a RINO by most party activists. And it is activists that control the nominating process of both parties. Remember Woodcock? Look for the GOP to nominate another similar candidate. Of the Democrats Rosa S. is more a Republican than a Democrat. And the background of her family business is questionable. Rowe and McGowan are decent candidates. I wouldn't vote for Mitchell either. Cutler has more experience and is more moderate than any of the party candidates.
May 12, 2010 at 7:04 AM Report abuse
Sam said...
If the right wing of the Republicans voting in the primary split between candidates then Mills would stand a chance, though I agree that would be his only chance, If he does win the nomination I believe he would be elected governor, but yeah, the R's are indeed likely to shoot themselves in the foot with another creationist who wants to make Maine into a theocracy and run it like the Taliban would. For me the nightmare scenario is an American Taliban candidate from the R's and Libby Mitchell for the D's. Unless there's a decent Independent running that would put Maine into an awful lose-lose situation. I'm a registered I and will not be voting in either primary, but I am watching them carefully and hoping one of the parties nominates someone I could vote for.
May 12, 2010 at 7:40 AM Report abuse
Sam said...
Oh, and as for Woodcock: I personally know of several Democrats who switched their registration to vote for him in the Republican primary because they knew he was by far the easiest candidate for Baldacci to beat. That is not likely to happen this time since there is a hotly contested Democratic primary going on. Without those extra votes for the far right candidate coming from D switch hitters, any splitting of the right wing votes could give Mills a better shot than he had last time when only lost to Woodcock by a few %.
May 12, 2010 at 7:54 AM Report abuse
SS1wcmFnbWF0aXN0 said...
Again, political dinosaur. The role of Joe Brennan will be played by... No cross-over appeal to unenrolled voters or moderate Rs. I'm sure Eliot Cutler is rooting for her though! Next!
May 12, 2010 at 8:00 AM Report abuse
eWFyZGJpcmQ%3D said...
a canser if there ever was one
May 12, 2010 at 8:00 AM Report abuse
Biddy said...
The moderate GOP is already hedging bets by siding with Cutler. While they might support Mills in the primary they feel he isn't going to win and want a reasonable alternative to their own party's far right tendencies. Republicans are going to nominate either Poliquin, Otten, or LePage. None of whom can win the general election.
May 12, 2010 at 8:17 AM Report abuse
Dee said...
Sorry, Libby, you are too much of a spend and tax Democrat.
May 12, 2010 at 8:37 AM Report abuse
Sam said...
It is actually interesting how united the regulars here are against Libby Mitchell. Those who most often take a right leaning or a left leaning stance find her totally unacceptable.
May 12, 2010 at 9:36 AM Report abuse
TrueConserv said...
Libby=Tax/spend/tax/spend/tax/spend. Nope, don't need her spending any more of MY money on her social programs. But then again, you get what you vote for.
May 12, 2010 at 9:58 AM Report abuse
Haiku said...
Here again is a fascinating news case involving a female with the surname Mitchell who's being celebrated for excelling thus far in a supposed Man's World. Yet, dear neighbors, can you blame me if I now have to step back from this PPH news story and ask myself right here and now for all you guys to read: why-why-oh-why is it that here in Maine the Democrats/Greens and even the Republicans/Greens make themselves look feminist when in actuality on the local level the Democrats, especially, just love keeping down in the gutter FEMALE social conservatives, who keep their legs together and their heads on their shoulders with moral voltage on 24/7 non-stop? Has morality become a crime in Maine?
May 12, 2010 at 1:54 PM Report abuse
UofA said...
No Democrats, No present legislators, No appointed Commissioners, No lawyers. Clean house completely. Look at Jacobson. Ran multiple businesses, made jobs, increased profits, Veteran, currently bringing companies into Maine and not running them out. Best of all knows who his father is, unlike Democrats!
May 12, 2010 at 1:55 PM Report abuse
BonusEleven said...
I can't wait to read Biddy's comments in late November. Talk about out of touch!
May 12, 2010 at 2:05 PM Report abuse
Biddy said...
BonusEleven. I don't know what's happening in your neck of the woods but around this part of Southern Maine the Democrats are further ahead then you think. Even Eliot Cutler, who I'm leaning toward supporting will have a hard time winning here.
May 12, 2010 at 2:35 PM Report abuse
Pablo said...
Democrats are done in this state for a while, thank God. Counting the days until a Republican is in. Look how out of touch and useless this Mitchell dummy is. Ummm, you kinda need like jobs and stuff in order for your 40,000 students to do something after college. She probably hasn't thought of that though, typical democrat who spouts crap that only she believes. Baldacci has done so much for this state, just look at his track record.......wait, what track record?He has a record? Where?
May 12, 2010 at 3:14 PM Report abuse
SG9uZXN0YWJl said...
I'm hearing the same as Biddy down South. It looks like Otten is still ahead on the strength of massive his ad spend. Mills and Abbott are splitting some of the moderate vote, while the fringe right is clearly behind LePage. Unfortunately, it looks like it's going to be Otten or LePage for the Republicans. Then you have the fact that Maine hasn't elected Democratic governors back-to-back for 150 years. That leaves me with Cutler. He is the most experienced and moderate candidate. He'll end up with a lot of support from both sides of the aisle and win.
May 22, 2010 at 10:29 AM Report abuse