John Jenkins (American politician)

John Jenkins was born Newark, New Jersey on May 29, 1952 becoming the youngest of three children.[2] His youth was marked with an "abusive" and "violent" atmosphere. He has claimed that "stellar educational opportunities and a firm religious faith" helped him through difficult early years. His mother, a Christian Baptist, sent him to attend the American Friends Service Committee after high school which exposed him to a social program ran by Princeton University where he gained exposure to the benefits of a university education.[2]

In 1970, he enrolled in Bates College, and despite the college's reputation for educating students from "upper middle or affluent backgrounds" who "distanced themselves [from the middle class]"[2] he founded the Afro-American Society. He graduated from the college with a B.A. in psychology in 1974.

While at college, he excelled in martial arts and upon graduating toured Japan competing in the Karate World Championships. He won the 1977 Championships in karate, and won three other mixed martial arts championships in karate and ju-jitsu.[2]

Jenkins died from an undisclosed illness on September 30, 2020.[3]

In August 2010, Jenkins announced his write-in candidacy for the 2010 Maine gubernatorial election after the current incumbent governor, John Baldacci, was term-limited. As an unregistered contender he competed directly with the Independent candidate Eliot R. Cutler, Democrat Libby Mitchell, and Republican Paul LePage. Through a plurality, Paul LePage was elected governor over the other candidates.[2]

On September 1, 2017, it was announced that Jenkins was interested in launching an exploratory campaign for the 2018 Maine gubernatorial election. He announced he would be running as a political Independent given that everything "falls in place." He would be Maine's first African-American governor, if elected.[5] In November 2017, he filed papers with the Maine Ethics Commission formally announcing his candidacy.[6]