Garrett Paul Mason (born June 19, 1985) is an American politician from

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

. A Republican, Mason formerly served in the

Maine State Senate The Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, though the Maine Constitution ...

from the 22nd District, representing part of

Androscoggin County Androscoggin County (French: ''Comté d'Androscoggin'') is a county in the U.S. state of Maine. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 111,139. Its county seat is Auburn and its largest city is Lewiston. Androscoggin County compris ...

, including his residence in Lisbon Falls. In 2003, he graduated from

Calvary Christian Academy Calvary Christian Academy (CCA) is a private Christian school located in Cresaptown, Maryland in Allegany County. It was established as an outreach of Calvary Baptist Church of Cresaptown in 1973. Purpose Calvary Christian Academy is a school t ...

in Turner. In 2006, Mason graduated from Pensacola Christian College in

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principal ...

with a B.A. in marketing. He also completed graduate work at

Southern New Hampshire University Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private university between Manchester and Hooksett, New Hampshire. The university is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, along with national accreditation for some hospitali ...

and the

Art Institute of Pittsburgh The Art Institute of Pittsburgh was a private college in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Shortly before closing in 2019, it was purchased by Dream Center Education Holdings (in turn a division of The Dream Center, a Christian non-profit 501(c)(3) org ...

. After college, Mason worked for the AA baseball team

Portland Sea Dogs The Portland Sea Dogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Portland, Maine, playing in the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League. Established in 1994, the Sea Dogs are the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red ...

and as director of administration for the QJMHL hockey team Lewiston Maineiacs. He also received at honorary doctorate in Humanities from Pensacola Christian College in 2018. In November 2010, Mason defeated incumbent

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

and

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

dairy farmer John Nutting. The Maine Republican Party spent $50,000 on television and radio ads against Nutting. During his first term in the Maine Senate, Mason sponsored a bill to allow

charter schools A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...

in Maine. It was signed by Governor Paul LePage in June 2011. Mason was re-elected in 2012 by 28 votes over Democrat

Colleen Quint Colleen is an Irish language name and is of Irish origin and a generic term for women or girls, from the Irish ''cailín'' 'girl/woman', the diminutive of '' caile'' 'woman, countrywoman'. Although it originates in the Irish language, Colleen ...

Minot Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Minot Air Force Base, Air Force base approximately north of ...

. In June 2013, upon news that incumbent Congressman Mike Michaud had taken steps towards running for

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

, Mason was said to be "seriously considering a run" for the Republican nomination. After Republicans took control of the Maine Senate in 2014, Mason was elected Senate Majority Leader, a position he held until he termed out in 2018.

Family

Mason's mother Gina Mason and their cousin

Dale J. Crafts Dale John Crafts (born December 14, 1958) is an American politician and businessman. He has started a number of businesses, including Mobility Plus, which helps people with disabilities drive more easily. Crafts was on the Lisbon, Maine Town Coun ...

also served in the Maine Legislature. After his mother died in September 2017, his father Rick Mason won a special election to fill her vacant seat.'Late Maine lawmaker's husband will succeed her in Lisbon seat,' Bangor Daily News (Maine), Michael Shepherd, November 7, 2017

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mason, Garrett 1985 births 21st-century American politicians Art Institute of Pittsburgh alumni Living people Republican Party Maine state senators Pensacola Christian College alumni People from Lisbon, Maine Politicians from Lewiston, Maine Southern New Hampshire University alumni