Dale McCormick
Encyclopedia
Dale McCormick is an American politician from the state of Maine
, who was elected in 1990 as the first openly gay member of the Maine State Legislature. A Democrat
, she served three terms in the Maine Senate
, representing a largely rural district that included her hometown of Hallowell
.
in 1947, McCormick moved to Sigourney, Iowa
in 1955 after her parents got divorced. She graduated from Sigourney High School in 1965 before attending the University of Iowa
where she graduated in 1970 with a BA and a teaching certificate. After graduation, she stayed in Iowa City, Iowa
and apprenticed as a carpenter, becoming the first journeywoman
carpenter in the nation in 1975. In 1977, she wrote and illustrated Against the Grain: A Carpentry Manual for Women and set up her own construction and cabinetry company.
McCormick moved to Maine in the early 1980s, where she founded a job training program for women in trade and technical occupations. She actively involved herself in political issues and was elected one of Maine's delegates to the 1984 Democratic National Convention
in San Francisco as well as the 1988 convention
in Atlanta.
. She took office in December 1990 as the representative of the 18th senate district, which consisted of parts of Kennebec County
as well as the town of Richmond
in Sagadahoc County
. She was re-elected in 1992 and 1994.
In 1996, she did not seek re-election to the state senate but instead ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1st district
. She lost the Democratic primary to Tom Allen
, winning 10,071 votes to his 13,632. Allen went on to win the general election handily and served six terms in Congress.
McCormick was elected state treasurer by the legislature on December 4, 1996, becoming Maine's first female constitutional officer. She was re-elected in 1998, 2000 and 2002. Term limit
s prevented her from seeking a fifth term in 2004. Gov. John Baldacci
subsequently appointed her director of the state housing authority.
Her partner is Betsy Sweet. Together they have one child.
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, who was elected in 1990 as the first openly gay member of the Maine State Legislature. A Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, she served three terms in the Maine Senate
Maine Senate
The Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, though the Maine Constitution allows for "an odd number of Senators, not less than...
, representing a largely rural district that included her hometown of Hallowell
Hallowell, Maine
Hallowell is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,467 at the 2000 census.-History:The city is named for Benjamin Hallowell, a Boston merchant and one of the Kennebec Proprietors, holders of land originally granted to the Plymouth Company by the British monarchy in...
.
Early life and education
Born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1947, McCormick moved to Sigourney, Iowa
Sigourney, Iowa
Sigourney is a city in Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,059 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Keokuk County.-History:...
in 1955 after her parents got divorced. She graduated from Sigourney High School in 1965 before attending the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
where she graduated in 1970 with a BA and a teaching certificate. After graduation, she stayed in Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
and apprenticed as a carpenter, becoming the first journeywoman
Journeyman
A journeyman is someone who completed an apprenticeship and was fully educated in a trade or craft, but not yet a master. To become a master, a journeyman had to submit a master work piece to a guild for evaluation and be admitted to the guild as a master....
carpenter in the nation in 1975. In 1977, she wrote and illustrated Against the Grain: A Carpentry Manual for Women and set up her own construction and cabinetry company.
McCormick moved to Maine in the early 1980s, where she founded a job training program for women in trade and technical occupations. She actively involved herself in political issues and was elected one of Maine's delegates to the 1984 Democratic National Convention
1984 Democratic National Convention
The 1984 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party was held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California from July 16 to July 19, 1984, to select a candidate for the 1984 United States presidential election. At the convention Walter Mondale was nominated for President and Geraldine...
in San Francisco as well as the 1988 convention
1988 Democratic National Convention
The 1988 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party was held at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia from July 18–July 21, 1988 to select a candidate for the 1988 United States presidential election. At the convention Gov. Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts was nominated for President and...
in Atlanta.
Political career
In 1990, McCormick ran against and defeated incumbent state senator Norman Weymouth, a Republican from West GardinerWest Gardiner, Maine
West Gardiner is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,902 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
. She took office in December 1990 as the representative of the 18th senate district, which consisted of parts of Kennebec County
Kennebec County, Maine
Kennebec County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, its population was 122,151. Its county seat is Augusta. The center of population of Maine is located in Kennebec County, in the city of Augusta....
as well as the town of Richmond
Richmond, Maine
Richmond is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,298 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....
in Sagadahoc County
Sagadahoc County, Maine
Sagadahoc County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 35,293. Its county seat is Bath. In total area, it is the smallest county in Maine....
. She was re-elected in 1992 and 1994.
In 1996, she did not seek re-election to the state senate but instead ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1st district
Maine's 1st congressional district
Maine's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Maine. The geographically smaller of the two congressional districts in the state, the district covers the southern coastal area of the state. The district consists of all of Cumberland, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc,...
. She lost the Democratic primary to Tom Allen
Tom Allen
Thomas Hodge "Tom" Allen is a former member of the United States House of Representatives representing , and the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2008 against Republican incumbent Senator Susan Collins. Allen lost to Collins .Allen was first elected in 1996, defeating Republican...
, winning 10,071 votes to his 13,632. Allen went on to win the general election handily and served six terms in Congress.
McCormick was elected state treasurer by the legislature on December 4, 1996, becoming Maine's first female constitutional officer. She was re-elected in 1998, 2000 and 2002. Term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s prevented her from seeking a fifth term in 2004. Gov. John Baldacci
John Baldacci
John Elias Baldacci is an American politician who served as the 73rd Governor of the U.S. state of Maine from 2003 until 2011. A Democrat, he also served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003....
subsequently appointed her director of the state housing authority.
Her partner is Betsy Sweet. Together they have one child.
Published works
- Against the Grain: A Carpentry Manual for Women ISBN 0918040019
- Housemending: Home Repair For The Rest of Us