U.S. Term Limits announced on Friday that former Maine State Senator and Bangor Mayor Joe Baldacci will serve as the organization's Maine State Chair, a role aimed at building support for congressional term limits across the state. The appointment brings a veteran of local and state government into the national effort to enact term limits for members of Congress, a reform Baldacci described as essential to restoring accountability and trust in Washington.
Baldacci, who served four terms on the Bangor City Council and two terms as mayor before representing Bangor and Hermon in the Maine Senate, said his experience in municipal and state government shaped his view that elected officials must remain closely connected to the people they represent. "Public service should be about serving your neighbors and your community—not building a lifetime career in Washington," Baldacci said. "Term limits can help bring new voices, fresh ideas, and greater accountability to Congress." He added that Maine people expect government to work for them rather than for powerful special interests or entrenched political insiders, and that congressional term limits are an important part of restoring that balance.
The announcement signals a renewed push in Maine to build grassroots support for a constitutional amendment limiting congressional terms. U.S. Term Limits, which describes itself as the nation's largest grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to establishing term limits at all levels of government, particularly for Congress, said Baldacci's background makes him a strong advocate. "Joe brings extensive experience at both the local and state levels of government and a deep understanding of what genuine public service means," said Philip Blumel, president of U.S. Term Limits. "His commitment to accountability and citizen government makes him a strong advocate for congressional term limits. We are confident his leadership will help build tremendous momentum for term limits reform throughout Maine."
Baldacci's career includes work as a lawyer in Bangor, where he established a general law practice in the early 1990s representing Maine families, workers, and small businesses. In the Maine Senate, he focused on issues affecting seniors and health care, teachers and public schools, property taxpayers, and working families, and he chaired both the State and Local Government Committee and the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee during the 132nd Legislature. He was recognized as a Legislator of the Year by the Maine Council on Aging and earned a 100 percent rating from the Maine Education Association four years in a row.
The appointment matters because it places a well-known Maine political figure at the forefront of a reform effort that supporters argue can reduce polarization and ensure that public office remains a form of public service rather than a career. Baldacci said people across the political spectrum recognize that Washington needs reform. "Congressional term limits are a commonsense reform that can help restore trust in government and ensure that public office remains a public service," he said. "I look forward to working with Mainers across our state to build support for this effort."
