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Bruce Lee Poliquin (; born November 1, 1953) is an American businessman and politician. A member of the
Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa * Republican Party (Liberia) *Republican Party ...
, he represented Maine's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. Poliquin was first elected to Congress in the 2014 general election. From 2010 to 2012, he was the 49th
Maine State Treasurer The Maine State Treasurer is a constitutional officer of the U.S. state of Maine. The office is authorized by Article V, Part Third of the Maine Constitution. The Treasurer is chosen by the Maine Legislature in joint session for a two-year term; t ...
. He was a candidate for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gath ...
, finishing second in the primary election. In January 2017, at the start of the
115th Congress The 115th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States of America federal government, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from January 3, 2017, to January 3 ...
, Poliquin was the sole Republican representing a U.S. House district in New England. Poliquin was defeated by Democrat
Jared Golden Jared Forrest Golden (born July 25, 1982) is an American politician and a Marine Corps veteran serving as the U.S. representative for Maine's 2nd congressional district since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, his district, the largest ea ...
in his
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
run for reelection; he became the first incumbent to lose his seat in Maine's second congressional district since
1916 Events Below, the events of the First World War have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 1 – The British Royal Army Medical Corps carries out the first successful blood transfusion, using blood that had been stored and cooled. * ...
. Poliquin claimed the ranked-choice voting process used in the election was unconstitutional and claimed to be the winner because he led after the initial tally. He sued to be declared the winner and have ranked-choice voting declared unconstitutional, but his lawsuit was rejected. He conceded to Golden on December 24, 2018. Poliquin lost his attempt to reclaim the seat in
2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
.


Early life

Poliquin was born and raised in
Waterville, Maine Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The city is home to Colby College and Thomas College. As of the 2020 census the population was 15,828. Along with Augusta, Waterville is ...
. He grew up in a family of French-Canadian ancestry. His father was a school principal and his mother was a nurse. He attended Phillips Academy in
Andover, Massachusetts Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was settled in 1642 and incorporated in 1646."Andover" in '' The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th ed., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 387. As of t ...
, where he was a running back on the varsity football team, and graduated in 1972. He graduated from Harvard University in 1976 with a bachelor's degree in economics.


Career


Investment management

After college Poliquin worked in the investment management industry in Chicago and New York City.


Gubernatorial campaign

In 2010 Poliquin sought the Maine Republican Party's nomination for governor of Maine. He spent $711,000 of his own money on the campaign and finished sixth of the seven candidates.
Paul LePage Paul Richard LePage (; born October 9, 1948) is an American politician who served as the 74th Governor of Maine from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, LePage served two terms as a city councilor in Waterville, Maine, before being ...
won the nomination and Poliquin endorsed him. Following LePage's election in November 2010, the Maine Legislature elected Poliqiun
Maine State Treasurer The Maine State Treasurer is a constitutional officer of the U.S. state of Maine. The office is authorized by Article V, Part Third of the Maine Constitution. The Treasurer is chosen by the Maine Legislature in joint session for a two-year term; t ...
.


