Maine election 2022: Gere vs. Jordan for House District 134 state rep.
Incumbent Democrat Traci Gere is running in the 2022 election against Republican Elizabeth Jordan for the District 134 seat in the Maine House. House District 134 is comprised of Kennebunkport, where both Jordan and Gere live, and parts of Kennebunk and Biddeford.
Name: Traci Gere
Hometown: Kennebunkport
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and placed the power to regulate abortion with the states. What should state lawmakers do regarding abortion laws?
With the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe, the Maine Legislature became a vital line of defense for women’s right to abortion as protected in Maine state law. I will always act and vote to protect women’s right to abortion as an essential part of the continuum of women’s healthcare. Pregnancy carries many risks, and a number of conditions require abortion treatment because of the threat to the mother of sepsis, death, and loss of reproductive organs. Abortion care is also necessary treatment for the physical and mental health of survivors of rape and incest. Finally, women must have the right to make, in collaboration with our healthcare providers, the complex reproductive health decisions that affect our bodies, our families, and every aspect of our lives. I will defend Maine laws and policies that guarantee abortion rights, and I will vote to keep government out of our private healthcare decisions.
The state's residents and businesses face many economic challenges, including high prices for electricity and fuel, a labor shortage, a lack of affordable housing and rising prices due to inflation. How would you address these challenges?
My focus during my first term in the Maine House has been on making it more affordable to live and work in Maine and in our communities. I have worked and voted for legislation that increases the availability of housing for working families, lowers health care costs, returns state revenue sharing to municipalities so they can avoid raising property taxes, and holds our utility companies to account for improving performance and lowering rates. In the Maine House, I will continue this focus, advocating for policies that create more attainable housing and help our people prosper. For Maine’s economy to thrive, we need our people to achieve their full potential. In the last legislature, I worked to expand career training and internship programs, helping Maine residents build their job skills and become effective contributors to our economy. We must continue to invest in Maine’s most important asset – our people. I will continue to work for policies that support our public schools and teachers, invest in post-secondary education and career and technical training, and connect Maine people to productive and fulfilling careers. Climate change is affecting our district, with erosion and flooding impacting our coastal infrastructure. I will continue to work with Maine’s Climate Council and Action Plan to assure that our communities have the resources to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change in our region.
What else do you want voters to know about you or your policy positions before the election on Nov. 8?
I have a deep connection to our community and a demonstrated commitment to protecting and improving the well-being of the people of our district. Having raised my two children here, I seek to preserve the ability of other families to do the same. My lifetime of experience as a leader in businesses and non-profit organizations gives me essential tools for working in the Legislature. I collaborate well with colleagues on all sides of the aisle to analyze data, diagnose problems, and identify specific policy options. I use my communication skills to build coalitions and advocate for solutions, with the goal of helping Maine people innovate, grow, and succeed. If re-elected, I will continue to empower Maine people. I have served in the Legislature for the past two years, learning how to build coalitions and work for common goals. I have worked with people in all parties to craft and pass legislation in the areas of housing, education, economic development, and transportation. I prioritize serving my constituents and responding to their needs. It has been a great pleasure getting to know more people in our district, hearing their concerns, and connecting them with the services and answers they need. For these reasons, I am the best candidate to continue serving as your state representative, and I ask for your vote on November 8.
Editor's note: Seacoast Media Group made a good-faith effort to distribute our candidate questionnaire to all candidates. We will add any missing candidate questionnaires when they are received. If any candidates have questions or need information on how to be included, please email news@seacoastonline.com or news@fosters.com with "candidate questionnaire" in the subject line.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Maine election 2022: Gere vs. Jordan for House District 134 state rep.
