Peter Mills

Sumner Peter Mills III (born June 3, 1943) is an American lawyer and politician from Maine. A Republican, Mills served in the Maine Senate, representing the 26th district. He ran for Governor of Maine in 2006 and 2010 and lost both times in the Republican primary. He is the older brother of the current Governor of Maine Janet Mills.

Early life and family Mills was born in Farmington, Maine, the son of Katherine Louise (Coffin) and Sumner Peter Mills Jr., and grew up in Gorham.

On Desron 2, Mills was the staff communications officer. From Norfolk, his squadron was sent through the Panama Canal to WestPac. For much of his time in the Western Pacific, his squadron staff commanded the gunline. While he was aboard the Blandy, the ship fired over 26,000 rounds of 5″54 which was a record for the gunline up to that time. They received return fire from the coast on occasion but without casualties.

For his last tour he was OPS boss and senior watch officer aboard the McMorris out of Pearl and was responsible for training junior officers in ship handling.

On one assignment, he was highly successful in collecting certain physical information about Soviet MRVs that was immediately released by the Nixon administration to support the ABM bill then pending in Congress. The bill still failed to pass.

Maine Legislature During 15 years in the Maine Legislature (most recently in the State Senate), he served as a Republican lead on Tax, Labor, Judiciary, Appropriations, Education and Health & Human Services Committees. He was outspoken in advocating change in tax and school funding systems, and worked to pass reforms in health care and education.

In 1999 he led the Labor Committee to overhaul Maine's Unemployment Compensation system, to eliminate benefits, build reserves and reduce taxes. In 2005 he launched "Don't Mortgage ME," a petition drive to repeal a $447 million borrowing scheme. In 2009 the Legislature passed his bill to design a portable benefit system for new teachers and state employees. In 2008 the Legislature unanimously passed his Fund of Funds bill to attract venture capital for growing businesses. Governor John Baldacci vetoed the bill.

2006 gubernatorial campaign In 2005, Mills declared his candidacy for governor in the 2006 election. In the Republican primary, he faced former U.S. Representative Dave Emery and State Senator Chandler Woodcock. Mills lost to Woodcock by 2,400 votes. Woodcock lost to incumbent Democrat John Baldacci in the November general election.

2010 gubernatorial campaign On July 22, 2009 Mills filed paperwork with the Maine Ethics Commission for entry into the 2010 Maine gubernatorial race. He was the fourth Republican to declare his candidacy, joined by Matt Jacobson, Les Otten, and Bruce Poliquin. Waterville mayor and businessperson Paul LePage was subsequently chosen to be the Republican candidate for governor in 2010.

Turnpike Authority In March 2011, Governor Paul LePage appointed Mills as the Executive Director of the Maine Turnpike Authority. He resigned in September 2024. His sister, Janet Mills, was the first female District Attorney in New England, and was elected Maine Attorney General by the Legislature in December 2008. Janet currently serves as Governor of Maine, the state's first female governor. Unlike Peter and their father, Janet is a Democrat. His sister Dora Mills was Maine's Public Health Director. His wife Nancy is a judge for the Cumberland County Superior Court.

He has three adult daughters and three grandchildren. Two of his daughters are educators. One serves in the United States Army.

Since leaving the legislature, Mills has practiced law and manages woodlots in Cornville where he lives with his wife, Superior Court Justice Nancy Mills.

Electoral history