State Treasurer

In 2011 Poliquin expressed concerns about the Maine State Housing Authority's plans to construct a low-income housing complex in Portland. Poliquin cited the proposed $314,000 per unit cost as an example of irresponsible government spending.
Dale McCormick Dale McCormick (born January 17, 1947) is an American politician from the state of Maine who currently serves on the city council of Augusta. McCormick was the first openly gay member of the Maine State Legislature, having been elected in 1990 ...
, the authority's director and an appointee of Democratic Governor
John Baldacci John Elias Baldacci (born January 30, 1955) is an American politician who served as the 73rd Governor of Maine from 2003 to 2011. A Democrat, he also served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003. During h ...
, approved the proposal following a reduction in the per unit price to $265,000. In 2012 Maine Democrats accused Poliquin of violating the state constitution by engaging in commerce while in office. The complaints against Poliquin centered around his involvement with the Popham Beach Club, a private club in
Phippsburg, Maine Phippsburg is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States, on the west side of the mouth of the Kennebec River. The population was 2,155 at the 2020 census. It is within the Portland– South Portland– Biddeford, Maine, metropo ...
, and Dirigo Holdings LLC, a real estate company.
Maine Attorney General The Maine Attorney General is the chief legal advisor and prosecutor of the State of Maine. The constitutional basis of the office is Article IX, Section 11 of the Maine Constitution, and the holder of the position is chosen biennially by the Maine ...
William Schneider advised Poliquin to disassociate himself from his business ventures but did not offer an opinion as to whether he had actually violated the Constitution. The Maine House voted unanimously to send the issue to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court to settle the matter. The Court declined to offer a ruling, concluding that there were no circumstances in Poliquin's case requiring immediate attention. In February 2012 some Democrats criticized Poliquin for his use of the Maine Tree Growth Tax Program, a program meant to preserve forestland from development pressures for commercial timber harvesting, with 10 acres of his oceanfront property in Georgetown. The program reduced the value of his property from the originally assessed $1.8 million to $725,500, resulting in Poliquin paying $30 a year in property taxes. A 2009 Maine Forest Service report discussed Poliquin's property as an example of one that might not be fully complying with the law, stating that restrictions on timber harvesting in shoreland areas would limit any commercial use of the land. But the report acknowledged that as long as the property was 10 acres it could remain in the program. Poliquin later transferred the property in question to the Open Space program, a less generous tax abatement program. He said the issue was a distraction for the town and was politically motivated by Democrats' dissatisfaction with his policies as treasurer. At the end of his term Poliquin wrote an op-ed in the ''Bangor Daily News'' with a list of his accomplishments as treasurer. These included reforms to the state workers' pension plan, efforts to reduce the cost of affordable housing, reduced wasteful spending, and retention of the state's Aa2 bond rating.


Post-treasurer career

In March 2012 Poliquin announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by
Olympia Snowe Olympia Jean Snowe (; born February 21, 1947) is an American businesswoman and politician who was a United States Senator from Maine from 1995 to 2013. Snowe, a member of the Republican Party, became known for her ability to influence the outco ...
. He lost the Republican primary to
Charlie Summers Charles E. Summers Jr. (born December 26, 1959) is an American politician, businessman, and Iraq War veteran. A Republican from the state of Maine, he served as Acting Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs in the Trump Administ ...
, who lost the general election to Independent former governor
Angus King Angus Stanley King Jr. (born March 31, 1944) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Maine since 2013. A political independent since 1993, he previously served as the 72nd governor of Maine from 19 ...
. On July 10, 2013, Poliquin said he was not interested in becoming the Chairman of the Maine Republican Party, despite encouragement to do so from many Republicans, including Governor LePage.


U.S. House of Representatives


Elections


2014

In August 2013, Poliquin announced he would seek the Maine Republican Party's nomination for the Second Congressional District. Poliquin won the primary election against former Maine Senate
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Kevin Raye and faced Democratic State Senator
Emily Cain Emily Ann Cain (born March 29, 1980) is an American politician from Maine and Executive Director of EMILY's List. A member of the Democratic Party, Cain served in the Maine Senate from 2012 to 2014, representing the 30th district which includes pa ...
and Independent retired Navy captain Blaine Richardson in the general election. Poliquin won with 47% of the vote.


2016

Poliquin ran for reelection in 2016. He was a member of the National Republican Congressional Committee's Patriot Program, which was designed to help protect vulnerable Republican incumbents in the 2016 election. Poliquin ran unopposed in the primary election. He faced Democrat
Emily Cain Emily Ann Cain (born March 29, 1980) is an American politician from Maine and Executive Director of EMILY's List. A member of the Democratic Party, Cain served in the Maine Senate from 2012 to 2014, representing the 30th district which includes pa ...
, whom he beat in 2014, in the November 8 general election. Poliquin defeated Cain with 55% of the vote.


