Jill Duson
Jill Duson | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Maine Senate from the 28th district | |
| Assumed office December 7, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Heather Sanborn |
| Mayor of Portland | |
| In office December 2008 – December 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Edward Suslovic |
| Succeeded by | Nick Mavodones Jr. |
| In office December 2004 – December 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Nathan Smith |
| Succeeded by | James I. Cohen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jill C. Duson[1] 1953 (age 70–71) Chester, Pennsylvania |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Divorced |
| Children | Two |
| Residence | Portland, Maine |
| Occupation | Attorney, Lobbyist, Retail |
Jill C. Duson (born 1953) is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and politician from Portland, Maine.
Duson has served on both the Portland School Board[2] and the Portland, Maine City Council since 2001. In 2004, Duson became the first African-American mayor of Maine's largest city and the first African-American women mayor in the state when she was elected by her fellow council members to chair meetings under the city's then council-manager system.[3]
In 2011, Duson ran for the newly created position of mayor. Rep. Anne Haskell was her campaign manager.[4] She finished in sixth place out of fifteen candidates on the ballot.
In 2012, Duson was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention and a Democratic elector in the general election.[5] She was a supporter of President Barack Obama.[6]
In June 2016, Duson ran for the Democratic nomination for State Senate in her district. She lost to Representative and former sheriff Mark Dion.[7]
In November 2017, Duson was re-elected for the fifth time over two challengers.[8] Soon thereafter, she declared her intent to seek the nomination for State Senate in the 2018 election after Dion announced his intention to run for governor.[9] In June, Duson received approximately 41% of the votes in the Democratic primary and lost to Rep. Heather Sanborn.[10] She did not seek re-election in 2020. She was elected to the Maine Senate in 2022, becoming the first Black woman to serve as a state senator in Maine's history.[11]
Policies
[edit]In April 2015, Duson led the charge to reduce the city's minimum wage to $8.75 an hour from the proposed $10.10 per hour proposed by Mayor Michael F. Brennan. Duson's proposal passed the city's Finance Committee before being rejected by the City Council in favor of the original proposal.[12]
Personal
[edit]Duson grew up impoverished in Chester, Pennsylvania. Her mother was part of a rent strike when she was a child. However, she earned a B.A. from Antioch College, a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and a Certificate in Senior Executive in State & Local Government from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.[4]
Duson has dealt with financial troubles, including potential foreclosure on her home in Portland's North Deering neighborhood. According to court records, she "had about $73 in the bank" at the time of her 2012 bankruptcy. In 2017, Duson was still fighting to avoid foreclosure.[13]
Outside of elected office, Duson has worked as a lobbyist for Central Maine Power,[2] Director of Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, Maine Department of Labor, compliance director for the Maine Human Rights Commission as well as in retail with L.L.Bean.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ "Sen. Jill Duson receives recognition from National Women's Organization". October 21, 2024.
- ^ a b Harry, David (May 16, 2016). "Election 2016: Portland, Westbrook Democrats tout experience in Senate District 28 primary". The Forecaster. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- ^ Lee, Maureen Elgersman (2005). Black Bangor: African Americans in a Maine Community, 1880-1950. UPNE. pp. 21–. ISBN 9781584654995. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- ^ a b Singer, Jason (October 25, 2011). "Jill Duson: Strong resume, plus life experience". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- ^ a b Delaney, Arthur (September 4, 2012). "Middle Class Meltdown At DNC". HuffPost. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- ^ "Maine electors cast votes for Obama, Biden". Bangor Daily News. December 17, 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- ^ Bridgers, Leslie (June 14, 2016). "Rep. Mark Dion wins Democratic primary for Senate seat in Portland, Westbrook". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- ^ Koenig, Seth (November 7, 2017). "2 incumbents, 1 newcomer win in Portland council races". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- ^ "Duson runs for Dion seat in state Senate". Keep Me Current. January 4, 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- ^ Graham, Gillian (June 12, 2018). "Portland Rep. Sanborn wins Democratic primary for state senate". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ Sharp, David (December 8, 2022). "Daughter of Maine's 1st Black legislator named state House speaker". Associated Press. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ McCracker, Carol (April 15, 2015). "Duson's Proposal to Reduce Minimum Wage Passes Finance Committee". Munjoy Hill News. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- ^ Bleiberg, Jake (April 6, 2017). "Portland city councilor battling credit union to keep her house". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- 1953 births
- Living people
- Politicians from Chester, Pennsylvania
- Antioch College alumni
- University of Pennsylvania Law School alumni
- Portland, Maine City Council members
- Portland, Maine School Board members
- Maine Democrats
- American lobbyists
- African-American mayors in Maine
- African-American state legislators in Maine
- Women city councillors in Maine
- Women mayors of places in Maine
- Mayors of Portland, Maine
- African-American school board members
- African-American city council members
- 21st-century African-American lawyers
- 21st-century African-American women politicians
- 20th-century African-American lawyers
- 20th-century African-American women
- African-American women mayors
- 21st-century African-American politicians
- 21st-century American legislators
- 21st-century American women lawyers
- 21st-century American lawyers
- 21st-century American women politicians
- 20th-century American women lawyers
- 20th-century American lawyers
- 21st-century mayors of places in Maine