In interviews in early April, voters across the 2nd Congressional District voiced their opinions on the House seat race and the issues that are important to them:
Marsha Donahue, artist and owner of Millinocket’s North Light Gallery
Donahue switched her political affiliation from Independent to Democrat after aiding Democratic candidate Lucas St. Clair in getting Katahdin Woods and Waters recognized as a national monument in 2016. She recently held a campaign rally for him in her gallery.
“I just feel like [St. Clair] has got the right stuff … And this 2nd District, as you are beginning to see I’m sure, needs tremendous help, and they really need a champion and I think he’ll be a champion.”
Bruce Basinger, 55, of Alfred, manager of Highland Belts & Fine Leather in Brewer
For Basinger, keeping his stable job at Highland Belts is worth the 2 1/2-hour commute he makes once a week from his home in southern Maine.
“The company puts me up in an apartment in Bangor. I have been traveling up to here for 18 years… You do what you gotta do to survive.”
John Davis, Millinocket town manager and former worker at Great Northern Paper Co.’s Millinocket mill, which closed in 2008
Davis, a staunch Republican, says his support for Donald Trump has not wavered since the 2016 election.
“I think Trump’s a little rough. He’s not very well refined, but he told you exactly what he was going to do and he’s doing it. Just look at the stock market, look at the economy. What was it? Two point growth last year. We haven’t seen that for a long time.”
Ann Luther, of Bangor, member of The League of Women Voters of Maine
Luther, who has long been active in local politics in Maine, says she sees signs of growing political engagement among Maine’s youth. According to Maine election laws, 17-year-olds who will turn 18 by Election Day in November can vote in the June primary.
“We’re seeing a big upsurge in youth voting. Now all of a sudden, whoa, everyone wants to do voter registration in high schools. It’s partly a Trump effect. We’ve never had this many requests.”
Cory Osbourne, 29, Bangor, bartender
Osbourne says he grew up in Millinocket, a former mill town where unemployment is rampant, and moved to Bangor to find work.
“I come from a very big Catholic family. My family has always been very liberal, liberal Democrats. It’s kind of just instilled in us from a young age. And everyone is still kind of at the same platform.”
Jared Charrier, 20, of Hermon, college student and member of the Thrive Student Ministry at Crosspoint Church in Bangor
Charrier says neither he nor his friends follow politics.
“Maybe in high school, in history class you learn a lot about politics and that comes up in conversation as you are learning about it, but it never really happens a lot. You don’t just hear a kid say, ‘Oh, vote Democratic,’ you don’t hear that.”