The Senate District 18 race features incumbent Lisa Keim (R-Dixfield) against challenger Gabe Perkins (D-Bethel). SD 18 includes area towns of Lovell, Stoneham, Stow and Waterford.

The News posed the following questions to the candidates; and their responses are arranged in alphabetical order:

Q. 1 — What qualities, skills and experiences do you possess that make you the best candidate for the job?

Keim: Some of the most important qualities in leadership are being able to thoughtfully evaluate options, balance priorities to find solutions and build consensus. This can only be done through listening and being open to people and their ideas, which is hallmark of my work in the Legislature. Nothing is accomplished single-handedly.

Perkins: I am a fifth-generation resident of Bethel, and grew up on a small family farm south of town in Albany.

Worked in National Service as an Americorps VISTA where I raised money for Habitat for Humanity in Phoenix, Arizona. I went back to school as a non-traditional student to earn a degree from the University of Maine at Farmington. The degree I earned in Environmental Policy and Planning is focused understanding how to work with small towns to achieve meaningful outcomes that better places, which in hindsight, that experience uniquely and perfectly prepared me to run for and hold office because that is what we must do as elected officials. Listen with intent. Understand the context. Advocate for policy and law. Make a decision.

However, it was not just school that prepared me. My everyday work at Mahoosuc Pathways depends similarly on working with diverse constituencies and building relationship to achieve commonly held goals around recreation and access to land. We have built relationships with 30 landowners to gain access for trails in four different towns and have worked on trail projects in a dozen Oxford County towns.

My collaborative nature of my work dovetails perfectly with working in Augusta. I have heard from voters all over my district who want someone they can relate to and trust in Augusta. That starts with listening. Maine is a special place. We all know that. We choose to live, work and play here. I want to continue to harness that spirit by working to create meaningful policies and laws. I know that I would wake up every day and fight for the people of this district. I want to see our communities thriving. If elected, I will not just sit around and gladhand at events. I’ll get the work done because I live here, and I care about this place.

Q. 2 — As Maine continues to contend with and bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic, what three area should state government focus on and what possible solutions would you propose?

Keim: Maine’s initial response was appropriate. Largely ignored, however, are the disastrous effects of our response on the overall wellbeing of our communities, including physical and mental health and our economy. Increased alcohol consumption, domestic violence and overdose deaths are grave indicators. A tally of Covid deaths is a myopic measurement.

I believe that we should weigh our response against the negative impact and offer solutions that reflect care about every Maine person’s life, not only those who are most susceptible to Covid-19.

Combatting this virus requires the engagement of our people. The path forward is not one that can be decided top-down, each person’s and every community’s response should be reflective of their risks. The ability to conquer this virus rests solely with the people of Maine; yet rather than work with them, government has taken freedoms, insinuating Maine people are not, themselves, capable of proper precautions.  The Legislature, as the people’s voice, has been excluded from pandemic response discussions and CARES Act funding allocation; that is a mistake. We aren’t really ‘in this together’ if we remain unheard.

Mainers are struggling with the upheaval of society and of their personal lives, more than ever we need each other! As we battle our way through this virus, and, as resilient Mainers, put the pieces back together, I encourage us all to stay connected and supportive.

Perkins: Fully implement broadband expansion in rural areas. This pandemic has highlighted the disparities in this system and we need to put our rural areas on equal footing. 

Medicare for All — this pandemic is escalating healthcare issues and we can’t let those on the margins and the most vulnerable to be saddled with high healthcare costs.

Revenue sharing for municipalities needs to be maintained.

Mainer’s need a state budget that matters most to those of us working people. To do so, we cannot continue to burden everyday Mainers with this financial crisis we’re facing.

Q. 3 — Where do you stand on the proposed Central Maine Power proposed transmission corridor, good or bad deal and why? 

Keim: I am personally opposed to the corridor and have several concerns. The lease of public lands, given by the Bureau of Parks & Lands, overlooked significant change of use and I believe that lease should have come before the Legislature, requiring three-fourths approval. S.A.M. released an opinion that the corridor would negatively impact deer wintering grounds, and the environmental impact is questionable overall. Additionally, I’m concerned about future expansion of the corridor. We should respect established law regarding all business and development ventures, and the Maine Legislature has given authority to PUC for these decisions. However, Maine needs to implement requirements for evaluating and valuing quality of place as part of every project permitting process.

Perkins: I am opposed to the corridor. Right now, it is not a good deal for Maine. However, Mainers deserve an energy solution they can believe in and be proud of. That is why I support LD 1646 that would create the Maine Power Delivery Authority. It is high time we as Mainers control our energy future with costs high and service unreliable and with so much at stake regarding climate change and the impacts it can have on our economy and our communities.

Q. 4 — If elected, what items/issues would be priorities and what might be ways to address them?

Keim: If I am honored with reelection, my overriding priority will be to preserve liberty; our First Amendment freedoms, the bedrock of our democracy, must be safeguarded.

I will also continue to push for reform of Maine’s system of justice for the poor, working for greater accountability in Maine Indigent Legal Services, critical to our Sixth Amendment rights, where systemic mismanagement has eroded access to justice for low-income Mainers and wasted taxpayer dollars.

Additionally, as chairperson of the Council of State Government’s national Workforce of Tomorrow subcommittee, I have worked alongside legislators nationally to consider education reform. I look forward sharing those ideas in Maine, especially policies that increase hands-on learning opportunities through nontraditional partnerships. 

