U.S. Term Limits announced on October 30, 2026, that former Maine State Senator and Bangor Mayor Joe Baldacci has agreed to serve as Maine State Chair for the organization. Baldacci, a longtime supporter of congressional term limits, will lead the group’s efforts to build support for limiting the time members of Congress can remain in office. The announcement signals a renewed push in Maine for a reform that advocates say is essential to restoring accountability in Washington.
In a statement, Baldacci framed term limits as a check on career politics. “Public service should be about serving your neighbors and your community—not building a lifetime career in Washington,” he 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, not for “powerful special interests or entrenched political insiders,” and called congressional term limits “a commonsense reform that can help restore trust in government.”
Baldacci’s background includes four terms on the Bangor City Council and two terms as mayor, during which he focused on economic development and protecting essential services such as school funding, public health, law enforcement, and infrastructure. He was elected to the Maine State Senate in 2020 and reelected in 2022 and 2024 to represent Bangor and Hermon. In the Senate, he worked on issues affecting seniors, health care, teachers, property taxpayers, and working families. He chaired the State and Local Government Committee and the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee during the 132nd Legislature, and he has chaired the Health and Human Services Committee. He was recognized as 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.
Philip Blumel, president of U.S. Term Limits, welcomed the appointment. “Joe brings extensive experience at both the local and state levels of government and a deep understanding of what genuine public service means,” Blumel said. “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.”
The appointment matters beyond Maine’s borders. U.S. Term Limits describes itself as the nation’s largest grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to establishing term limits at all levels of government, particularly for Congress, and works with citizens and lawmakers across the country to advance constitutional reforms. Baldacci’s decision to take a leadership role adds a seasoned elected official to that national effort at a time when public trust in Congress remains low. For Maine voters, the move puts a familiar local figure at the forefront of a debate over whether prolonged congressional service undermines representative government. For businesses and industries that engage with federal lawmakers, the campaign could eventually reshape how long key committee leaders and advocates for regional interests remain in power. Baldacci said he looks forward to working with Mainers across the state to build support for the effort.
