Olympia Snowe
Olympia Snowe | |
|---|---|
Snowe in October 2009 | |
| United States Senator from Maine | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | George Mitchell |
| Succeeded by | Angus King |
| Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | John Kerry |
| Succeeded by | John Kerry |
| First Lady of Maine | |
| In role February 24, 1989 – January 5, 1995 | |
| Governor | John McKernan |
| Preceded by | Constance Brennan |
| Succeeded by | Mary Herman |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine's 2nd district | |
| In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1995 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Cohen |
| Succeeded by | John Baldacci |
| Member of the Maine Senate from the 12th district | |
| In office January 5, 1977 – January 3, 1979 | |
| Preceded by | Elmer Berry |
| Succeeded by | Barbara Trafton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Olympia Jean Bouchles February 21, 1947 Augusta, Maine, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | |
| Education | University of Maine (BA) |
| Signature | |
| Website | Official website |
Olympia Jean Snowe (née Bouchles; born February 21, 1947) is an American businesswoman and politician who was a United States Senator, representing Maine for three terms from 1995 to 2013. A lifelong member of the Republican Party, Snowe played an influential role in influencing the outcome of close votes in the U.S. Senate and in ending U.S. Senate filibusters. In 2006, Time magazine named her one of "America's Best Senators". Throughout her U.S. Senate career, she was considered one of the chamber's most moderate members.
On February 28, 2012, Snowe announced that she would not seek re-election in the 2012 U.S. Senate election, and retired when her third term ended on January 3, 2013. She cited hyperpartisanship, leading to a dysfunctional Congress, as her primary reason for her retirement. In January 2013, she was replaced by former Maine governor Angus King, a former Democrat and current independent who won the 2012 U.S. Senate election in Maine.
In May 2013, Snowe was appointed senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C., where she co-chairs its Commission on Political Reform and serves on the center's board of directors.