Lucia M. Cormier

{{Short description|American politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Lucia Cormier

|image=Lucia Cormier.jpg

|birth_date = {{birth date|1909|11|20}}

|birth_place = Rumford, Maine, U.S.

|death_date = {{death date and age|1993|1|26|1909|11|20}}

|death_place = Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.

|party = Democratic

|education = College of Saint Elizabeth {{small|(BS)}}

}}

Lucia M. Cormier (November 20, 1909 – January 26, 1993) was an American politician from Maine. Cormier, a Democrat from Rumford, served in the Maine House of Representatives from 1947 to 1950 and 1953 to 1960.{{cite web|url=http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/lawlib/legbiog/webform1.aspx|title=Legislators Biographical Search|publisher=Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library|access-date=25 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220092239/http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/lawlib/legbiog/webform1.aspx|archive-date=20 December 2015|url-status=dead}} In 1950, Cormier defeated Adrian Scolten to win the Democratic nomination for Maine's 1st congressional district. She lost in the general election to incumbent Robert Hale with 46% of the vote, which was considered a strong showing in Republican-controlled Maine.{{cite book|last=Potholm|first=Christian P.|title=This Splendid Game: Maine Campaigns and Elections, 1940-2002|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UVM0AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA33|access-date=25 April 2016|date=2004-09-01|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=9780585457741|pages=33–}} She later became a Maine delegate to the Democratic National Committee.

In 1960, Cormier left the Legislature and became the Democratic nominee for United States Senate. Her opponent was incumbent Republican Margaret Chase Smith. On September 5, 1960, Cormier and Smith appeared on the cover of Time magazine.{{cite news|url=https://content.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19600905,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Margaret Chase Smith, Lucia M. Cormier - Sep. 5, 1960 - Congress - Women - Maine - Politics|work=Time|access-date=25 April 2016}} The Cormier-Chase Smith election was the first all-woman election for Senate in United States history.{{cite news|url=http://archive.bangordailynews.com/1993/01/29/lucia-cormier-1960-challenger-to-states-sen-smith/|title=Lucia Cormier, 1960 challenger to state's Sen. Smith|date=January 29, 1993|work=Bangor Daily News|access-date=2 December 2021}} Cormier lost in the general election after receiving only 38.4% of the vote.{{cite book|last=Potholm|first=Christian P.|title=This Splendid Game: Maine Campaigns and Elections, 1940-2002|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UVM0AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA33|access-date=25 April 2016|date=2004-09-01|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=9780585457741|pages=61–}} Democratic President John F. Kennedy appointed Cormier to the position of collector of customs for Maine and New Hampshire. She maintained that position until her retirement in 1974. Cormier died in Daytona Beach, Florida in January 1993.