A key focus must also be Maine’s continued Covid-19 response, both in rebuilding our economy and virus response, as we are likely to be dealing with both for some time to come.  

Perkins: When I listen to voters across this district a few key issues come up time and again:

• Education funding and municipal funding. When times get tough, we shouldn’t cut resources for communities and social services. We need a better solution than slashing our social safety nets. I’ll make sure working people don’t get stuck paying the bill to keep our state operating efficiently and effectively.

• My work life relies on working with diverse constituencies to achieve community goals. This means listening to different voices and opinions to work find common ground. I’d be proud to be bipartisan. It’s not surprising that so many voters I talk with feel the same, let’s work together for working people of Maine.

• Reenacting Land for Maine’s Future — from keeping forests as working forests, to affording all who are able access to the great outdoors, to maintaining hunting and fishing grounds, LMF is an incredibly popular program that the people of Maine deserve to be a part of their lives forever.

Q. 5 — What are the three biggest challenges Maine faces in the next three years…

Keim: Rebuilding from Covid-19, infrastructure (roads and broadband), and affordable, accessible healthcare.

Perkins: Broadband expansion — I will keep harping on this issue until it is a reality. Broadband expansion is tantamount to rural electrification in the 1930s. Everyone wanted power. Now, as the pandemic has shown, we need opportunities for our rural parts of our state that are on par with other parts of the state and region. We need to leverage the bond that the voters overwhelmingly supported and invest in our local communities. Affordable high-speed Internet access can help our students and work from home employees and help with telehealth. It can also be a catalyst to attract and retain businesses. We all know this is a beautiful part of the state and this beauty and access to the outdoors are natural attractants for people to move here and start businesses here.

Climate change — This is Maine’s greatest opportunity and our greatest threat if we do not get serious and implement laws and policies to combat greenhouse gas emissions. From the warming gulf and its effect on the lobster fishery to our winter tourism economy to the type of animals we hunt and watch for, it is time for Maine to step up and be a national leader. The work of the Maine Climate Council is incredibly important and can make Maine a leader in adaptation, investment, and meeting or exceeding goals. We are so lucky in Maine already and by investing in a few areas we can meet these goals. We do not have large fossil fuel plants in the state, but we do have one thing that no other state has more of and that’s trees. We can grow more trees than any other state. We need to give Mainers the chance to upgrade their home heating sources.

Healthcare costs — In some ways, I can’t believe we still have to debate health care for residents of our state. If we expand health care coverage to everyone we as a state can overcome significant challenges that our citizens face — and that starts with reducing the exorbitant healthcare costs — then the people of this state can have resources they can use to stimulate other parts of our economy.

Q. 6 — …And how should state government go about addressing those challenges?

Keim: Rebuilding: One focus of rebuilding is our economy, which will take time and is multifaceted. One approach, which I am involved in, is to foster business growth. As a member of the Governor’s Economic Recovery Committee consulting with the construction industry and Maine DEP, I have crafted recommendations to decrease project permitting time, allowing entrepreneurs and businesses to move forward with investment in Maine. However, rebuilding is not only an economic concern but a social one, as well. People now interact with one another at arm’s length, viewing the other as ‘virus spreaders’ and not a valued neighbor. We must resurrect community, and that will take us recognizing our need for human interaction and prioritizing togetherness over division.

Infrastructure: Broadband already has a good plan with public/private partnerships helping rural communities afford access. However, we do need more engagement from the local people and municipalities- they are drivers of expansion and will get access faster by partnering with their neighbors. Roads simply need money; Maine economy will pay the price if we don’t invest in essential infrastructure.

Health care: Health care continues to be a serious concern for Mainers, especially for older adults. I will continue my work to improve the system, as I have through price transparency legislation. We should strengthen these laws to allow residents the ability to compare costs of prescription drugs and procedures across providers. This knowledge allows patients and doctors to make the best care decision together.

We also need to increase access to associated health plans that allow small businesses to join to get better deals on health coverage, and make sure small businesses have flexibility to use pre-tax income to help buy insurance for more of their employees. Market principles, applied in healthcare will increase access and quality, while decreasing costs.

The wealthy in countries with government-run health care come to the United States for treatment, that should tell us something about avoiding government takeover of our health care.

Perkins: Broadband — I would ask you to look at the Downeast Broadband Utility — a locally owned and operated high speed, dark fiber broadband network that “bridges the gap between rural communities and technological and economic growth.” This utility had what I’ve seen time and again on other issues in our communities and that’s working together to achieve a common goal. Let’s grab ahold of our future right now. Let’s be the best part of the state for broadband and economic growth. Let’s do it together.

Climate change — Implementing the recommendations of the Maine Climate Council—this issue is tied to everything—from how thriving our summer and winter economies are to the types of forest we have.

Here are four areas of focus and investment Maine needs to make:

• Rapid investment in switching from fossil fuels burned in homes to wood fired home heating sources — that means high-efficient wood stoves, wood pellet boilers for business, municipalities and homeowners. 

• Continued investments in heat pumps. 

• We need to be ready for electric vehicles. They are absolutely going to be synonymous with driving for business and pleasure in the near future. Maine will have to be ready by upgrading our electrical grid and investing in the latest advances in technology for charging these vehicles.

• Offshore Wind-Finally move forward with investing in offshore wind.

Health care — Health care and high-speed Internet may not be connected at first glance but as we’ve seen in the pandemic, access to health care is paramount and I’ll work ensuring every Mainer can communicate remotely with their healthcare provider because it’s essential as we move into the next decade.