Larry Bliss

Infobox State Representative
honorific-prefix =
name =Rep. Larry Bliss
honorific-suffix =

---

height =150px
state_house =Maine
district =122^nd
term_start =2000
term_end =present
preceded =
succeeded =
birth_date =birth date and age|1946|12|29
birth_place =
residence =South Portland, Maine
party =Democrat
occupation = Educator
spouse =Nolan McCoy
website = [http://www.lawrencebliss.info/ lawrencebliss.info]

Lawrence S. Bliss, commonly known as Larry Bliss, is an American educator and politician from the state of Maine. A Democrat, he has served since 2000 as a member of the Maine House of Representatives. He is the Democratic nominee for the 7th district seat in the Maine Senate in 2008.

Educated at the University of California, where he earned both bachelor's and master's degrees, Bliss made his career as a middle school and high school teacher. He is currently employed as the Director of Career Services and Professional Life Development at the University of Southern Maine.citation |title=Project Vote Smart: Rep. Larry Bliss |accessdate=2008-05-26 |url=http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=54446] [citeweb |url=http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/5097075.html |title=Summer jobs plentiful in Maine this year |publisher="Morning Sentinel" |last=Quimby |first=Beth |date=May 27, 2008] [citeweb |publisher="The New York Times" |first=Gail |last=Collins |date=February 14, 2008 |title=Notes From A Caucus |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/opinion/14collins.html?pagewanted=print]

Bliss was first elected to the Maine House of Representatives in November 2000, winning 58% of the general election vote in South Portland's 24th district.citation |title=Maine Secretary of State: 2000 election results |accessdate=2008-03-18 |url=http://maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/2000g/gen00sr.htm] Re-elected in 2002, his district was renumbered the 122nd in time for the 2004 election, when he secured re-election with 67% of the vote.citation |title=Maine Secretary of State: 2004 election results |accessdate=2008-03-18 |url=http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/2004n/sr.htm] He won by a similar margin in 2006.

Term limits prevent him from seeking a fifth House term in 2008. Instead, he is a candidate for the Maine Senate in the 7th district, which includes Cape Elizabeth, South Portland and part of Scarborough.citation |title=Maine Secretary of State: upcoming elections |accessdate=2008-03-18 |url=http://maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming.html] The incumbent — Sen. Lynn Bromley — is also being forced out by term limits. In the primary election on 2008-06-10, Bliss faced former state representative Ed Kelleher and defeated him by 63% to 37%.cite news |title=2008 primary results |work=Bangor Daily News |accessdate=2008-06-11 |url=http://www.bangornews.com/election/2008_primary/] He faces Republican John F. Ridge in November.

In the 2007-8 legislative biennium, he serves as chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Utilities and Energy.citation |title=Maine Legislature: Joint Standing Committee on Utilities and Energy |accessdate=2008-05-26 |url=http://janus.state.me.us/house/jt_com/ute.htm]

Bliss is openly gay and lives in South Portland with his partner, Nolan McCoy, and their three children. He has long been involved with charitable and community organizations, including the AIDS Project, the Equity Institute of Maine, the South Portland Citizens for Justice, and the Maine Lesbian/Gay Political Alliance. He also serves as Treasurer of the Cumberland County Democratic Committee. [citation |title=Cumberland County Democratic Committee: Officers and Committee Chairs |accessdate=2008-05-26 |url=http://www.cumberlandcountydemocrats.org/abouttheccdc/executivecommittee.html]

References

External links

* [http://www.maine.gov/legis/housedems/lbliss/ Legislative homepage]
* [http://www.lawrencebliss.info/ Official website]