2018

Describing Poliquin on February 10, 2018, as "the last of an endangered species" as a House Republican from New England, the ''Boston Globe'' wrote that his "fight against extinction" was "looking more dire", with "Democrats' leaders looking to make New England a clean sweep in 2018". In the general election Poliquin faced Democratic nominee
Jared Golden Jared Forrest Golden (born July 25, 1982) is an American politician and a Marine Corps veteran serving as the U.S. representative for Maine's 2nd congressional district since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, his district, the largest ea ...
and independent candidates Tiffany Bond and Will Hoar. At an October debate Poliquin refused to commit to accepting the results of Maine's ranked-choice election if he lost. After the election Poliquin sued to block the ranked-choice tabulation of results before it began. The judge denied his request on November 15, and rejected Poliquin's lawsuit on December 13. On election night, Poliquin led Golden by 2,000 votes, but was short of a majority. Exit polls indicated that 90% of the independents' supporters ranked Golden as their second choice, which on paper was enough to give Golden the victory. Bond's and Hoar's supporters overwhelmingly ranked Golden as their second choice, allowing Golden to defeat Poliquin by nearly 3,000 votes after all votes were tabulated. It was the first time since 1916 that the district's incumbent had been unseated in an election. On November 10, 2018, a Poliquin campaign spokesperson raised concerns about the vote count in the race, alleging some voter boxes lacked proper locks and a Bangor polling clerk counted ballots unmonitored, which the ''Maine Journals'' interpreted as an accusation of voter fraud. Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap called the claims "a distraction" and cautioned the campaign to avoid "irresponsible" attempts to slow down the tabulation process and erode faith in the system.


2022

In a rematch of 2018, Poliquin ran in the 2022 election to represent Maine's 2nd District against Democrat
Jared Golden Jared Forrest Golden (born July 25, 1982) is an American politician and a Marine Corps veteran serving as the U.S. representative for Maine's 2nd congressional district since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, his district, the largest ea ...
. In the Republican primary, he defeated Liz Caruso, a wilderness guide and local government leader from the village of Caratunk, who raised $37,000 to Poliquin’s $2.2 million. He won the Republican primary with 60% of the vote over Caruso. Some political analysts thought Poliquin could win the general election, but he consistently trailed in the polls and lost to Golden, 53%–47%, after the ranked-choice tabulation.


Tenure

In January 2015, Poliquin voted for the
No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act () is a bill that was introduced to the 112th Congress of the United States in the House of Representatives by Rep. Chris Smith ( R-New Jersey) and Dan Lipinski ( D-Illinois). The bill's stated purpose is " ...
. On April 29, 2015, Poliquin introduced his first bill, the Child Support Assistance Act of 2015. Co-sponsored with Rep.
Keith Ellison Keith Maurice Ellison (born August 4, 1963) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the 30th attorney general of Minnesota. A member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Ellison was the U.S. representative for from 2007 to ...
(D- MN), it was intended to help single parents secure child support payments by making it harder for the other parent to hide property or funds. The bill was rolled into a transportation bill that passed Congress and was signed into law by President Obama on December 4, 2015. Poliquin voted against granting the president fast-track authority in negotiating trade agreements on June 12, 2015, saying Congress should be able to help shape such agreements. In September 2015 Poliquin was one of ten Republican U.S. House freshmen who signed a letter urging Republicans to avoid a government shutdown by passing a short-term spending bill a week before federal agencies were slated to run out of money. In April 2016 Poliquin and
Chellie Pingree Chellie Marie Pingree ( ; ''née'' Johnson; born April 2, 1955) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, her district includes most of the southern part of the state, includi ...
( ME-1) proposed legislation that would allow Cuban-bound flights to make technical stops at American airports for refueling and restocking. The bill's purpose was to prevent American airports from losing business to Canada. Poliquin and
Niki Tsongas Nicola Dickson "Niki" Sauvage Tsongas (; born April 26, 1946) is an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts from 2007 to 2019. She held the seat formerly held by her husband, the late Paul Tsongas, for the dist ...
( MA-3) pushed legislative efforts begun during the tenure of his Democratic predecessor, Mike Michaud, to require the U.S. Department of Defense to purchase U.S.-made sneakers. Poliquin opposed the creation of a national park or
national monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a spec ...
in the
Maine North Woods The North Maine Woods is the northern geographic area of the state of Maine in the United States. The thinly populated region is overseen by a combination of private individual and private industrial owners and state government agencies, and is d ...
. He called for congressional hearings in the region where the proposed park is now, and said federal officials and non-local supporters ignored the concerns of local residents who opposed it. He proposed a bill to limit the president's
Antiquities Act The Antiquities Act of 1906 (, , ), is an act that was passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by Theodore Roosevelt on June 8, 1906. This law gives the President of the United States the authority to, by presidential pro ...
power to declare national monuments. Poliquin was a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership and the United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus.


