American politician Edmund Muskie practiced law before he was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 1947. Serving there until 1951, he ran for the governorship, becoming the first Democratic governor of Maine in 20 years. In 1959, he was elected to the US Senate, where he served until 1980. In the Senate, Muskie was a leading supporter of environmental legislation. Muskie also served briefly as Secretary of State in 1980-81.