John Contreni Jr.

John Contreni Jr. earned a high school diploma from St. Cecilia High School. Contreni earned a bachelor's degree from Saint Vincent College in 1966 and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 1971. Contreni's career experience includes working as a college professor.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My wife and I are the parents of six children and grandparents to 10. We bought our home in Maine in 2006, having thought about where we wanted to spend the next chapter. Maine it was! We live in Greenville on the lake. We both come from university backgrounds. I am a historian and was a professor at Purdue University for 45 years. In addition to teaching and research, I have extensive experience in administration, managing budgets and helping people achieve their goals, My wife, Margarita, taught Spanish and worked as a development officer.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I have extensive experience in Maine municipal government. I have served on the Greenville Planning Board as chair as well as on the Town's budget committee and Comprehensive Plan committee. I am also a Trustee of the Shaw Public Library and of the Moosehead Outdoor Alliance. I am on the Board of the Greenville Junction Depot Friends, a volunteer organization dedicated to restoring Greenville's 1889 Canadian Pacific railway depot. I have written successful fundraising grants for all these organizations pro bono.Our corner of Maine and Piscataquis County generally has not been well served by our incumbent legislators. They have failed to address the key issues that affect Mainers and have instead focused on social issues such as immigration and the second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Piscataquis County is a distressed county according to the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC). See next key message for details. We should be addressing these indicators of distress along with the opioid crisis, high taxes, healthcare, and the plight of rural hospitals instead of the false flags that distract voters from these issues.According to the NBRC 2026's "Determining Categories of Distress Within the Northern Border Region," Piscataquis County has the dubious distinction of qualifying as one of the Maine's distressed counties. According to NBRC's research, our county falls below U.S. averages when it comes to percent of residents below the poverty level (16.5%); percentage change in population (-1.3%); percentage of residents with bachelor's degree or higher (21.8%), and median household income ($55. 234). We do beat the regional average in one category--percentage of seasonal homes (39.5%)--where Piscataquis County ranks the highest among Maine's 16 counties in percentage of seasonal homes.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Accessibility of healthcare; high taxes; economic development; the environment. I believe that the promise of America is captured by the self-evident truths the Founding Fathers called out: "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." I believe that all of these rights should be available to all Americans without exception.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Among national leaders, I admire FDR and Harry Truman--two different personalities from different sides of the street who effected important changes in U.S. society. I admire Heather Cox Richardson and Paul Krugman as commentators on the current conditions facing the U.S. I admire Louise Penny as an author. I admire Pope Leo XIV as a religious leader

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty; willingness to look at all the facts; placing constituents, all constituents, first; ability to read and digest complex information; collaboration and the ability to work across the aisle; communication skills; willingness to work hard and smart.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To represent his or her constituents to the best of his or her ability. To show up. To read analytically. To research and propose legislative solutions to problems that keep Mainers from achieving their goals.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like folks to say that I represented them well and got things done. I would like them to say that Piscataquis County is thriving and no longer considered "distressed". I would like them to say that I moved the needle in a positive direction.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked as a teenager in my parents' construction company as a laborer and truck driver. After graduate school, I began a 45-year career as a university professor.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I grew up in poverty in a hardworking family. I was the first one on both sides of my family to attend college. Still, I remember those early days that cast a shadow even yet. I come back to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as my touchstones.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

As separate branches of government. Depending on the issue, the relationship could be supportive or not supportive.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Healthcare; high taxes; opioid addiction; affordable housing

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Absolutely. As a historian, I have written articles and essays that I considered perfect. Then, I sent them out for vetting and was so grateful when colleagues pointed out mistakes I made or things that I had never thought of that needed to be addressed before publication. Compromise and working across the aisle improves the stew.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

None yet.

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

I remember attending the movies with my father when a newsreel announced the beginning of the peace talks that ended the Korean War.