A former state legislator and a current city councilor are looking to fill an open seat representing Biddeford in the Maine Legislature.

John Eder, a former Green party state representative, and City Councilor Victoria Foley will square off in the Democratic primary to fill the seat being vacated by Martin Grohman, who is running for Congress.

The winner of the June 12 primary will run against unenrolled candidates Wesley Charles Davis and Matthew Lauzon in the general election for the District 12 seat, which represents Biddeford. There is no Republican candidate for that seat.

Both Eder and Foley are relatively new to Biddeford, having bought property in the city within the past few years.

Foley, marketing director for New England Cancer Specialists, was appointed to the Biddeford City Council in June 2017, then elected to a full term that November. Since moving to the city, she has devoted time to her work on the council and various local committees and commissions. She sees serving in the House as a way to amplify the work on the state level to help Biddeford “continue to thrive.”

“I feel very fortunate to be in a position to run to represent the community I serve,” she said. “It’s really exciting.”

Eder, a grassroots organizer who has worked on political issues in Maine for 20 years, was the first Green party candidate elected to Legislature, where he served two terms representing Portland from 2002 to 2006. Now a member of the Democratic Party, he moved to Biddeford two years ago with his partner and their daughter and feels the time is right to return to Augusta.

“I feel there’s a lot of work to be done to get the Legislature and the Democratic Party back on track advocating for the working class and middle class,” he said.

Both Eder and Foley say, if elected, they would focus on issues that directly affect Biddeford residents, including affordable health care.

Foley said she has expertise in the health care field through her job and her role as board president of Greater Portland Health. She believes expanding Medicaid would “make life better” for people in Biddeford and across the state.

“Access to high-quality, affordable health care for people of all ages is something I feel strongly about,” she said.

Foley said as a state legislator she would also work on promoting age-friendly communities where people can stay in their homes as long as they wish and where caregivers are supported. A key component of age-friendly communities is offering sustainable transportation, she said.

“When you offer sustainable transportation access, the seniors who may not choose to drive or not be able to drive can better stay in their communities,” she said.

Foley said she often hears from voters who are concerned about how tax money is being used and who want to make sure education is properly funded. She supports tax reform that is fair to the middle class and investing in education, particularly trade programs.

“The education I received in public schools in Maine set me up for success,” she said. “I want to fund education to the point where we’re still setting kids up for success.”

Eder said he is motivated to return to Augusta because the working and middle classes are “worse off” than when he served in the Legislature more than a decade ago. He is concerned about an opportunity gap facing young Mainers who are saddled with college debt and high housing costs. He would like to strengthen trade programs and promote vocational education as a way for students to start adulthood debt-free.

The Legislature has pulled far to the right during the past eight years, Eder said, and he’s concerned “the harmful things done will be left in place.” He sees referendums as sacrosanct and feels the will of voters has largely been ignored, especially with Medicaid expansion and school funding.

“It’s important to me that we follow through on the will of the voter, even if there’s things I don’t agree with,” he said.

Eder said his previous time in the Legislature would be beneficial both because of the connections he has in Augusta and his familiarity with how state government operates.

“It really takes at least one session under your belt to really know what end is up,” Eder said. “The session is short and you have to have your compass and know what your priorities are going to be. Knowing the ropes there is going to be very valuable in that environment.”

 

Copy the Story Link