Olympia J. Snowe (born February 21, 1947 in Augusta, Maine) is a Republican politician and the senior United States senator from Maine. A moderate Republican in a Senate with 44 Democrats, 55 Republicans, and one independent, Snowe often affects close votes and filibusters. This has given her enormous political influence on contentious issues; Congressional Quarterly noted “her presence at the negotiating table in the 107th Congress . . . become nearly a necessity."
Snowe married John McKernan, then-Governor of Maine, in February 1989. Snowe and McKernan had served together in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 1986.
