Michaud, Raye vying to represent Maine’s Second Congressional District Raye says record as Maine Senate president shows he can work across party lines in Congress Kevin Raye (R-Perry) is seeking election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine’s Second District. The seat has been held since 2003 by Democrat Michael Michaud of East Millinocket. Raye’s answers to a candidate questionnaire follow:
What makes you the strongest congressional candidate for Maine Second District?
Washington is broken and needs a fresh perspective in order to work again. My background working with Olympia Snowe, and my experience as the owner of a small family business – Raye’s Mustard Mill in Eastport – has prepared me well. Throughout my career in the Maine Senate, and especially as President of the Senate, I have led the way in working across party lines to solve problems.
Small business and agriculture are the economic lifeblood of rural Maine, and I have always stood with our small businesses and family farms, earning a 100 percent rating on small business issues from the National Federation of Independent Businesses, with more than 3,800 members in Maine.
What personality traits do you possess that would make you an effective Congressman?
I am by nature optimistic and enjoy bringing people of different viewpoints together. Growing up with a Democratic Dad and a Republican Mom taught me early on that Democrats and Republicans can respect each other and get along! Sadly, that has become a lost art in Washington today. I believe the two parties need to talk with each other, and listen, in order to work through problems and find solutions – and that is what I have done in Augusta.
As President of the Senate, even though we had Republican majorities in both chambers, I sat down for dinner with the Senate and House Democratic leaders and the Speaker of the House every Thursday night. We did this to build a good working relationship that allowed us to communicate and work together effectively. With Sen. Snowe leaving Congress, we need people who are committed to moving past the polarization and partisanship now more than ever more. My record shows that is my approach.
Who has made the greatest impact on your life and why?
My parents and grandparents were all enormous influences in my life, growing up as one of eight boys in my family. Then as a 16-year-old high school student in Washington County, I wrote a letter to Olympia Snowe when she was considering her first run for Congress. That letter, and Olympia’s thoughtful hand-written response, literally changed the course of my life. Soon after, she called me and came to visit me, and I became her county campaign co-chair before I was old enough to vote. After college, I worked for Olympia for 17 years. For 11 years, I worked in Maine, running her offices in Bangor, Presque Isle and Auburn, where I helped veterans, seniors and others cut through government red tape. Then, for more than six years, I served as Olympia’s Chief of Staff in the United States Senate before my wife Karen and I moved home to Washington County.
The experience of working at Olympia’s side all those years taught me the importance of working together across party lines to solve problems. That guided me during my eight years in the Maine Senate, and especially the last two years as President of the Senate. I’m proud of what we accomplished in terms of balancing the budget, cutting taxes, reducing debt, and passing historic regulatory reform to help small businesses and family farms. And I’m proud of how we did it – with strong bipartisan cooperation. My colleagues in the Senate voted me “Most likely to influence the other side of the aisle,” and that is the same constructive approach I will take to Washington.
What important life lessons have prepared you to serve in Washington, D.C.?
Growing up in a large family in an economically-disadvantaged rural area shaped my determination to change the dynamic that has resulted in our young people leaving for more prosperous states. My father was a World War II veteran and worked as an electrician. My mother was a school teacher for 38 years. Both of my parents worked hard and belonged to unions. They both taught me the value of hard work and education. Dad used to get up at quarter of four every morning to get ready for work, and I can remember Mom sitting at the kitchen table correcting papers and preparing lesson plans late into the night.
Their influence is with me every day. It’s why I feel so strongly about protecting veterans’ benefits, fighting for jobs and making sure education is always a priority. It guided my work in Augusta to encourage job creation through regulatory reform and lower taxes. And while other states were cutting education, it guided my determination to increase education funding by $63 million. My life lessons taught me the importance of setting priorities – which is something Washington simply does not do.
What is your greatest legislative achievement?
I count among my greatest achievements the change in law that shifted education funding to rural areas so unfairly disadvantaged by the flawed EPS funding formula, as well as my success in enacting policies that have created and preserved jobs such as my regulatory reform bill, my bill that saved the Woodland Pulp mill $1 million a month in energy costs and helped preserve 300-plus jobs, the changes I pushed through to spur jobs in Maine’s aviation sector, and the Maine New Markets Tax Credit that encourages investment in job creation in economically disadvantaged areas.
What is your biggest regret as a lawmaker?
My biggest regret is the Legislature’s passage of laws I opposed that imposed a flawed school district consolidation law and unfair funding formula that hurt rural Maine.
What do you think is your opponent’s greatest achievement in the U.S. House?
Congressman Michaud has done a great job being down in Washington to cast his votes in the House of Representatives.
What do you consider his greatest failure?
Congressman Michaud’s greatest failure is his failure to distinguish himself as a leader in Washington. In 2009 he was named by Roll Call as one of the “Ten Most Obscure Members of Congress.” With only two voices of 435 in the House of Representatives, Maine cannot afford to have a member who fails to live up to the standard set by Margaret Chase Smith, Ed Muskie, Bill Cohen, George Mitchell, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins.
What would you list as the top threat to our nation’s future success?
