Maine House of Representatives He served in the
Maine House of Representatives 1970–1974 and was active in the Republican Party.
Congress In
1974, Emery ran for the
United States House of Representatives against incumbent Democrat
Peter Kyros and won in an upset, one of only a handful of Republican gains in a year when Democrats gained 49 seats in the House of Representatives. He was reelected in
1976,
1978, and
1980. He served as a member of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee for all four terms; on the Science and Technology Committee in the 94th congress (1975–1977); and on the House Armed Services Committee during the 95th, 96th and 97th Congresses (1977–1983). He was a member of the House Republican leadership during the 97th Congress, serving as Chief Deputy Republican Whip under
Trent Lott.
1982 Senate campaign In
1982, he ran for the
U.S. Senate against Democratic Senator
George J. Mitchell, a former Federal Judge who had been appointed to succeed Democrat
Edmund Muskie, whom President
Jimmy Carter had appointed as U.S.
Secretary of State. Emery was initially thought to be the favorite, but he ran a highly critical campaign which made a negative impression, and Mitchell won the election with 61% of the vote. He would lose 15 of the 16 counties in the state, carrying only his native
Knox County.
2005 campaign for governor In 2005 he declared his candidacy for
Governor of Maine in the
2006 election. He withdrew from the race upon the entrance of 2002 nominee
Peter Cianchette, but following Cianchette's withdrawal, re-entered. In the Republican
primary he came in last of the three candidates on the ballot, finishing behind State Senators
Chandler Woodcock of
Farmington and
Peter Mills of
Skowhegan. Woodcock, the nominee, lost to incumbent Democrat
John Baldacci in the November 2006 general election. Emery was endorsed by U.S. Senator
John McCain for Governor, who urged voters to vote for Emery in the primary. ==Later life==