Mary Mayhew

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Mary Mayhew
Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration
In office
January 8, 2019 – September 8, 2020
GovernorRon DeSantis
Commissioner of Maine Department of Health and Human Services
In office
2011–2017
GovernorPaul LePage
Personal details
Born1965 (age 60–61)
PartyDemocratic (Before 1990s)
Republican (1990s–present)
EducationUniversity of Arkansas (BA)

Mary Mayhew (born 1965) is an American politician and lobbyist who served as commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.[1] A lobbyist for hospitals prior to her appointment as commissioner by Republican Governor Paul LePage, Mayhew spent more than six years pursuing conservative welfare policies.

Early life and education

Mayhew grew up in Pittsfield and China, Maine.[2] Her mother worked as a nurse's aide, and her father was a foreman at a local manufacturing company. He also was chairman of the school board and a community leader. At 14, her family moved to Paragould, Arkansas, to be near her mother's aging parents.[3]

At 17, she moved to Washington, D.C. to become a Congressional page and finish high school. Her graduation included a reception with President Ronald Reagan in the White House Rose Garden. She then enrolled at the University of Arkansas, earning a bachelor's degree in political science. Her father died when she was 19.[4]

Career

Mayhew served as a legislative assistant in Washington, D.C. for Bill Alexander and then worked as a manager of state government relations for Equifax in Atlanta. She moved back to Maine in 1990 and worked as Patrick K. McGowan's congressional campaign manager.

She was a partner in the public affairs firm of Hawkes & Mayhew, based in Augusta. Mayhew worked for 11 years as vice president of the Maine Hospital Association before joining the Paul LePage administration as senior health policy advisor. She was later chosen to be the commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Upon her nomination for the position, she changed her party registration from the Democratic to Republican.[5]

2018 Maine gubernatorial campaign

In May 2017, Mayhew resigned from her position in the LePage administration.[5][6] Two weeks later, Mayhew announced her campaign for the Republican nomination for governor.[1] Mayhew was described as "a leading Republican candidate" in a New York Times opinion piece about Maine's ranked-choice voting system, but placed third in the Republican primary.[7]

Trump administration and Florida AHCA Secretary

In October 2018, Mayhew was hired by the administration of President Donald Trump to run Medicaid, but she resigned less than three months later for a new post under Florida Governor-elect Ron DeSantis. In a statement, Mayhew said she was "grateful" for the federal job and that the Trump administration's "vision for state flexibility" in the Medicaid program made her want to return to administer programs at the state level.[8] On January 4, 2019, DeSantis tapped Mayhew to be Florida's chief Medicaid officer, replacing Justin Senior. On May 1, 2019, she was confirmed by the Florida Senate with a 26–13 vote.[9]

Lobbying

In September 2020, Mayhew resigned from her position to take a job with the Florida Hospital Association, a lobbying group.[10]

References

  1. Shepherd, Michael (June 6, 2017). "Mary Mayhew launches campaign to replace LePage in 2018". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  2. "Maine governor candidate: Mary Mayhew, Republican". Foster's Daily Democrat. Retrieved 2026-06-13.
  3. "Mayhew marches along campaign trail at Windjammer Days Street Parade | Wiscasset Newspaper". www.wiscassetnewspaper.com. 2017-06-29. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  4. Writer, John RichardsonStaff (2011-02-20). "Health and Human Services gets 'a real fighter'". Press Herald. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
  5. Cousins, Christopher (May 24, 2017). "Mary Mayhew to leave LePage administration". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  6. "Governor LePage Thanks DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew for her Service". Maine.gov. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
  7. Board, The Editorial (2018-06-09). "Opinion | Vote for Me! For Second Place, at Least?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  8. "Former LePage welfare chief Mary Mayhew picked to run federal Medicaid program". 15 October 2018.
  9. Ogles, Jacob (May 2019). "Senate Confirms Mary Mayhew as AHCA Secretary". Florida Politics.
  10. Andrews, Caitlin (September 8, 2020). "Mary Mayhew departs top Florida health post for hospital lobbying job". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved August 26, 2020.