Committee assignments

*
Committee on Financial Services The United States House Committee on Financial Services, also referred to as the House Banking Committee and previously known as the Committee on Banking and Currency, is the committee of the United States House of Representatives that oversees t ...
** Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises ** Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations * Republican Study Committee


Political positions


Taxation

In November 2017 Poliquin said he would vote for the new Republican tax bill, whose framers had dismissed "a late suggestion by President Donald Trump to lower the top rate on high-wage earners." As paraphrased by ''
The Washington Times ''The Washington Times'' is an American conservative daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., that covers general interest topics with a particular emphasis on national politics. Its broadsheet daily edition is distributed throughout ...
'', Poliquin said the proposal "would help Maine residents by doubling the standard deduction and increasing tax credits for children ... while keeping taxes low for small businesses and making large businesses more competitive by bringing the corporate rate into line with other industrialized countries." "We want to eliminate as many of these loopholes and special-interest carve-outs that only the wealthy and well-connected are able to take advantage of," he said, describing the work on the bill as "very methodical, very transparent and very thoughtful." Noting that he had voted earlier in November "to move the tax proposal forward in the House, trusting the Senate would continue to work on it and improve it," he expressed approval of the changes Senator Susan Collins and others made "that will benefit Maine families and small businesses, such as retaining the medical expense deduction and improving the provision dealing with historic tax credits."


Tariffs

In December 2017 the
International Trade Commission The United States International Trade Commission (USITC or I.T.C.) is an agency of the United States federal government that advises the legislative and executive branches on matters of trade. It is an independent, bipartisan entity that anal ...
ruled 4–0 to activate
tariff A tariff is a tax imposed by the government of a country or by a supranational union on imports or exports of goods. Besides being a source of revenue for the government, import duties can also be a form of regulation of foreign trade and po ...
s on Chinese hardwood plywood, thus leveling the playing field for U.S. wood products, a decision Poliquin had urged upon them at an October hearing. The Democratic Leader of the Maine State Senate, Troy Jackson (D-Allagash), praised Poliquin "for his successful efforts to fight against illegal and unfair foreign trade". Garry Gillespie of
Columbia Forest Products Columbia Forest Products is the largest manufacturer of hardwood veneer and hardwood plywood in the United States. Founded in 1957, it is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina. It specializes in decorative, interior veneers and plywood pane ...
said, "On behalf of the 161 Columbia Forest Products employees in Presque Isle, Maine, we are both thrilled and thankful with the results at the ITC."


Healthcare

On February 3, 2015, Poliquin was one of three House Republicans to vote against repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. His spokesman said that while Poliquin supported repeal, the proposed bill did not offer a "free-market alternative" to immediately take its place, which he felt was needed. Poliquin was subsequently criticized by conservative groups seeking immediate repeal of the law, including the
Republican Liberty Caucus The Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) is a political action organization dedicated to promoting the ideals of individual liberty, limited government and free market economics within the Republican Party in the United States. It is part of the lib ...
, which voted on February 5, 2015, to rescind their endorsement of him. Poliquin responded that House had voted numerous times to repeal the law without effect. In his 2016 reelection campaign Poliquin ran on repealing the Affordable Care Act. On May 4, 2017, he voted to pass the
American Health Care Act The American Health Care Act of 2017 (often shortened to the AHCA or nicknamed Trumpcare) was a bill in the 115th United States Congress. The bill, which was passed by the United States House of Representatives but not by the United States ...
, which would have effectively repealed the ACA and included cuts to Medicaid. He said it included the best parts of previous attempts to repeal the ACA. He received criticism for taking money from insurance companies and avoiding discussions of his vote to repeal. In his 2018 campaign the health care section of Poliquin's website no longer explicitly mentioned the Affordable Care Act. In 2018, Poliquin co-sponsored legislation that would have cut $7 billion of federal aid to children's health insurance.


