King, Angus S., Jr.

Angus King is an independent senator from Maine who has served since 2013 and caucuses with Senate Democrats for committee assignment purposes. As ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, King leads the minority party's work on nuclear weapons policy, strategic deterrence, and related defense matters. The subcommittee examines the nation's strategic nuclear forces, missile defense systems, and long-range strike capabilities. In this role, King participates in oversight hearings, questions military and administration officials, and shapes the minority's legislative priorities on these critical national security issues. He also chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks.

King brings substantial relevant experience to his defense and energy committee work. Before entering the Senate, he served as Maine's governor from 1995 to 2003, and founded Northeast Energy Management, Inc., a company focused on electrical energy conservation projects. His background in business and executive leadership informs his approach to both energy policy and defense oversight. He holds a law degree and has built a career examining complex policy challenges.

Throughout his Senate tenure, King has demonstrated independence from party orthodoxy while maintaining his Democratic caucus affiliation. He supported filibuster reform in 2013 and has taken principled stands on national security matters, including criticism of the Trump administration's pandemic response and support for the 25th Amendment following the January 6 Capitol attack. On foreign policy, he has shown willingness to break with Democratic consensus, voting in 2024 to block arms sales to Israel over concerns about Palestinian civilian casualties. His legislative work spans veterans affairs, education, and scientific research, reflecting Maine's interests and his pragmatic approach to governance.

King was reelected to a third Senate term in 2024 and recently turned 81, becoming Maine's oldest sitting senator. His political profile reflects a commitment to bipartisan problem-solving and constituent service rather than partisan alignment, a stance he has maintained consistently across multiple Senate majorities.