Incumbent State Sen. Bill Diamond has proven his capacity for leadership. He’s served as Maine’s Secretary of State. He’s served in the House and the Senate. He’s been a Raymond Schools superintendent and a Windham school principal. He’s owned local businesses. He hosts a current issues TV show. The man knows this area and its issues. Because of his wealth of experience and demonstration of passion and vigor for our region and its people, Bill Diamond gets our nod for State Senate District 12.

Lani Kelly, his challenger, is a tough fighter. She is giving this race her all. She has good ideas. She supports TABOR; she supports business. She is a woman of high integrity and faith and we admire her convictions. Most impressively, Kelly, if elected, said she would fight for the average working Mainer who is struggling to pay the rising cost of health insurance. She clearly also wants to help business buckling under the pressure of taxation and regulation.

For all these qualities, Kelly’s a worthy candidate as well. But she lacks experience. She’s never served in political office and a person running for Senate needs to work their way into the job by first having a broad range of experiences and knowledge of people and issues in the area they will represent. Kelly, for all her dedication and determination, lacks that key ingredient.

Diamond also works extremely well across party lines and as a Democrat, he has gone against the party line on several issues. He’s an advocate of business. In fact at 54 percent, he leads all Democrats in the MERI ratings. The Lakes Region has a strong advocate in Augusta because of him. He knows how to make Augusta work for the people in our area who need it to work for them.