AUGUSTA — Republican incumbent Rep. Matt Pouliot and Democrat challenger Monica Castellanos both say they’re more involved in the community and less partisan than their opponent in the race for Maine House of Representatives District 86.

Pouliot, a real estate agent and one-term lawmaker, said his experience in the Legislature, his involvement in the local community and his bipartisan approach to issues make him the best choice for the district.

“I’m a pragmatic problem solver who focuses on the best solutions to solve the problems facing Maine, over partisanship,” he said. “I have two years of legislative experience under my belt. You spend a lot of time getting up to speed when you’re first in office, so someone who has gone through that learning experience brings something to the table.”

An Augusta native, Pouliot said he’s been involved in the local community all his life.

“That’s something my opponent, who grew up in Gardiner, can’t say,” he said.

Castellanos is a self-employed consultant who previously had worked as an advocate for the Family Planning Association of Maine and Dirigo Alliance and was communications director for U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud, D-2nd District, for several years. She said her experience growing up in Gardiner, poor with a single mother, gave her insight into the struggles many other Mainers face. She said she is the candidate who best understands the interests of the district’s constituents.

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“I’ve been watching the votes in the Legislature for the last two years, and I don’t feel particularly well-represented (by Pouliot) when it comes to the economy, education and women’s health care,” Castellanos said. “If people are tired of partisan politics as usual while we have one of the worst economies in the country, if they want someone who will focus like a laser on improving our economy and creating jobs, people want to vote for me.”

Both candidates said they’d support accepting federal Medicaid funds to expand MaineCare, though Castellanos noted Pouliot voted against doing so in multiple votes in 2013, before switching his stance in 2014.

“We need to expand health care. I’ve been without it. I know what it’s like to be without preventative care,” Castellanos said. “I’ll always be looking for ways to expand health care and will be a clear and consistent voice on this issue. I strongly believe health care should not be used as a political tool.”

Pouliot said he did indeed vote against accepting federal funds to expand MaineCare in the first session of the last Legislature, but he voted for it after Sen. Roger Katz, R-Augusta, amended proposed legislation to expand the program only as long as the federal government covered 100 percent of the costs.

“Through a lot of research and sleepless nights, I came to the conclusion this was an important measure to support for the people of Maine and ultimately voted in favor of it in the second regular session,” he said of the amended legislation that was passed by the Legislature but vetoed by Gov. Paul LePage. “I feel we missed an opportunity to cover people with an amended version of L.D. 1066 that would have brought affordable health care to thousands of Mainers and would have introduced important cost control measures.”

The candidates also differ on the minimum wage, which is $7.50 an hour in Maine.

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“I think it should be higher,” Castellanos said. “People who work full-time jobs should be able to support their families. Putting money back into the economy is important.”

Pouliot opposes raising the minimum wage.

“I believe increasing the earned income tax credit and making it refundable holds the power to really pull individuals out of poverty more than raising the minimum wage,” Pouliot said. “That said, we should work towards providing training and education necessary for individuals to work in positions where they will earn much more than the minimum wage.”

Both candidates cited creating jobs and improving the economy as among the most important issues facing the state, and both also said helping Mainers get a good education would help create jobs and improve the economy by ensuring the state had a skilled, trained workforce.

“We have 90,000 Mainers looking for good full-time jobs who can’t find them,” Castellanos said. “We need to look at a three-pronged approach: Protect manufacturing jobs, combine that with investments in infrastructure, and education and innovation. The No.1 issue facing our state is jobs and the economy.”

Pouliot said a better educational system will draw new residents to the state and ensure Maine students are equipped for the jobs of today, which would, in turn, bring employers to the state for the trained workforce.

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“We could change Maine from ‘Vacationland’ to education land,” Pouliot said, noting the state also needs to reduce burdensome regulations and help lower energy costs to make it more appealing to do business in Maine.

Both candidates also cited their past work as giving them the skills needed to be the best candidate for Maine’s future.

“I am an effective and trusted voice for Augusta,” Pouliot said. “In all, 33 bills I sponsored or co-sponsored became law. I am engaged and energized and I fight for nonpartisan, common-sense solutions to the major problems facing Maine.”

Castellanos, meanwhile, said, “I believe more than 20 years of professional work experience on state and federal policy issues and economic development in both the public and private sector will allow me to serve effectively and make a positive difference. My focus every day will be working on a positive agenda to strengthen and grow Maine’s economy and middle class.”

District 86 includes most of Augusta west of the Kennebec River.

Keith Edwards — 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @kedwardskj


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