Olympia Snowe
Olympia Jean Snowe (born February 21, 1947) is a Republican politician currently serving as the senior United States senator from Maine.
As a moderate Republican in a Senate fairly evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, Snowe often has proven a key swing vote on close votes, elevating her status as an important leader in the body.
Snowe's maiden name was Olympia Jean Boucles. She rose quickly in Maine Republican politics, working for Congressman (later Senator and Defense Secretary) William Cohen and serving in the state legislature, first in the House and then in the Senate. She first ran for the state House in 1973 after her husband, State Rep. Peter Snowe, was killed in an automobile accident, and won his seat at the age of 26. In 1976 she was a delegate to both the state and national Republican conventions.
She was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1978, and served in that body from 1979-1995, representing Maine's 2nd Congressional District. In 1994, Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell announced he would not run for reelection, and Snowe immediately declared her candidacy for the seat. The Democratic nominee was her House colleague, 1st District Congressman Tom Andrews. Snowe defeated Andrews 60%-36%, carrying every county in the state. She was reelected in 2000 over State Senate President Mark Lawrence; this time she won 69%-31%.
A 1969 graduate of the University of Maine, she is married to John McKernan, a former Governor of Maine.
Committees: Commerce, Science & Transportation; Intelligence (Select); Finance; Small Business & Entrepreneurship (Chair)
