Kenneth M. Curtis

Kenneth Merwin Curtis ( born February 8, 1931 in Curtis Corner, Leeds, Maine) is an American politician. He was 1967-1975 Governor of the State of Maine.

Early years

Kenneth Curtis graduated in 1952, the Maine Maritime Academy and in 1959 the Portland University, where he studied law. During the Korean War he was a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy.

Political career

Curtis is a member of the Democratic Party. From 1965 to 1966 he was Secretary of State in the Government of Maine. In 1966 he was elected governor of his state, where he prevailed with 53.1 percent of the vote against Republican incumbent John H. Reed. After a re-election in 1970 - this time he won barely with a share of 50.1 per cent against James S. Erwin - he could officiate from January 5, 1967, and January 2, 1975. During this time he has made ​​a name mainly because he has modernized the government of Maine. Curtis was also a member of many associations governor and played a leading role in the Democratic Party. Between 1977 and 1978 he was chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Later, he was from 1979 to 1981 as the successor of Thomas O. Enders Ambassador of the United States in Canada. Between 1986 and 1994 he served as president of the Maine Maritime Academy. In 2000 he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, was nominated by Al Gore as a presidential candidate of the party.

2008 presidential campaign

In the presidential primaries of 2008, he supported the campaign of Hillary Clinton. Since he has now moved to Florida, he was there one of the so -called super delegates to the national convention of the Democrats. After the scramble around the time of the democratic primaries in Florida, he lost his original status as a delegate because the voices of Florida at the federal party should not count. The agreement that the votes from Florida but are likely to include half, was ultimately of no value, since Hillary Clinton had to admit their defeat to Barack Obama in the primaries before the convention.

Private

Kenneth Curtis is married to Polly Curtis. The couple has one child. Curtis now lives temporarily on the estate called Siesta Key in Sarasota, Florida.