I. Joel Abromson (August 15, 1938 – January 14, 2002) was an American politician in

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 ...

. Abromson was a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

State Senator representing Falmouth, Long Island and part of

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

(District 27). Considered a liberal on social issues and a conservative on fiscal issues, he sponsored legislation to prevent discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. When he died in January 2002, the Maine Lesbian Gay Political Alliance called Abromson a "champion and a true friend". His final day in the legislature was in December 2001, when he voted to confirm Leigh Saufley as the new Chief Justice of the

Maine Supreme Judicial Court The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in the state of Maine's judicial system. It is composed of seven justices, who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Maine Senate. From 1820 until 1839, justices served lifetime a ...

. Prominent in the state's Jewish community, Abromson's wife, Linda Abromson, was a member of the Portland City Council and the first Jewish woman to hold the largely ceremonial position of Mayor. The Joel and Linda Abromson Community Education Center, which is located on the Portland campus of the

University of Southern Maine The University of Southern Maine (USM) is a public university with campuses in Portland, Gorham and Lewiston in the U.S. state of Maine. It is the southernmost of the University of Maine System. It was founded as two separate state universit ...

, is named in their honor At the time of Abromson's death from liver cancer, the Maine Senate was evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, with one unenrolled (independent) senator as well. His death gave the Democrats a 17–16 advantage, though Republican Rick Bennett maintained his position as President of the Maine Senate due to a power-sharing agreement. State Representative Michael F. Brennan narrowly won a special election to replace Abromson.

References

1938 births 2002 deaths Republican Party Maine state senators Politicians from Portland, Maine Deaths from cancer in Maine 20th-century American politicians Jewish American state legislators in Maine Deaths from liver cancer 20th-century American Jews 21st-century American Jews Jews and Judaism in Portland, Maine {{Maine-politician-stub