Garrett Mason

Mason was born on June 19, 1985, in Lewiston, Maine, and graduated from Calvary Christian Academy in Turner in 2003. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in marketing from Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, Florida, in 2006. Before entering politics, Mason worked in sports management. He was employed by the Portland Sea Dogs, a Double-A baseball team, and later served as director of administration for the Lewiston Maineiacs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In 2018, Pensacola Christian College awarded him an honorary doctorate in Humanities. ==Political career==

Mason began his political career in 2010, when at the age of 25 he was elected to the Maine Senate after defeating 18-year incumbent John Nutting. He went on to represent District 17 until 2014 and District 22 from 2014 to 2018. Mason was re-elected in 2012 by 28 votes over Democrat Colleen Quint of Minot. During his first term, Mason sponsored legislation to allow charter schools in Maine, which was signed into law by Governor Paul LePage in June 2011. After Republicans took control of the Maine Senate in 2014, Mason was elected by his colleagues as Senate Majority Leader, a position he held until he was term-limited in 2018. That year, he ran for Governor of Maine, finishing second to Shawn Moody in the Republican primary. In January 2021, Mason was appointed to the Androscoggin County Commission to fill the vacancy left by Isaiah Lary. He was elected to a full four-year term in 2024, with that term set to expire on December 31, 2028. ==Electoral history==

Maine Senate District 17 Republican primary, 2010 Maine Senate District 17 general election, 2010 Maine Senate District 17 general election, 2012 Maine Senate District 22 general election, 2014 Maine Senate District 22 general election, 2016 Maine Republican gubernatorial primary, 2018 Androscoggin County Commissioner District 4 general election, 2022 Androscoggin County Commissioner District 4 general election, 2024 ==Professional career==

Outside of politics, Mason has been active in business and media. He founded Dirigo Public Affairs, a public relations and crisis management firm, and has worked with clients across New England. He has also been involved in real estate development and other entrepreneurial ventures. In addition, Mason appears as a conservative political commentator on News Center Maine, Maine’s NBC affiliate, where he provides analysis on state and national politics. ==Family==

Mason's mother Gina Mason and their cousin Dale J. Crafts also served in the Maine Legislature. After his mother died in September 2017, his father Rick Mason won a special election to fill her vacant seat. ==References==