John Rettie "Jock" McKernan Jr. (born May 20, 1948) is an American politician who served two terms as the 71st Governor of Maine, from 1987 to 1995.
Born in Bangor, Maine, McKernan attended Dartmouth College and then the University of Maine School of Law. A Republican, McKernan was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives before becoming governor. He also served in the state house from 1973 to 1977 and was a delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1976 and 1984.
Early life
John McKernan was born in Bangor, Maine, on May 20, 1948, the son of Barbara Guild McKernan and John R. McKernan Sr. He was raised in Bangor, where he attended the public schools graduated from Bangor High School in 1966. After graduating, McKernan attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, where he received his bachelor's degree in 1970.
He then returned to Maine and joined the Maine Army National Guard, in which he served from 1970 until 1973. During this time, he moved to Portland, Maine, to pursue studies at the University of Maine School of Law. He completed his J.D. degree in 1974, while already serving in the Maine House of Representatives.
Maine House of Representatives
McKernan's first entry into politics was being elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 1972. He did so as one of the youngest ever to serve in that capacity, being only 24 years old.
He was later elected to a second term, where his colleagues selected him as assistant Republican floor leader.
He left the state legislature in 1976 to begin practicing law at a Portland law firm.
U.S. Representative
McKernan was twice elected to the United States House of Representatives, in 1982 and 1984.
While he served in the House, he had the unusual distinction of dating the other member of Maine's House delegation – Olympia Snowe. The two had met while they had earlier served in the Maine House of Representatives, and began dating in 1978. During their time together in Congress, McKernan and Snowe had nearly identical voting records. Their similar feelings on issues even translated into reversals of opinion – for example, they both switched from opposing aid to the Nicaraguan rebels to later supporting such aid. While their relationship was widely known, it was not reported much by the Maine press.
McKernan retired from Congress to run for governor in 1986, and was sworn in as governor in January 1987.
Governor of Maine
1986 election and first term
Before the 1986 election, no Republican had occupied the Blaine House in two decades. Incumbent governor Joseph E. Brennan was term limited and could not run again. McKernan immediately declared his intention to run for governor, and Brennan declared his candidacy for McKernan's old congressional seat in the first district (which he would eventually win).
His opponent was James E. Tierney, former Majority Leader of the Maine House and state Attorney General – though he did also face two independent candidates, Sherry Huber and John Menario. He based his campaign on better schools and better jobs, believing them to be the keys to making Maine (in his words) "the very best place in America to live, to work and to raise a family." He pledged to pursue both goals without a major tax increase. Additionally, McKernan focused on economic development, claiming that Maine can become what he dubbed "the opportunity state". After a spirited campaign, McKernan emerged on top, besting Tierney by a nine-point margin. However, McKernan received only 39% of the vote in a divided four-way race.
McKernan, just 38 years old on inauguration day, was welcomed with a $46-million surplus. That good financial news would be short-lived, however, as the state would face a number of fiscal challenges in the coming years.
In his first tenure in Augusta, McKernan attempted to grow the Maine economy. He helped initiate a $1.35-million fund to create "centers of innovation," designed to position Maine at the cutting edge of the next technological change. He also worked to expand job training programs, structured to enable the state to quickly change the skills being taught to meet the needs of a new employer. An additional $5.9-million state investment in the University of Maine System was also spearheaded by the governor, intended to enhance its educational and research reputation. These efforts were hammered home with the governor's new economic development slogan: "MAINE: We're America's Future Business." The program created "opportunity zones" throughout the state to draw jobs to areas in need of new or additional industry.