Veterans affairs

In October 2017, Poliquin announced plans for the Veterans Access to Long Term Care and Health Services Act, which would "reduce red tape" for nursing homes treating veterans. In November 2017, Poliquin questioned officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at a Veterans Affairs Committee hearing. The hearing followed a report by the Government Accountability Office detailing the VA's "failure to report potentially dangerous medical practitioners to their national database, which is intended to prevent such bad actors from crossing state lines and putting patients at risk elsewhere." Poliquin later introduced legislation requiring VA medical professionals to report malpractice at the VA to state licensing boards.


Immigration

In March 2018, Poliquin criticized his Democratic challengers, writing, "illegal immigration is still illegal. We are a country of immigrants, but we are also a Nation of Laws. People entering America must do so legally."


LGBT rights

In May 2016, Poliquin voted against a measure intended to uphold an executive order that barred discrimination against LGBT employees by religious organizations that contract with the federal government. He was one of seven House Republicans to switch their votes at the last minute under pressure from Republican House Leadership. After criticism from Democrats, he issued a statement saying, "I am outraged that political opponents or members of the press would claim or insinuate that I cast a vote due to pressure or party politics. No one controls my vote", and that he abhorred discrimination in any form.


Terrorism

In 2016, Poliquin drafted a bill that would prohibit the federal government from giving food stamps to individuals convicted of terrorism-related crimes. He said the legislation would close a loophole that allows convicted terrorists to apply for aid.


Iran

In December 2017, the House passed Poliquin's Iranian Leadership Asset Transparency Act by a 289–135 vote. His fourth bill to pass the House that year, it required the public disclosure of the assets of Iran's regime. "Reports have indicated these funds are being used to support and sponsor terrorism around the region and to undermine our own national security interests. Iran, the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, cannot be trusted and it's important for the security of the region and for the United States for these secret funds to be exposed publicly to the world."


Personal life

On February 11, 1992, Poliquin's wife, Jane, drowned in a swimming accident at the
Palmas del Mar Palmas del Mar is a beach resort community consisting of a country club, golf courses, tennis, a beach club, residences and a hotel. It is located in the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico, on the southeast corner of the island. Features Set ...
Beach Resort in
Humacao, Puerto Rico Humacao () is a city and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the eastern coast of the island, north of Yabucoa; south of Naguabo; east of Las Piedras; and west of Vieques Passage. Humacao is spread over 12 barrios and Humacao Pueblo (th ...
. Poliquin's father-in-law, James Carpenter, was also killed in the accident. Jane's death made Poliquin a single parent to his 16-month-old son. In 2009 Poliquin divorced his second wife, Judith Arbuckle. While in Washington, Poliquin slept in his office, in a pull-down bed he installed in 2015. On January 31, 2018, Poliquin was one of several members of Congress who were traveling to a legislative retreat in West Virginia when their train collided with a truck just outside
Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen ...
, killing one person. Poliquin sustained minor injuries. On September 20, 2019, President Donald Trump nominated Poliquin as chair of the
Securities Investor Protection Corporation The Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC ) is a federally mandated, non-profit, member-funded, United States corporation created under the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) of 1970 that mandates membership of most US-register ...
.


References


External links

* * * , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Poliquin, Bruce 1953 births 21st-century American politicians American people of French-Canadian descent Businesspeople from Maine Candidates in the 2012 United States elections Candidates in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections Harvard University alumni Living people People from Georgetown, Maine People from Oakland, Maine People from Waterville, Maine Phillips Academy alumni Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Maine State treasurers of Maine