Sara Gideon facts for kids

Sara I. Gideon (born December 4, 1971) is an American politician. She was the Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. This means she was the leader of the main law-making group in Maine. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Sara Gideon is from Freeport, and she used to represent the 48th district in the Maine House of Representatives. This area includes parts of Freeport and Pownal in Cumberland County.

In 2020, Gideon was the Democratic candidate for the 2020 U.S. Senate election in Maine. She ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate but lost to the Republican, Susan Collins.

Early Life and Education

Sara Gideon was born and grew up in Rhode Island. Her father is a pediatrician, which is a doctor who treats children. He is from India. Her mother is a nurse and her family came from Armenia.

Sara is the youngest of four children. One of her sisters, Melanie, is a novelist, meaning she writes books. Sara finished high school at East Greenwich High School in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, in 1989. In 1994, she earned a college degree in international affairs from George Washington University in Washington, D.C..

Her Career in Politics

Starting Out

Sara Gideon worked as an intern for a U.S. Senator named Claiborne Pell. An intern is someone who works to gain experience. She also worked in advertising for a newspaper called USA Today.

In 2004, Sara moved to Freeport, Maine. In 2009, she won a seat on the Freeport Town Council. A town council helps make decisions for the local town. She served on the council until 2012 and was the vice chair starting in 2011.

In the Maine House of Representatives

Sara Gideon was first elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2012. She was reelected in 2014 and became the Assistant Majority Leader. In 2016, the House members chose her to be their Speaker.

As Speaker, Gideon was part of a committee that focused on energy and technology. She worked to help lower energy costs for people. She also supported using more clean and renewable energy sources. This helps Maine use its natural resources and build a clean energy economy.

After Democratic Governor Janet Mills was elected in 2018, the Maine Legislature, led by Gideon, passed important laws about climate change. One of these laws said that Maine should get 80 percent of its energy from renewable energy by 2030. It aimed for 100 percent by 2050. She also supported a law to stop a power company from spending money to influence a project in Maine.

Running for U.S. Senate in 2020

On June 24, 2019, Sara Gideon announced she would run for the U.S. Senate. She wanted to challenge the current Republican Senator, Susan Collins. In the first week of her campaign, she raised over $1 million to help her run.

Gideon ran against Betsy Sweet and Bre Kidman in the Democratic primary election. A primary election helps a party choose its main candidate. Gideon received support from many parts of the Democratic Party. She won the primary election with about 70% of the votes.

Many groups supported Sara Gideon. The League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, which works to protect the environment, supported her. Groups like NARAL and EMILY's List, which support women in politics, also endorsed her. In August 2020, former President Barack Obama supported Gideon's campaign. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a large LGBTQ rights group, also supported Gideon.

What She Believes In

Sara Gideon has said that making healthcare and medicines affordable are her main goals. She supports the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare." She also believes in a public health insurance option. This would let Americans buy into Medicare, which is a government health insurance program. She wants Medicare to be able to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs.

In the state House, Gideon supported laws to help families living in poverty. She was against the Trump tax bill. Gideon wants the U.S. to rejoin the Paris Agreement. This agreement helps countries work together to fight climate change. She supports government money for renewable energy like solar and wind power. She also believes in federal rules for greenhouse gas emissions.

Gideon supports universal background checks for buying guns and red flag laws. These laws allow temporary removal of guns from people who might be a danger. She also supports rules for high-capacity magazines. Gideon supports several police reforms. These include keeping a record of police misconduct and requiring police to use body cameras and vehicle cameras.

Her Family Life

Sara Gideon married Benjamin Rogoff Gideon in November 2001. Ben Gideon is a lawyer who works on medical malpractice and personal injury cases. They have three children.

Electoral History

Sara Gideon has run in several elections. Here are some of her past election results:

2012 Elections

In 2012, Sara Gideon ran for the Maine House of Representatives, District 106.

• Democratic Primary: She won with 50.47% of the votes.
• General Election: She won with 62.85% of the votes.

2014 Election

In 2014, she ran for the Maine House of Representatives, District 48.

• General Election: She won with 63.93% of the votes.

2016 Election

In 2016, she ran again for the Maine House of Representatives, District 48.

• General Election: She won with 66.08% of the votes.

2018 Election

In 2018, she ran for the Maine House of Representatives, District 48.

• General Election: She won with 71.85% of the votes.

2020 Elections

In 2020, Sara Gideon ran for the U.S. Senate.

• Democratic Primary: She won with 71.5% of the votes.
• General Election: She received 42.39% of the votes but lost to Susan Collins.

See Also

• List of female speakers of legislatures in the United States