Building care infrastructure and economic equity
What are your top policy priorities to address the barriers and challenges facing the care work industry (child care, elder care and health care) and systemically undervalued and underpaid care workers, 80% of whom are women?
Highlights from our conversation on April 29, 2026
“It's about resources, and obviously the federal government is a principal source for those resources, so it should be the principal source, certainly to deal with disparities across the nation. And of course, Maine being a rural state and a poorer state, we should be getting a lot more in terms of federal resources.”
"Maine being a rural state and a poorer state, you know, we should be getting a lot more in terms of federal resources.”
Ensuring reproductive and gender-specific healthcare
What are your top policy priorities to address the barriers to accessing consistent, high-quality perinatal care given the rapid closure of birthing units, especially in rural areas?
“Short of, you know, a good comprehensive Medicare-for-all system which provided a lot more resources for rural clinics, hospitals, those kinds of things, which we certainly need. And not only in Maine, but throughout the United States. I would certainly support more money, federal money, rescinding cuts that the Bush administration and Trump administration have made to, perinatal care or maternal care, over the years… And the recent cuts to Medicaid and ACA subsidies, those kinds of things are obviously working against what we need to address.”
“I would certainly support more money, federal money, rescinding cuts that the Bush administration and Trump administration have made to perinatal care or maternal care.”
Ending gender-based and carceral violence
What policy solutions do you support to address gun violence in our state and country, and the disproportionate impact on women and gender-minorities?
“I'm actually probably the furthest along here of the three Senate candidates on the Democratic side… I've always supported an assault weapons ban, I've supported, you know, limiting, you know, obviously magazines, bump stocks, waiting periods, universal background checks, a whole panoply of gun safety laws and regulations. I would support what Chris Murphy has put forward in the Senate.”
“I've always supported an assault weapons ban, I've supported limiting magazines, bump stocks, waiting periods, universal background checks, a whole panoply of gun safety laws and regulations.
Developing equitable & accessible government systems
While the federal Equal Rights Amendment has technically been ratified, disputes over a congressional deadline have prevented it from being recognized as the 28th Amendment. How would you see your role in Congress with regard to the ERA?
“I'd certainly support it. It's long overdue. It's a shame that Congress put a deadline… I would amend the amendment process. Instead of two-thirds approval in the Senate 60%, I think, is a sufficient bar. And then for the states, instead of 3 quarters of the states, which is really the impossible hurdle. I would suggest that states representing 60% of the population, once that threshold is met, then ratification takes place. So it's not too easy, but it's not impossible, because as you know, we need to update our governing charter, and we need to update our democracy.”
How do you think the tax structure or state budget can be used to create more gender equity and reduce disparities?
“We need major, major tax reform in this country. There's so many loopholes, there are, you know, there are friendly deductions, there are friendly tax credits that need to be done away with, or at least adjusted. I support a very sort of progressive income tax. I support a wealth tax, although I'd want to make sure we protect seniors.”
“I'd certainly support it. It's long overdue. It's a shame that Congress put a deadline.”
“I support a wealth tax, although I'd want to make sure we protect seniors.”
Other notable quotes
“I would certainly add that Social Security needs to be much more robust in terms of not only benefits, expanded benefits to low-income, you know, retirees. And it touches upon what you had just said, that women often don't get as many quarters or have the salary levels that men do. That can certainly be addressed by providing or expanding benefits, and we should. And the way to obviously address any fund solvency issues is to simply eliminate the payroll tax cap.”
Each profile features direct quotes pulled from candidate’s answers to our questions. Full transcripts of each conversation can be found by clicking here.