Eliza Townsend (politician)

Last updated

Elizabeth 'Eliza' Townsend is an American politician from Maine. A Democrat from Portland, Townsend was elected to the Maine House of Representatives for four consecutive terms between 1992 and 2000. After leaving office, she became the executive director of the Maine League for Conservation Voters. During the governorship of fellow Democrat John Baldacci, Townsend served as Commissioner of the Maine Department of Conservation. [1] Since 2011, Townsend has served as Executive Director of the Maine Women's Lobby. [2]

In 2019, Townsend endorsed incumbent Portland mayor Ethan Strimling for re-election but Strimling finished in third place. [3]

Personal

Townsend grew up on a farm in rural Maine. She graduated from McGill University and earned Master of Fine Arts in Drama from Carnegie Mellon University in 1985. [4] [1] Her father, Bill Townsend, was described as "a forefather of Maine’s environmental conservation movement" at the time of his death in 2016. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Michaud</span> American politician (born 1955)

Michael Herman Michaud is an American businessman and politician from Maine. Michaud served as the U.S. representative for Maine's 2nd congressional district from 2003 to 2015. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The primarily rural district comprises nearly 80% of the state by area and includes the cities of Lewiston, Auburn, Bangor, Presque Isle, and Ellsworth. It is the largest Congressional district by area east of the Mississippi River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chellie Pingree</span> American politician (born 1955)

Chellie MariePingree is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Maine's 1st congressional district since 2009. Her district includes most of the southern part of the state, centered around the Portland area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Eder</span> American politician

John Eder is an American activist and politician from Maine. Eder lives in Waterboro. He is a former member of the Maine Green Independent Party and the Maine Democratic Party. He served in the Maine House of Representatives as the legislature's first member of the Green Party for two terms and was elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2004. Until his defeat in 2006 Eder was one of only a handful of independent or third party state legislators in the country and was the highest-ranking elected Green official in the United States. Eder ran for Mayor of Portland, Maine in 2011. In 2014, Eder won a race for an at-large seat on the Portland Board of Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maine Green Independent Party</span> Maine affiliate of the Green Party

The Maine Green Independent Party is a state-level political party affiliated with the Green Party of the United States. It is the oldest state green party in the United States. It was founded following an informal meeting of 17 environmental advocates, including Bowdoin College professor John Rensenbrink and others in Augusta, Maine in January 1984. From 1994 to 2006, the party's gubernatorial nominees received between 6% and 10% of the vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael F. Brennan</span> American politician

Michael F. Brennan is an American politician who formerly served as the 87th Mayor of Portland, Maine. Brennan, a Democrat, served as State Senator from 2002 to 2006 and Senate Majority Leader and a 2008 Democratic candidate for Maine's 1st congressional district. On May 15, 2011 Brennan announced his candidacy in the Portland, Maine mayoral election. On November 9, Brennan won the 15-candidate contest and became the first directly-elected mayor of Portland since 1923.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethan Strimling</span> American politician

Ethan King Strimling is an American non-profit executive, television personality, and politician from Maine. Strimling was elected to 3 terms in the Maine Senate (2003–2009), one term a Mayor of Portland, Maine (2015–2019), serving one term. Strimling previously served as a Democratic state senator from 2003 to 2009. He was the Executive Director of LearningWorks, a West End non-profit organization, and has served as a political columnist and commentator for the Portland Press Herald.

Justin Loring Alfond is an American politician and real estate developer. He served as a Democratic State Senator from the 8th District, which represents much of Portland. Alfond was first elected to the State Senate in 2008 to replace Democrat Ethan Strimling; he beat former State Senator Anne Rand and Cliff Ginn. He was re-elected in 2010 and 2012. In 2012, he faced Green Independent Party Chair Asher Platts. Alfond won with 71% of the vote in a two-way race.

Jon Paul Jennings is an American city manager, politician, and basketball coach. He formerly served as city manager of Portland, Maine, and Clearwater, Florida. He was also the founder, president, and general manager of the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Portland, Maine, mayoral election</span>

Portland, Maine, held an election for mayor on November 8, 2011.

Edward "Ed" J. Suslovic is an American politician and former member of the Portland, Maine City Council. Suslovic, a Democrat, previously represented part of Portland in the Maine House of Representatives from 2002 to 2004 and served as the ceremonial mayor of Portland from 2007 to 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Maine gubernatorial election</span>

The 2014 Maine gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor of Maine. Incumbent Republican governor Paul LePage won re-election to a second term, defeating Democratic nominee Mike Michaud, the U.S. representative from Maine's 2nd congressional district, and independent Eliot Cutler, an attorney and second-place finisher from the 2010 gubernatorial election. This is currently the most recent election that Maine elected a Republican governor. Primary elections were held on June 10, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine</span>

The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine were held on Tuesday, November 4, 2014, to elect the two U.S. representatives from the state of Maine, one from each of the state's two congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including Governor of Maine and United States Senate. The primary elections were held on June 10, 2014.

Sara I. Gideon is an American politician who served as the Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party from Freeport, she represented the 48th district in the Maine House of Representatives, which includes part of Freeport and Pownal in Cumberland County.

Catherine Breen is an American Democratic politician from Maine. Breen, a Falmouth resident, is currently serving her fourth term representing Senate District 25, which includes the towns of Falmouth, Cumberland, Yarmouth, Gray, Long Island, Chebeague Island and part of Westbrook.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Maine gubernatorial election</span>

The 2018 Maine gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the governor of Maine. It occurred along with elections for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and other state and local elections. Incumbent Republican governor Paul LePage was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a third consecutive term; he later unsuccessfully sought a third term in 2022. This was one of eight Republican-held governorships up for election in a state carried by Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Portland, Maine, mayoral election</span>

Portland, Maine, held an election for mayor on November 3, 2015. It was the second election since Portland voters approved a citywide referendum changing the city charter to recreate an elected mayor position in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 United States Senate election in Maine</span>

The 2018 United States Senate election in Maine was held on November 6, 2018, alongside a gubernatorial election, U.S. House elections, and other state and local elections. Incumbent independent Senator Angus King won re-election to a second term, defeating Democratic nominee Zak Ringelstein and Republican nominee Eric Brakey. This was one of two independent-held Senate seats up for election in a state that Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 United States Senate election in Maine</span>

The 2020 United States Senate election in Maine was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Maine, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. This was Maine's first election for its Class 2 seat to use its ranked choice voting system. Because the first round of the general election saw a majority, the instant runoff tabulation of more than 800,000 ballots was not carried out.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Portland, Maine, mayoral election</span>

Portland, Maine, held an election for mayor on November 5, 2019. It was the third election to be held since Portland voters approved a citywide referendum changing the city charter to recreate an elected mayor position in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate Snyder</span> Non-profit executive and politician from Maine, USA

Katherine Merchant Snyder is an American politician who served as Mayor of Portland, Maine from 2019 until 2023. Prior to her election as mayor, she served as executive director of the Portland Education Foundation, a non-profit which raised funds for Portland Public Schools.

References

  1. 1 2 "Eliza Townsend". www.cmu.edu.
  2. "Eliza Townsend". Dr. Lisa Belisle.
  3. Billings, Randy (12 September 2019). "Supporters of Strimling's re-election announce endorsements, take shots at challenger". Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel.
  4. "Eliza Townsend". John T. Gorman Foundation.
  5. Trotter, Bill (9 December 2016). "Bill Townsend, noted Maine lawyer and environmental advocate, dies at 89". Bangor Daily News.