Age: 52
Residence: Swan’s Island
Party: Republican
Present employment: Lobsterman
Highest level of education completed: High school graduate
Previous elected public office(s) held: Swan’s Island Select Board; Swan’s Island Conservation Area Chair; Zone B Lobster Council Representative; Department of Marine Resources Lobster Advisory Council; University of Maine Lobster Institute Board Member
Statement: As an eighth generation islander and fisherman, I feel it is our civic duty to serve in positions of local government, if nominated and elected.
There are many more qualified individuals than myself within District 15. However, the number of folks who asked me to run for representative indicated a base support who believe I have something positive to offer our towns in service to them.
District 15 needs an ally who knows firsthand the difficulties we face and can find solutions that serve the mutual goals of resilient coastal communities and sustainable fisheries.
I support our first responders and law enforcement who sacrifice so much, and I am opposed to industrializing the Gulf of Maine with ecologically damaging and fishery-destroying offshore wind farms. The unintended consequences of constructing hundreds of 1,000-foot floating offshore windmills will negatively affect every species that is unfortunate enough to live there and will alter the migrations of all species that traverse through the area. I also support bringing lobster hatcheries back to the coast as an insurance policy for the industry.
After eight generations and with my grandchildren’s future on my mind, I do not intend to be the one that allows our year-round communities and working waterfronts to disappear. I have skin in the game and will fight for my district, no matter the obstacles, promoting solutions over partisan gridlock.