State Sen. Scott Cyrway, a Republican from Albion representing District 16, faces opposition in the November election from Democrat Hilary Koch of Waterville.

District 16 includes Albion, Benton, Clinton, Fairfield, Unity Township, Waterville and Winslow.

Cyrway says he is running for reelection because he wants to continue working for his district and the state.

“A little over six years ago, I was asked to run by one of my former D.A.R.E. students,” he said. “I committed to running and have never regretted it. Working with other legislators and members of the public to find solutions to address our economy, education, healthcare and safety of our communities has been a great experience and honor. I am pleased I am able to give back to the great state of Maine in my role as senator.”

Koch says she is running for the seat because she believes Mainers deserve a future in which they “don’t just survive, but truly thrive.”

“I’ve reached out to thousands of voters in our district,” Koch said. “They are tired of lawmakers bickering, and they don’t feel represented. I love my district, and I’m committed to tackling the tough problems we face through civil discourse and creative solutions that strengthen our communities.”

Cyrway’s top legislative priorities include keeping communities safe, getting the budget in order, creating jobs, addressing healthcare costs and focusing on funding for education.

“We are the safest state in the country, and I am looking for us to keep it that way,” he said. “Unfortunately, I have noticed a big push to weaken our laws in this state, and some of them would increase crime with very little consequences. Last year, the state budget was increased by 11%, which I opposed. However, now we are facing a potential $1.4 billion revenue shortfall. My goal is not to raise taxes and not spend more than we take in. If we don’t have it, we should not spend it.”

Koch’s top legislative priorities include those related to healthcare, education and taxes.

“I want to ensure every Mainer has access to affordable and quality healthcare and prescription drugs,” she said. “I want to strengthen public education, including trade skills, lower property taxes, and work to repair our economy.”

Koch said she has testified in Augusta and worked on legislation aimed at reducing the cost of healthcare and providing Mainers with more affordable prescription drugs.

“We need to go further to hold pharmaceutical companies responsible for price gouging,” Koch said. “Many hard working Mainers are struggling to put food on the table, but they’re hit hard by an unfair tax system. We must do better by them. I want to fully restore state revenue sharing and fund public schools at 55% to reduce the pressure on municipalities to raise property taxes.”

Cyrway cited the CMP corridor as one of his concerns and said he hasn’t seen any evidence of safety nets for a catastrophic emergency or fire.

“PG&E just paid out $13.4 billion dollars for damages of fire in California from power-line grids,” he said. “About 1,500 fires in a six-year period of time with 84 deaths in one town — Paradise. I wrote an extensive article on this last spring. I care and will do my best to look out for the future of our children and environment and wildlife habitat.”

Koch cited having concerns related to public health and safety.

“Good legislation often grows from constituent concerns,” she said. “Regardless of the issue, I am committed to listening to constituents and advocating for legislation that benefits our communities. My conversations with voters have underscored that we must continue to prioritize essential services for public health and safety. Heading into the winter, I’m especially concerned about finding ways to help protect people who may struggle to heat their homes and make ends meet.”