Voters in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District have a tremendous opportunity at hand to help shape the composition and effectiveness of the next Congress.
I’d like to express my support for state Sen. Emily Cain of Orono in her bid to win the Democratic primary for the U.S. House of Representatives. She stands head and shoulders above the pack.
Emily has proven herself to be a strong and capable leader. She’s intelligent, hardworking, energetic and deeply committed to the needs and issues of Maine people. She has the passion to move mountains if it’s for the good of the people of Maine. She currently represents part of Penobscot County in the Maine Senate.
Tuesday, June 10, is primary election day. Registered Democrats and Republicans will each elect a party candidate to face off for the open seat created as Rep. Mike Michaud steps down and runs for governor. (Go Mike!)
I’m inspired to write because a number of people I’ve recently spoken with did not know the candidates’ names. If you haven’t yet tuned in to this primary, please do.
Mainers may not be paying attention, but the nation is: This race will help determine the balance of power in the U.S. House and Congress. For better or for worse. Can it get worse? Yes, it can.
Emily will bring a fresh voice to Congress. Though women represent more than 50 percent of the electorate, they hold 18 percent of congressional seats. Let’s change that.
In the Maine Legislature, she has worked to create local jobs, including in the clean energy sector; ensure excellent, affordable education; provide health care for all; and advocate for the special needs of women and children.
Emily is especially strong on Maine’s environment. During her 10 years in the Legislature (both the Senate and House), she achieved a lifetime score of 90 percent on environmental issues. This is tabulated by the nonpartisan Maine Conservation Voters in its annual score card at www.maineconservation.org/scores.
As an aside, Maine Conservation Voters supports and endorses Republican conservationists, but they’re in short supply at the moment. We are fortunate to have some members of the current Legislature who are proud Republican conservationists, so here’s a shout out to them.
Emily’s high marks reflect her values and those of the majority of voters. Some 87 percent of Maine voters believe it’s important for lawmakers to protect the environment, according to a 2009 statewide survey by Critical Insights. Her record and leadership earned her an early endorsement from the national League of Conservation Voters, a partner with Maine Conservation Voters in helping elect the best conservationists to public office.
A candidate’s environmental commitment is only one factor, but, for me, it’s an important one. It offers a peek into candidates’ values, their vision for the future, and their sense of responsibility and stewardship. It suggests who they are as citizens and public servants. It tells me about their economic vision, which must include safeguards for the natural resources upon which our tourism, fishing, farming and forestry industries depend. In Maine, a high-quality environment is a major part of our international identity and brand.
The 2nd Congressional District covers more than 17 million acres, some 80 percent of the state. It contains the great northern forest, thousands of lakes, mountains, rivers, farms, unspoiled coastline and islands, fisheries, trails, towns, unorganized townships, 664,000 people, the cities of Bangor, Lewiston, Auburn and Presque Isle, and much more. We need a conservationist, among other things, to represent us.
Two programs Cain championed in the Legislature: the Kids Safe Products Act, landmark legislation that will reduce exposure to toxic chemicals in household products, and the successful Land for Maine’s Future Program, which has conserved land for the public in every Maine county, close to where people live and in the wilder parts of the state.
She’s poised to win the primary, and she’s the candidate who can win in November and best represent us in D.C. Her appeal is wide — men, women, students, working families, business owners, seniors. But she needs our help.
Consider increasing your impact by engaging friends, neighbors and family members in the primary, the candidates, the issues and the importance of their vote. That’s the beauty and power of grass-roots democracy. It’s more real and effective than TV and mail bombardments by out-of-state, masked-money media buys, paid for by corporations with clearly too much money and control. This is coming, however, and the best antidote, now that the Supreme Court has let us down again, is our collective action as voters. Turnout is key.
Think Cain for Congress, and vote on Tuesday, June 10!
Caroline M. Pryor lives in Mount Desert and is a parent and school board member and works with nonprofit community organizations. She serves as board chair of Maine Conservation Voters, an independent organization dedicated to making Maine’s environment a political priority.