History of Janet Mills in Timeline
Janet Trafton Mills is an American politician and lawyer currently serving as the 75th Governor of Maine, a position she has held since 2019. Prior to her role as governor, Mills served as Maine's Attorney General for four nonconsecutive two-year terms, from 2009-2011 and again from 2013-2019. Her career has primarily been focused on law and public service within the state of Maine.
2 hours ago : Janet Mills Faces Challenge from Graham Platner in Maine Senate Primary Race
Janet Mills is in a tough race against Graham Platner for the Maine Senate seat. Mills targets women voters by highlighting Platner's online history, while a new campaign ad shows the governor attacking the challenger hard.
December 30, 1947: Janet Mills Born
On December 30, 1947, Janet Trafton Mills was born. She is an American politician and lawyer who has served as the 75th governor of Maine since 2019.
1965: Graduated from Farmington High School
In 1965, Janet Mills graduated from Farmington High School. During her teenage years, she was bedridden for almost a year due to severe scoliosis, which was later surgically corrected.
1966: First to win at least 50% of the vote for a first term since Kenneth M. Curtis
Mills was the first Maine gubernatorial candidate to be elected with at least 50% of the vote for a first term since Kenneth M. Curtis in 1966
1970: Graduated from UMass Boston
In 1970, Janet Mills graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston after briefly attending Colby College.
1974: Summer Intern for ACLU
In 1974, Janet Mills served as a summer intern in Washington, D.C., for civil rights attorney Charles Morgan Jr. of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
1976: Graduated with Juris Doctor and Admitted to the Bar
In 1976, Janet Mills graduated with a Juris Doctor degree and was admitted to the bar.
1976: Appointed Assistant Attorney General
In 1976, Janet Mills was appointed as Maine's first female criminal prosecutor by Governor Joe Brennan and became an assistant attorney general, serving from 1976 to 1980, prosecuting homicides and other major crimes.
1985: Marriage to Stanley Kuklinski
In 1985, Janet Mills married real estate developer Stanley Kuklinski, becoming stepmother to his five daughters.
1994: Unsuccessful Congressional Run
In 1994, Janet Mills was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Congress in Maine's 2nd congressional district, losing the Democratic primary to John Baldacci.
1998: Elected to Maine Women's Lobby Board
In 1998, Janet Mills co-founded the Maine Women's Lobby and was elected to its board of directors.
1998: First Maine gubernatorial candidate to be elected with at least 50% of the vote since Angus King
Mills was the first Maine gubernatorial candidate to be elected with at least 50% of the vote since Angus King in 1998.
2000: Field Coordinator for Bill Bradley Campaign
In 2000, Janet Mills served as a field coordinator for Bill Bradley's 2000 presidential campaign in Maine.
2006: Peter Mills III Runs for Governor
In 2006, Peter Mills III, Janet Mills' brother, ran for Governor of Maine but was eliminated in the primaries.
December 2008: Elected Attorney General
In December 2008, Janet Mills was elected to her fourth term as attorney general by the Joint Convention.
January 6, 2009: Became Maine's 55th Attorney General
On January 6, 2009, Janet Mills became Maine's 55th attorney general.
2010: Peter Mills III Runs for Governor Again
In 2010, Peter Mills III, Janet Mills' brother, again ran for Governor of Maine but was eliminated in the primaries for the second time.
2010: Not Reelected Attorney General
In 2010, when Republicans gained control of the Maine legislature, Janet Mills was not reelected as attorney general.
January 2011: Elected Vice Chair of Maine Democratic Party
In January 2011, Janet Mills was elected vice chair of the Maine Democratic Party.
February 2011: Joined Preti Flaherty Law Firm
In February 2011, Janet Mills joined the law firm Preti Flaherty as a lawyer with the firm's Litigation Group in its Augusta office.
2012: Democrats Regain Control of Legislature
In 2012, after Democrats regained control of the legislature, Janet Mills was again chosen as attorney general.
January 7, 2013: Took Oath of Office as Attorney General
On January 7, 2013, Janet Mills resigned as vice chair of the Maine Democratic Party and took the oath of office as attorney general.
September 24, 2014: Death of Stanley Kuklinski
On September 24, 2014, Stanley Kuklinski, Janet Mills's husband, died due to the effects of a stroke.
December 3, 2014: Re-elected Attorney General
On December 3, 2014, Janet Mills was re-elected as attorney general, despite the Maine Senate coming under Republican control.
January 28, 2015: LePage Requested Maine Supreme Judicial Court's Opinion
On January 28, 2015, Republican governor Paul LePage requested the Maine Supreme Judicial Court's opinion on whether the governor's office needed the attorney general's office's permission to retain outside counsel when the attorney general declines to represent the State in a legal matter, due to disputes with Janet Mills.
