James B. Longley

James Bernard Longley ( born April 22, 1924 in Lewiston, Maine; † August 16, 1980 ) was an American politician and 1975-1979 Governor of the State of Maine.

Early years and political rise

James Longley grew up in Lewiston and remained all his life citizens of this community. Until 1947 he attended Bowdoin College, he was until 1954 at the American College of Life Underwriters, where he studied Insurance. Then he studied until 1957 at the University of Maine law. After his graduation, he was admitted to the bar. As a result, he was active in the insurance industry and as a lawyer. He belonged to no political party and competed in 1974 as an independent candidate for the office of Governor of Maine, in which he was then also selected. With 39.1 percent of the vote, he sat down before the Democrats George J. Mitchell ( 36.3 percent) and Republican James S. Erwin ( 23.1 percent ) by.

Governor of Maine

James Longley began his four -year term on January 2, 1975. He was the first politically independent governor of that state. As Governor, he refused to sign any law, of its accuracy, he was not even a hundred percent convinced. As a result of this setting, Longley has more veto bills placed than any other governor of Maine in front of him.

Soon after the end of his term of office on January 3, 1979 James Longley became ill with cancer, he died in August 1980. He was buried in his hometown of Lewiston. Longley was married to Helen Angela Walsh, with whom he had five children. A son was the later Republican Congressman James B. Longley junior.