Candidates for Maine’s 2nd District U.S. House seat differ widely on issues
Each of the candidates for
Poliquin, a two-term Republican who is seeking re-election on
So far, that's proven elusive.
One vote by Poliquin in the spring of 2017 in favor of repealing Obamacare has fired up
At the time, Poliquin said he hoped the
All three of the people vying to replace Poliquin -- Democrat
Today, all four offer their agendas for health care improvements and ideas about how best to tackle a number of other issues, including the economy, taxes and guns. Other issues where the candidates differ include constituent access to their offices and who should lead the
HEALTH
For Golden, a state representative from
Golden said that to lower long-term costs and improve care, "we must stop treating health like a private industry, and start treating health like a public good and a basic right for every American."
In his first campaign advertisement back in August, Poliquin zinged Golden with the charge that the Democrat wants "to end Medicare as we know it," though the Democrat wants to add more people to Medicare's rolls without changing coverage.
Poliquin has been pushing since he got to
Collins said at the time that the House proposal that Poliquin supported "could actually make the situation worse" for many, criticizing its attempt to make sweeping changes to Medicaid and pointing out that the
Hoar said he entered the race because he was so upset at Poliquin's bid to repeal Obamacare, a program he said is essential for combating the opioid crisis that is devastating many
Hoar said the ACA is too costly and complicated. He said he wants more affordable coverage that will help Mainers who suffer work-related injuries.
Bond, a
But, she said, it should be replaced only if it can be improved. Doing so "will require collaboration, out-of-the-box thinking and hard work," Bond said, probably through "a series of incremental steps and thousands of language fixes."
"Leaving millions to flounder, decimating people with pre-existing conditions, and limiting options for those with addiction and mental health issues are not acceptable outcomes," Bond said.
TAXES
Another issue that divides the
Poliquin supported a nearly
An analysis by the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center found that a quarter of the savings will go to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans. By 2027, it found, after the cuts for individuals expire, two-thirds of the savings will go to the richest 1 percent.
Poliquin called the tax cut "a huge boost to our hardworking families.
He said that "for decades,
"I am committed to simplify our tax system so ordinary Mainers and Americans -- not just the wealthy and well-connected -- can keep more of their own money," Poliquin said.
Golden said Poliquin's vote "reaffirmed his commitment to corporations, special interests and the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans" while simultaneously adding
Golden said he would push for a more fair tax structure that helped ordinary Americans rather than the rich.
Hoar said he believes the tax system "needs to be adjusted for the reality of the world we live in" and vowed to work with both parties "to come up with a realistic, revised and simplified tax code."
Bond said the tax measure adopted on a party-line vote by Poliquin and the
"The chaos of this bill is what happens when you create a tax code without building on a stable foundation and philosophy," she said.
GUNS
Another divisive issue is guns.
Poliquin has a longstanding A rating from the
On the opposite side is Bond, who carries the endorsement of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America for her opposition to easy access to firearms.
She said that if voters are "just fed up and wanting to toss your support to a thoroughly sensible candidate" on the gun issue, she's the one they should support.
Golden, who carried arms during two combat tours as a
But he stood against efforts this summer to pressure the
Hoar's position is unclear. He did not respond to a request for comment.
DISTRICT OFFICE DOORS
All three of Poliquin's challengers have said they will open the doors on district offices that Poliquin has closed. His policy is for constituents to schedule appointments with his staff rather than having the option of walking in during business hours.
"Only
Poliquin's staff has said many times that the way they handle constituents allows them to focus on problems more efficiently and to provide more assistance than they would otherwise have time for.
THE NEXT HOUSE SPEAKER
Another issue where the candidates differ is on who they would support as the next speaker of the House to replace the retiring
Poliquin's campaign has charged repeatedly that Golden is a loyalist of
But Golden said he won't back her. "It's time for a change," he said. He said he wants to see a leader from "a new generation" and won't endorse Pelosi.
Poliquin's campaign spokesman,
Conley also pointed out that Golden is getting millions of dollars in support from a pro-Pelosi super PAC. Poliquin is getting similar backing from a super PAC tied to Ryan.
Bond said it's premature to consider the leadership vote "given the unpredictability of elections recently. Every House seat is up for grabs, and I'll vote for the best available candidate in the pool."
"My definition of best available is based on: ethics, understanding of law, ability to respect process, ability to understand impact to the average citizen, fiscal responsibility and mindfulness of the vulnerable," Bond said.
Hoar and Bond would have to choose which major party to caucus with if elected to
Because he could not be reached for comment, it isn't clear what Hoar would do in terms of partisan alignment or the next speaker if he is elected.
Bond said she "would like to caucus with both" parties, but recognizes "that may be impractical." If she must choose, she said, "I will likely caucus with the majority as that will provide the greatest benefit to
There are no independents in the House, but the two in the
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More on the candidates
To find out more about where the candidates stand, check out their campaign websites:
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