May 1, 2017: LePage Sued Mills
On May 1, 2017, Governor Paul LePage sued Janet Mills, asserting that she had abused her authority by refusing to represent the state in legal matters or taking a legal view contrary to the LePage administration's.
July 10, 2017: Announced Candidacy for Governor
On July 10, 2017, Janet Mills announced that she would seek the Democratic nomination for governor of Maine in 2018.
2017: Ordered the expansion of Maine's Medicaid program
One of Janet Mills's first acts as governor was to sign an executive order to carry out the expansion of Maine's Medicaid program as called for by a 2017 referendum.
2018: NRA Grade of "F"
When Janet Mills ran for governor in 2018, her grade from the National Rifle Association was "F", a change from her time as a state legislator.
May 2019: Signed Bill Banning Conversion Therapy
In May 2019, Janet Mills signed a bill banning conversion therapy, the pseudoscientific practice aimed at changing one's sexual orientation, from being used on minors.
September 2019: Addressed UN General Assembly on Climate Change
In September 2019, Janet Mills spoke at the United Nations General Assembly on climate change, at the request of Secretary-General António Guterres. She announced Maine's intention to become carbon neutral by 2045.
2019: Revived MLK Jr. Day Commemoration Attendance
In 2019, Janet Mills revived the tradition of Maine governors attending Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemoration events in Portland.
2019: Signed Legislation to Ban Single-Use Plastic Bags
In 2019, Janet Mills signed legislation to ban single-use plastic bags.
2019: Signed Central Maine Power Company Agreement
In 2019, despite initial skepticism, Janet Mills signed an agreement granting the Central Maine Power Company all necessary permissions to begin work on a corridor running from Beattie Township to a power grid in Lewiston, Maine, due to changes to the budget.
March 15, 2020: Started State of Emergency Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
On March 15, 2020, Janet Mills started a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: Mills Endorsed Gideon in Senate Race
Mills endorsed Sara Gideon in the 2020 race for Maine's United States Senate seat. Collins was reelected by eight points over Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon in 2020.
January 1, 2021: Ban on Styrofoam Containers Effective
On January 1, 2021, the ban on the use of styrofoam containers by various industries within the state, which Janet Mills signed into law in 2019, became effective.
June 11, 2021: Announced End of State of Emergency
On June 11, 2021, Janet Mills announced the end of the state of emergency that was started on March 15, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
June 24, 2021: Vetoed Seven Bills
On June 24, 2021, Janet Mills vetoed seven bills, including one that would have closed the Long Creek Youth Development Center, a juvenile prison. These vetoes were met with criticism from progressive Democrats in the legislature.
June 30, 2021: State of Emergency Ended
The COVID-19 state of emergency ended on June 30, 2021.
April 20, 2022: Signed Maine State Supplemental Budget into Law
On April 20, 2022, Janet Mills signed into law the Maine state supplemental budget, which included free community college for students of the class of 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
December 2022: Mills Said She Doesn't Plan to Run for Anything Else
In December 2022, a month after her reelection as governor, Mills told the Portland Press Herald she did not "plan to run for anything else".
2022: Reaffirmed Position on Women's Rights
After the leak of the 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, Janet Mills reaffirmed her position that "unlike an apparent majority of the Supreme Court, I do not consider the rights of women to be dispensable."
2022: Re-elected as Governor
In 2022, Janet Mills ran for and won re-election as governor of Maine, defeating former governor Paul LePage. She received over 376,934 votes, setting a new record for the most votes ever cast for a gubernatorial candidate.
2023: Elected Co-chair of Climate Alliance
In 2023, Janet Mills was elected co-chair of the bipartisan Climate Alliance.
November 2024: Consideration of Senate Run Reported
In November 2024, the Portland Press Herald reported that Mills would not rule out a 2026 campaign for Maine's United States Senate seat held by Susan Collins.
2024: Death of David Mills
In 2024, Janet Mills's brother, David Mills, died in Farmington.
February 2025: Confrontation with Donald Trump
In a campaign launch video, Mills highlighted her opposition to Donald Trump with clips of their confrontation in February 2025.
February 21, 2025: Clashed with President Trump Over Transgender Athletes
On February 21, 2025, Janet Mills publicly clashed with President Donald Trump over transgender athletes' participation in sports, stating "The State of Maine will not be intimidated by the President's threats." after Trump threatened to cut federal funding.
July 2025: Mills Considering Entering Senate Race
In July 2025, NOTUS reported that Janet Mills was still considering entering the race for Maine's United States Senate seat.
2025: Endorsed No Vote on Red Flag Law Referendum
In 2025, after activists gathered enough signatures to trigger a referendum on implementing a red flag law, Janet Mills endorsed a No vote.
2045: Target Year for Carbon Neutrality
Janet Mills announced at the UN in September 2019 that she intends to make Maine carbon neutral by 2045.
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