Social media accounts
FB – Representative Jack Ducharme

Occupation:
Realtor

Education:
BS – Business Administration, Thomas College

Community Organizations: Trustee – Anson Madison Water District; Madison
Director (currently Chair) – HealthReach Community HealthCenters; Waterville
Choir Director – St. Sebastian Church, Madison

Personal information (hobbies, etc.): Patriot football, spending time with family – two sons, eight grandchildren, spending time at the lake, traveling

Family status: Married 42 years to Denise Carey Ducharme

Years in the Legislature: Four

Committee assignments (if elected): Joint Standing Committee for Appropriations and Financial Affairs, Government Oversight Committee

Q&A

1) Define what “success” would look like if you are elected to serve your district.
Success for me in Maine House District 71 would be to continue serving the people of Madison, Norridgewock, and Cornville which has been my honor for the last four years. I currently serve as the ranking Republican on the Joint Standing Committee for Appropriations and Financial Affairs. While my party has been in the minority with little ability to get specific things done, I am pleased that over the last three years, we returned over $1.2 billion in excess revenue returned to the Maine taxpayer. However, we must do more. The state budget has grown by over $2 billion since 2019. This expansion of government spending is, in part, due to majority rule. The majority can pass anything that they want, including the biennial budget. The Democrats have passed majority budgets for the last four years. This growth cannot continue. As the economy slows down, we will have to make some hard decisions about what priorities state government has. We need to fund our roads and bridges, fund our schools, and protect those most vulnerable. Mainers are hurting. We need leadership change in Augusta! Elections have consequences!

2) Name one issue the Legislature handled last session. Explain why you agree or disagree with the final outcome.
Having the majority allows Democrats to pass any bill that they would like, including budget bills. In December 2023 and January 2024, Maine experienced some horrific storms that did a great deal of damage to infrastructure along the coast of Maine as well as inland. Gov. Mills wanted $60 million in relief funds to help folks recover. Her wish was to get the money out quickly so that businesses impacted could get their infrastructure repaired and be ready for the summer tourist season. L.D. 2225 was a standalone bill for that relief that could have been passed on a two-thirds, bipartisan vote to allow the emergency distribution of funds. Funds could have been available by May 1. The state had about $330 million in surplus in February 2024. Republicans proposed using some of the surplus to fund this emergency relief bill. Democrat leadership refused to use surplus and forced the state to take the money from the Budget Stabilization Fund in violation of the BSF statute. Republicans refused to violate the law. Sadly, flood relief funds waited until Aug. 9. relief funds that Mainers needed to be ready for the summer tourist season. Elections have consequences!

OPPONENT: Ann E. Dorney, D-Norridgewock