BANGOR, Maine — Emily Cain, the Democratic candidate for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District seat, told a group of young professionals Wednesday that her ability to work across the aisle to get things done is one of the most important reasons voters should send her to Washington.
“Most of my time in the past decade in Augusta has been spent tackling tough issues, especially tough budgets,” she said. Cain is a state senator who represents Orono. Her Republican opponent is the former state treasurer, Bruce Poliquin.
“Year after year I stayed at the table during difficult budget decisions,” she told the group of nearly 20 who showed up for the Bangor Fusion lunch. “It wasn’t easy.”
She said later that when negotiating budgets she did not get everything she wanted, but that she emerged from the debates “with solutions, not drama.”
Cain sees herself as being able to carry on the district’s tradition of sending moderates to Washington, citing Republicans Margaret Chase Smith and Olympia Snowe and Democrats John Baldacci and Mike Michaud as examples.
“I was the Democratic minority leader during LePage’s first two years as governor,” she said. “We never called each other names.”
In an allusion to Poliquin, she said, “the wealthy and the powerful have a loud enough voice in Congress, they don’t need someone like them who’s shown he’s willing to break the rules and help the rich get richer.”
She was referring to Poliquin’s history with property taxes, she clarified later. In 2004, he enrolled his Georgetown property in a tree growth program, which reduced the value of the land and his taxes.
Poliquin has said that it’s Cain’s positions that are extreme. His campaign has focused on decreasing regulations and debt and bringing in jobs.
The attendees on Wednesday asked at least six questions, such as what committees she would try to serve on and what are her top three wishes for the district.
To the first question, Cain responded that she’d like to serve on the transportation and infrastructure and agriculture committees. To the second question, she said she’d increase need-based aid awarded to college students, ensure social security is around for 80 more years and provide veterans with access to good jobs.
“I think she does have a real commitment to the state,” said Ellie Barker, who added she does not affiliate with either party.
The event was held at the Cross Insurance Center and was part of a series the group is hosting to allow its members to meet the candidates for governor and U.S. Congress. Poliquin will speak with the group on October 8.
