About Senator Joe Brannigan

Senator Joseph C. Brannigan is currently serving his sixth term in the Maine Senate representing Senate District 9. District 9 includes part of Westbrook and part of Portland. Senator Brannigan has previously served seven terms in the Maine House of Representatives and has chaired the Business and Commerce Committee, Judiciary Committee, Marine Resources Committee, Housing and Economic Development Committee, Appropriation and Financial Affairs Committee and Transportation Committee. He has served as the chair of the Health and Human Services Committee and as a member of the State and Local Government Committee.

Senator Brannigan attended Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Washington DC in 1955 following a tour with the United States Navy from 1951-1955. Following his undergraduate education Senator Brannigan attended St. John Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts and became an Ordained Maine Diocesan Priest serving in both South Portland and Fairfield and as a chaplain at the University of Southern Maine. He then continued on to complete his Masters in Counseling Education at the University of Southern Maine and subsequently became a licensed social worker.

Senator Brannigan has been very committed to his community. He had been involved in the City of Portland and United Way’s Emergency Shelter Assessment Committee, Cumberland Service Network, had been a trustee of The Park Danforth and the chair of the State Correction Facilities Improvement Advisory Committee.

Senator Brannigan recently retired as the Executive Director of Shalom House, Inc. – a position he proudly held for 34 years. In that time, Shalom House, Inc. grew from a halfway house with 15 beds to multiple buildings and services serving more than 1,000 people annually.