Our greatest challenge is that we are on the verge of becoming the first generation of Americans to leave the country worse off than we found it because our massive $16 trillion national debt threatens future generations. Congress has failed to set priorities and balance the budget, and my opponent has repeatedly voted against a Constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget. We must not continue down this path to self-destruction.
What do you see as our greatest opportunity?
Throughout history, Americans have weathered adversity only to grow stronger. With strong and constructive leadership and a commitment to education and strong families, we can change the direction of this nation and unleash the potential of the American people by encouraging small business, our natural resource based industries, manufacturing and innovation in technology and health care. If we do that, I am convinced that America’s greatest days lie ahead of us.
Congressman Mike Michaud running for sixth term in U.S. Congress
By Lisa Wilcox
Staff Writer
EAST MILLINOCKET — United States Congressman Michael Michaud was raised in Medway and graduated from Schenck High School in East Millinocket in 1973. After graduation, Michaud followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and father and worked at Great Northern Paper in Millinocket for 29 years. Inspired by a desire to help clean up the badly polluted Penobscot River, Michaud was elected to Maine’s House of Representatives in 1980 and remained in state government until he was elected to the U.S. Congress in 2002. Michaud is currently running for his sixth term representing Maine’s District 2.
Geographically, District 2 is the largest congressional district east of the Mississippi. Ranging from the more urban atmosphere of the city of Bangor, to the tourist areas of Mt. Desert Island and Bethel, to the very rural Aroostook County, Michaud recognizes that meeting all the needs of such a diversified area can be challenging.
“It requires thinking outside of the box to get done what needs to be done,” Michaud explained.
Michaud is proud of the many projects he has taken part in that have benefited Aroostook County’s cultural and economic development.
The congressman worked with the Base Realignment and Closure Commission to not only keep Limestone’s Defense Finance and Accounting Services site open, but to contribute to its growth over the years. He has been a champion of expanding veterans’ healthcare options, working diligently to increase services available at Cary Medical Center in Caribou and also at Houlton Regional Hospital.
Michaud has been an active participant in the broadband expansion project, which focuses on bringing high-speed Internet service to extremely rural areas in the state. And he keeps a close eye on U.S. government agencies to make sure their decisions do not negatively impact Maine. For example, Michaud fought against the recent attempt by the USDA to eliminate potatoes from school meals, which would have affected Aroostook County farmers. He also worked to help get $250,000 in grant funds from the Northern Border Regional Commission to expand Madawaska’s recreational facilities in order to accommodate the 2014 World Acadian Congress.
Recently Michaud met with the Israeli consul general in Boston, discussing Israel purchasing refurbished Humvees from the United States. Michaud is participating in negotiations to get the work completed at the Maine Military Authority in Limestone. More discussions about this with the consul general are slated for later.
Also to benefit the MMA, Michaud would like to see more contracts for school bus refurbishment. According to Michaud, a refurbished bus costs $30,000, as compared to purchasing brand new buses for approximately $90,000. Michaud believes getting more contracts for refurbished buses would bring work to The County and, at the same time, save the government money.
In order for Aroostook County to retain its younger population and not have so many leave the area after their education is complete, Michaud’s target is jobs.
“The biggest focus has to be on how to get businesses to expand,” the congressman stated, adding that the broadband expansion project is a huge positive step in that direction.
Michaud also keeps veterans issues at the top of his priority list, especially Project ARCH, a pilot program that Cary Medical Center participates in to provide veterans with a place to receive healthcare locally instead of having to travel to veterans’ hospitals.
“Cary’s program has been incredibly successful,” boasts Michaud.
Funding for veterans homes to expand as they prepare to inevitably take on additional care responsibilities is another important issue for Michaud.
“It’s so important that we expand veteran services with local providers,” Michaud stressed. “In offering a local option for healthcare, we have reduced travel miles by 250,000. That’s pretty significant.”
It’s his work on projects such as ARCH that Michaud finds most rewarding about being a politician.
“I enjoy being able to help people out and getting them the services they need,” Michaud said. “Maine has been left behind in so many areas. What can we do to move Maine forward?”
What Michaud finds most challenging in his political career is the division and lack of communication between the two major parties. He hopes to be able to help mend the divisive relationships that have formed.
“We need to open up the line of trust and communication,” Michaud advised. “That’s what’s missing. We need to work in an environment where Democrats and Republicans sit together instead of in separate rooms.”
If re-elected, Michaud plans on continuing his work with economic development and veterans’ affairs, especially making sure the ARCH program continues and expands. He believes healthcare issues in general need to be focused upon.
“Mainers need accessible and affordable health care,” Michaud said.
According to Michaud, Congress also needs to work on its record with appropriation bills. Citing that the budget has only passed on time on four occasions in the past 36 years, Michaud supports the No Budget, No Pay Act, which would withhold Congress members’ pay until a budget is passed.
Republican State Senator Kevin Raye is Michaud’s challenger. Michaud believes that he differs from Raye in that he is more apt to consider a proposal’s benefits to Maine than his opponent is.
“Often Congress is threatened by different organizations that will hold it against them if a vote does not go their way,” Michaud explained. “I always look at how something will benefit Maine.”
Michaud states that when his work is done at congressional sessions in D.C., he gets right on a plane back to Maine in order to deal with what has to be done in the state. When not in Washington, Michaud resides in his hometown of East Millinocket.
