Charlie Summers

American politician

Charles E. Summers Jr. (born December 26, 1959) is an American politician, businessman, and Iraq War veteran. A Republican from the state of Maine, he served as Acting Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs in the Trump Administration. A member of the Maine Senate from 1991 to 1995, Summers ran for the Republican nomination for Maine's 1st congressional district in 1994, finishing second in the primary. He was the nominee for the same seat in 2004 and 2008, losing on each occasion to the Democratic candidate. From 2011 to 2013, he served as the Secretary of State of Maine. He was the Republican nominee for the U. S. Senate to succeed retiring Republican Olympia Snowe in the 2012 election, but lost to former independent Governor Angus King.

He was born in Danville, Illinois in 1959. His family moved to Kewanee, Illinois where he grew up & helped run Hotel Kewanee with his mother and father from the years 1962 to 1992. In 1978 graduated from Kewanee High School in 1978 Kewanee. He earned an AA from Blackhawk College and a BS in leisure studies from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in 1984. After college he moved to Bangor, Maine where became the Assistant Manager of the Bangor Motor Inn. He and his first wife, Dr. Debra J. Summers, Ph. D., later moved to southern Maine where he worked as part of the management team of the South Portland Motor Inn. He later opened his own small business, "Charlie's Beverage Warehouse", in Biddeford, Maine. Debra Summers died in a 1997 automobile accident. Summers was State Director for United States Senator Olympia Snowe from 1995 to 2004. He has served in various elected and appointed political positions, most recently (March 2005 – June 2007) as the New England Regional Administrator (Region I) for the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA). He monitored oversight of SBA's Financing, Marketing, and Outreach efforts in Offices from six states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Ted Rand (City Councilman), and James Longley, Jr. (son of former Governor James Longley, Sr.). Longley won the primary with 43% of the vote. Summers ranked second with 25%.

Summers decided to challenge Democratic U. S. Congressman Tom Allen, of the 1st CD. He lost 60%–40%.

Allen decided to retire in 2008 in order to run for the U. S. Senate. Summers decided to run for the seat again. In the Republican primary, he defeated Dean Scontras 60%–40%. In the general election, he lost to Democratic State Senator Chellie Pingree, 55%–45%.

Summers has served in the U. S. Navy Reserve since 1996 as a public affairs officer, currently holding the rank of Captain (CAPT). As of December 2016, he was serving as Director, Navy Office of Information, U. S. Naval Forces Europe Africa/U. S. 6th Fleet. He was recalled after the September 11 attacks, serving at the Pentagon under Gordon R. England, the U. S. Secretary of the Navy. In July 2007, he was deployed to Iraq to participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom with Multi National Forces Iraq Strategic Effects Directorate. He returned home in May 2008. From October 2009 to October 2010, he served on active duty on the staff of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen. During this time, he completed a temporary assignment as a member of Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command Afghanistan (CFSOCC A). He served on active duty as Director of Public Affairs for Vice Admiral Robin Braun, Chief of the Navy Reserve from 2014 to 2016. His military decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (four awards), U. S. Army Combat Action Badge, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and various other service awards.

On December 1, 2010, Summers was elected Maine's Secretary of State by the state legislature in Augusta. His two year term began on January 6, 2011. On June 26, 2012, Summers faced criticism from the Maine Democratic Party over a shortage of voter registration cards for candidates to distribute. A spokesperson for the Party claimed it was another example of Summers attempting to make it harder to vote, along with his support of a failed effort to eliminate same day voter registration in Maine the prior year, as well as his investigation of college students for alleged voter fraud. Summers noted that potential voters can print a card from the Internet at any time, and that updated registration cards will be available in a few weeks. Summers has stated that his critics "want me to resign and I'm not going to do it."

Summers married his wife Ruth (Rayburn) in 2002.