Joe Perry (politician)
{{Short description|American businessman and politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Joe Perry
|office = Treasurer of Maine
|governor = Janet Mills
|term_start = January 9, 2025
|term_end =
|predecessor = Henry Beck
|successor =
|office1 = Member of the Maine House of Representatives
|term_start1 = December 7, 2022
|term_end1 = December 2024
|predecessor1 = Mark Bryant
|successor1 = Sean Faircloth
|constituency1 = 24th district
|term_start2 = March 2019
|term_end2 = December 7, 2022
|predecessor2 = Aaron Frey
|successor2 = Sophia Warren
|constituency2 = 124th district
|state_senate3 = Maine
|district3 = 32nd
|term_start3 = December 1, 2004
|term_end3 = December 1, 2010
|predecessor3 = Tom Sawyer
|successor3 = Nichi Farnham
|birth_date =
|birth_place = Bangor, Maine, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Democratic
|education = University of Maine
}}
Joseph C. "Joe" Perry is an American businessman and politician from Maine. A Democrat, he is serving as the Treasurer of Maine since January 2025, and served previously in the Maine House of Representatives and Maine Senate.
Politics
Perry served in the Maine Senate from District 32, which included his hometown of Bangor and Hermon. He was first elected to the Senate in 2004 after serving from 8 years (1996–2004) in the Maine House of Representatives representing part of Bangor. He defeated incumbent Republican Senator Tom Sawyer by 280 votes.{{cite web|url=http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/2004n/ss.htm|title=General Election, November 2, 2004 – Tabulations – State Senate (Secretary of State, State of Maine, U.S.A.)|access-date=1 January 2013|archive-date=3 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203004342/http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/2004n/ss.htm|url-status=dead}} In 2015, Perry won a seat on the Bangor City Council.{{cite news|url=http://bangordailynews.com/2015/11/03/news/bangor/nealley-nichols-and-perry-take-bangor-council-seats/|title=Nealley, Nichols and Perry take Bangor council seats|last=Belanger|first=Evan|date=November 3, 2015|work=Bangor Daily News|access-date=20 April 2017}}
In the 124th legislature (2008–2010), Perry served as Senate Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation.{{cite web|url=http://senatedems.maine.gov/perry/bio.htm|title=Biography of Maine Senator Joe Perry-District 32|website=Maine.gov|access-date=29 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101019043740/http://senatedems.maine.gov//perry/bio.htm|archive-date=19 October 2010|url-status=dead}}
In 2010, Perry sought re-election to represent District 32. However, he was defeated with 42% of the vote in a two-way race to Republican Nichi Farnham.{{cite news|url=http://bangordailynews.com/2010/11/03/politics/perry-ousted-in-senate-district-32/|title=Perry ousted in Senate District 32|last=Russell|first=Eric|date=November 3, 2010|work=Bangor Daily News|access-date=29 August 2012}}
In March 2019, Perry won the special election for the Maine House's 124th District. The special election was called after incumbent Democrat Aaron Frey resigned to become Attorney General of Maine. Perry defeated Republican Thomas White to win the seat.{{Cite news|url=https://bangordailynews.com/2019/03/12/news/bangor/bangor-area-voters-choose-veteran-democrat-to-fill-open-house-seat/|title=Bangor-area voters choose veteran Democrat to fill open House seat|newspaper=Bangor Daily News|first=Charles|last=Eichacker|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-13}}{{cite web |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Thomas_White_(Maine) |title=Thomas White (Maine) |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=January 27, 2025}}
On December 4, 2024, Perry was elected as Treasurer for the State of Maine with considerable bipartisan support. With his new office he forfeited his recently reelected position as state representative, which will be filled with a special election.{{cite news |url=https://mainemorningstar.com/briefs/sitting-legislator-to-serve-as-state-treasurer-prompting-special-election/ |title=Sitting legislator to serve as state treasurer, prompting special election |date=December 4, 2025 |newspaper=Maine Morning Star |first=Emma |last=Davis |access-date=January 27, 2025}}
Personal life
References
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{{s-bef|before=Henry Beck}}
{{s-ttl|title=Treasurer of Maine|years=2025–present}}
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{{Current Maine statewide political officials}}
{{U.S. State Treasurers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perry, Joe}}
Category:21st-century members of the Maine Legislature
Category:Bangor City Council members
Category:Businesspeople from Maine
Category:Democratic Party Maine state senators
Category:Democratic Party members of the Maine House of Representatives
Category:State treasurers of Maine