Adam Cote

Adam Cote was a Democratic candidate in the 2008 congressional elections for the 1st Congressional District (map) of Maine. He was seeking the Democratic nomination to replace incumbent Rep. Tom Allen (D-Maine), who is running for Senate. He lost primary elections which took place on June 10, 2008.

Bio
Adam grew up in a hard-working family in Sanford, Maine and attended Colby College. While many of his classmates accepted high-profile jobs after graduation, Adam opted to serve his country by enlisting in the U.S. Army Reserves. He served in Bosnia from October 1997 until April 1998, where he apprehended several war criminals wanted by The Hague and organized a "Toys for Tots" program for local children.

Upon his return from Bosnia, Adam received his law degree cum laude from the University of Maine School of Law and began practicing law at Pierce Atwood LLP in Portland. Adam's practice has focused on real estate law as well as domestic and international energy policy, with a particular focus on renewable energy.

From March 2004 until March 2005, Adam was redeployed to serve in Iraq as a platoon leader with Maine's 133rd Engineer Battalion. He led over 100 convoys in Iraq and was in charge of many reconstruction efforts, including building schools and medical clinics. Adam was in the mess hall on the U.S. base in Mosul on December 21, 2004, when a suicide bomber walked in and blew himself up, killing or wounding over one hundred soldiers and civilians. Adam was awarded an Army Commendation Medal for his leadership during the attack. Moved by the extreme poverty and deprivation in Iraq, Adam also took it upon himself to do more. He created and spearheaded the "Adopt an Iraqi Village" program, which distributes school supplies and other items to destitute Iraqis. As an officer and leader of troops in combat, Adam was, and continues to be, extremely frustrated at the poor decisions made by politicians in Washington concerning the war in Iraq.

Adam is currently one of only three Mainers serving as a member of the National Advisory Council for the Small Business Administration. He also serves as a member of the Maine Real Estate Developers Association legislative committee and the Greater Portland Board of Advisors for the Salvation Army. Adam is the founding member and current president of the Maine Young Democrats, an affiliate of the Young Democrats of America. He previously served as a town meeting member in Sanford.

2008 elections
Cote was seeking the Democratic nomination to replace incumbent Rep. Tom Allen (D-Maine), who is running for Senate. He lost primary elections which took place on June 10, 2008.

Committees
Cote will be assigned committees if and when he is elected to Congress.

Related SourceWatch articles

 * 2008 U.S. congressional elections
 * 2008 U.S. congressional election dates
 * Portal:Maine and the U.S. Congress

External resources

 * 2008 Race Tracker page on Maine's 1st Congressional District
 * Official Cote for Congress website

External articles

 * Jessica Benton Cooney, "Official Challenge to Maine Sen. Collins Sets Up Key 2008 Match," CQ Politics, May 8, 2007
 * Bart Jansen, "Iraq war vet launches campaign for Congress," Maine Today, May 11, 2007.