SCARBOROUGH — Incumbent State Senator Stacy Brenner, a Democrat is running for re-election against Republican Timothy Thorsen, in Senate District 30, in the Nov. 8 election. Senate District 30 includes Gorham and part of Scarborough.

Brenner, 48, is married with two children. She is co-owner and operator of Broadturn Farm, and senior advisor for Land Access at Maine Farmland Trust. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from the University of Arizona and a BSN and MSN (nurse-midwifery) from the University of Pennsylvania.

She is serving her first term as a state senator.

In an email, Brenner said her top priorities if elected include: the environment/climate change; reproductive rights and health care access; and affordable housing

She is the best person for the position, Brenner said, because “I am a farmer, small-business owner, mother, nurse-midwife and state senator. During my time as senator, I have prioritized reproductive rights, worked to expand postpartum care for new mothers, increased coverage for fertility care, and helped insure forty thousand more Maine children. I have fought for working families by improving access to affordable housing, expanding the property tax fairness credit, and supported investments in childcare and education. In addition, I am passionate about keeping our air and waterways clean. In 2021, I helped to pass the nation’s first fund to address PFAS contamination on Maine farms and will be co-chairing the committee to manage the $60 million dollar fund. I will continue to work towards a bright future that protects the environment and powers a just transition to a clean energy economy.”

Thorsen, of Gorham, a retired US Marine Corps Colonel and is director of Project Management at Rubb Building Systems.

According to his website, Thorsen’s priorities are education, the economy fair elections, welfare, health care and public safety.

He said he would like he state to “enhance focus on trades, technical, and vocational education programs in Maine high schools.” As well as “provide for transparency so that parents know what is being taught to their children.”

Thorsen would like the state to “enact legislation that allows Mainers to keep more of what they earn and attract good-paying jobs to the state.”

He said he would like to “ensure free and fair elections by requiring Maine residents to show photo identification to in order to vote.”

He said the state should “require able-bodied welfare recipients to be either actively looking for work or to be actually working,” require drug testing and crack down on fraud.

Thorsen said he would like the state to provide quality and affordable health care

He said the state should protect Maine families and children by “significantly increasing penalties for drug and human trafficking,” and “help those with addictions by forgiving minor drug-related convictions.”

If elected, Thorsen said, “I look forward to serving as a member of the Senate and I know that my experience and appreciation for the liberty and welfare of my fellow Mainers will come through into my work as a senator.”

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