Bruce Poliquin

Early life

Poliquin was born and raised in Waterville, Maine. 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, and later received a scholarship to attend Harvard University, where he studied economics, graduating in 1976. After college, Poliquin worked in the investment management industry in Chicago and New York City. At Avatar Investors Associates Corporation, a fund management company, Poliquin helped manage nearly $5 billion in worker pension funds.

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, finishing sixth of the seven candidates behind winner Paul LePage. Poliquin ultimately endorsed LePage. Following LePage's election in November 2010, Poliquin was elected by the Maine Legislature to serve as Maine State Treasurer.

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, the authority's director and an appointee by Democratic Governor John Baldacci, 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 allegedly 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, and Dirigo Holdings LLC, a real estate company. Maine Attorney General 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 in order 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, Poliquin faced criticism from Democrats over 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 Maine Forest Service report in 2009 discussed Poliquin's property as an example of a property that may not be fully complying with the law, stating that restrictions on timber harvesting in shoreland areas would limit any commercial use of the land. They did state, however, 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. Poliquin stated that the issue was a distraction for the town and was politically motivated due to 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 offices' 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, among other initiatives.

Post-Treasurer career

In March 2012, Poliquin announced he would be running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Olympia Snowe. He lost the Republican primary to Charlie Summers, who himself lost the general election to Independent former governor Angus King.

Poliquin stated on July 10, 2013, that he was not interested in becoming the Chairman of the Maine Republican Party, despite encouragement to do so from many Republicans, including Governor Paul LePage.

2014 election

In August 2013, Poliquin announced that he would seek the Maine Republican Party's nomination for the Second Congressional District.

Poliquin won the primary election against former Maine Senate President Kevin Raye and faced Democratic State Senator Emily Cain and Independent retired Navy captain Blaine Richardson in the general election. Poliquin won with 47% of the vote.

2016 election

Poliquin ran for re-election in 2016. He was a member of the National Republican Congressional Committee's Patriot Program, which was designed to help protect vulnerable Republican incumbents heading into the 2016 election. Poliquin ran unopposed in the primary election. He faced Democrat Emily Cain, whom he beat in 2014, in the November 8, 2016, general election. Poliquin defeated Cain with 55% of the vote.

Tenure

In January 2015, Poliquin voted for the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.

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 stated that while Poliquin supports repeal, the proposed bill did not offer a "free market alternative" to immediately take its place, which he feels is needed. Poliquin was subsequently criticized by conservative groups seeking immediate repeal of the law, including the Republican Liberty Caucus which voted on February 5, 2015, to rescind their election endorsement of him. Poliquin responded by noting the House has voted numerous times to repeal the law without effect, and that "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."

On May 4, 2017, he voted in favor of repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and pass the American Health Care Act.

Poliquin introduced his first bill on April 29, 2015, the Child Support Assistance Act of 2015. Co-sponsored with Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), it is 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 which 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, stating that Congress should be able to help shape such agreements.

In September 2015, Poliquin was one of ten Republican U.S. House freshmen who composed 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 2016, Poliquin drafted a bill that would prohibit the federal government from giving food stamps to individuals convicted of terrorism-related crimes. Poliquin said the legislation would close a loophole that allows convicted terrorists to apply for aid.

In April 2016, Poliquin and Democrat Chellie Pingree proposed legislation that would allow Cuban-bound flights to make technical stops at American airports for refueling and restocking. The purpose of the bill is to prevent American airports from losing business to Canada.

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 vote 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.

Poliquin and Niki Tsongas, a Democrat from Massachusetts, have 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 in the Maine North Woods. He called for congressional hearings in the region where the proposed park is now located, and stated that federal officials and non-local supporters ignored the concerns of local residents who opposed. He proposed a bill to limit the Antiquities Act power of the President to declare national monuments.

Committee assignments

Personal life

On February 11, 1992, Poliquin's wife, Jane, drowned in a swimming accident at the Palmas Del Mar Beach Resort in Humacao, Puerto Rico. 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.