Chandler Woodcock would like people to view him as a regular guy who wants to be governor.
A high school teacher for more than 25 years, he describes himself as a blue-collar worker with traditional values, who puts his family first.
“I’m a family man. That’s the most important thing that I do,” Woodcock said.
Labeled as a conservative, he is against abortion, except in the case of rape, incest or threat to the life of the mother, and voted against the gay rights bill. He would support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
“I don’t perceive myself as in any of the categories they want to put me in,” he said. “I tell my students not to stereotype.”
“These are values I’ve held all my life,” said Woodcock, age 57. “I don’t think anyone should ever be ashamed of what they believe in.”
Still he recognizes the risk if voters see him as a one-issue candidate.
“I hope they view me as being fair,” he said, explaining he would pick people to work with him as governor based on their qualifications. “It makes no difference to me about party,” he said.
A three-term senator from Franklin County, Woodcock said life has prepared him for the job he wants, and he’s not afraid to take risks.
He volunteered for the Army and served in Vietnam.
“My wife and I chose to have four children at a time when it wasn’t all that popular to have a large family,” he said. And, “I chose to be a teacher,” even though the job doesn’t pay much.”
He said he has two particular qualities that would make him a good governor.
“I enjoy leading and leadership is a critical skill…and it takes a good deal to upset me.”
Woodcock said he would surround himself with people who have business acumen and build budgets from the ground up.
“Every job in government ought to open up” with a change in leadership, he added, and people should be required to reapply for their jobs.
Issues
Woodcock supports the Taxpayers Bill of Rights, attending the rally where petitions to put the referendum on the ballot were delivered to the State House.
While he admits the proposal has some flaws, he didn’t want to talk about them for fear of prejudicing the issue before voters decide on it at the ballot box. The proposal would limit spending at all levels of government and require ballot votes on all tax and fee increases.
“I think it’s going to pass,” he said.
If it doesn’t, Woodcock said he would support more stringent spending caps at the state level, but didn’t want to talk about specifics. He said the next governor’s ability to control spending “depends entirely” on the political makeup of the Legislature after Election Day.
On the high cost of health insurance, he said the state needs more competition in the insurance industry and the only way to attract it is to change regulations.
“It’s your health. You should have choices,” he said.
The two top issues in the environment are clean air and water, he said, the latter being more in the state’s control since much of the air pollution comes from coal-fired electric plants in other states.
One of the biggest water pollution problems, environmental groups say, is the clean-up of the Androscoggin River.
“I can remember when you were almost able to walk on it,” Woodcock said, adding regulations have to be “reasonable.”
He said there is a balance between cleaning up the pollution and restricting discharge to the point where the mills on the river can’t operate or make a profit.
Background
Woodcock was born in Mechanic Falls and raised in Farmington, where he still lives.
He enlisted in the Army after high school and served in Vietnam.
When he came home he went to the University of Maine at Farmington and got a teaching degree. He taught English for more than 25 years at high schools in Livermore Falls, Farmington and Skowhegan and was basketball coach at all three – taking his girls team in Farmington all the way to state champs in 1999 and 2000.
His wife Charlotte works in health care, managing Franklin Health Access, which helps lower-income people in Franklin County get health care.
His political experience includes a stint on the Farmington Board of Selectmen and his three Senate terms. Last session he served as assistant minority leader in the Senate.
A self-avowed “avid outdoorsman,” he’s a registered Maine Guide, hunter and fly-fisherman.
His favorite presidents are Ronald Reagan and George Washington.
His favorite musician is Bob Dylan.
“I’ve seen him in concert three times,” he said, musing that would come as a surprise to those who want to label him as a conservative.
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