Rep. Joyce McCreight, D-Harpswell, is being challenged by first-time candidate Sean Hall, a Republican from Harpswell, in the race for House District 51.

McCreight, a 66-year-old social worker, was elected in 2014 to represent the district, which covers Harpswell, West Bath and a small part of Brunswick.

Hall, 53, works as a firefighter and EMT, as well as a lobster boat sternman. He also is a military veteran and former science teacher.

Hall said a key issue for him is education, and he said more emphasis needs to be placed on teaching students “how to think” instead of what to think, to make them active learners. He would also like to see vocational programs expanded, and noted the need for more in-state skilled tradespeople such as electricians and plumbers.

The commercial fishing industry is also important to him, and he said “looking at alternative sources of revenue” for fishermen and diversifying the type of species that are being fished are key. Exploring aquaculture opportunities and making the process to obtain an aquaculture lease less restrictive could also help, he said.

As an EMT, he said he has seen the devastation that opioids can cause, and said it is an issue both parties need to work together to solve.

In the same vein, he said mental health care needs to be more accessible. Mental illness, he said, can have a “cascade effect” leading to addiction, homelessness and criminal behavior.

McCreight, a social worker for 30 years, is running for a third term and said she was inspired by having a “remarkably successful second session.”

One example she is particularly proud of arose from correspondence with a lobsterman from Harpswell who was “very ill” and concerned about paying bills. She and the constituent worked together for months and met with the commissioner of marine resources, talked to other lobstermen, and came up with a two-part bill. The first part of the bill made an existing medical waiver for lobstermen more flexible, and the second proposed a new medical waiver for those who are terminally ill.

The first half of the bill is now law, she said, and instituting the terminal illness waiver is one of the tasks she plans to work on if re-elected.

McCreight, who was House chair of the Opioid Task Force, also put forward a bill advocating for Youth Mental Health First Aid training for health teachers. Improving substance use disorder and mental health treatment is important to McCreight, as is restoring the safety net to help families avoid falling into crisis.

Elizabeth Clemente can be contacted at 781-3661 ext. 100 or at:

eclemente@theforecaster.net

Twitter: @epclemente

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