Democratic primary candidates for Senate District 13 (SD13) David Levesque of Newcastle and Cameron Reny of Bristol met with voters during a public forum in Damariscotta on April 26. The event was held at the Great Salt Bay Community School and hosted by the Lincoln County Democratic Committee (LCDC).

Levesque and Reny are running for the Senate seat currently held by Sen. Chloe Maxmin (D-Nobleboro), who is not running for reelection.

In response to questions from residents of SD13, the candidates shared their position on several topics, ranging from healthcare access to climate change to new job creation. They also discussed how they would address the lack of affordable housing, child hunger, and poverty. During the forum, the candidates talked about how they see the role of Maine state Senator and what they would do for people in the district if elected.

Levesque, who lives in Newcastle with his wife and three sons, has practiced law for 24 years and held leadership positions in many nonprofit and professional organizations such as the Maine State Bar Association, Damariscotta Region Chamber of Commerce, University of Maine at Farmington Board of Visitors, and as a Newcastle Selectman.

“We cannot go back on our successes,” Levesque said during his closing remarks. “I want to go up there [Augusta] and find the common things that we’re all looking for and work towards them.”

Reny, a school counselor who lives with her husband and two young children in Bristol, talked about her commitment to public service. “I want to bring what [constituents] need and want to the table in Augusta,” she said.

Both candidates also informed attendees on how to join their campaigns. The event was among many planned for the coming election season to connect voters with candidates running to serve them at the county, state, and national level.

“The expression ‘all politics is local’ really means something here in Lincoln County, as you can tell by the dozens of questions submitted by district residents and the turnout out tonight and online,” said forum facilitator Kelli Whitlock Burton of Waldoboro, LCDC vice-chair and campaign leader. “Cameron and David are committed to public service and their communities. I think voters got a sense of that tonight.”

The winner of the primary, set for June 14, will become the Democratic nominee for SD13 in the general election Tuesday, Nov. 8. State Senate District 13 includes all towns in Lincoln County except Dresden, as well as Windsor in Kennebec County and Washington in Knox County.

The forum was streamed live by LCTV and is available on https://lincolncountydemocrats.com/ and on the LCDC Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lincolncountydems. LCTV will also air a recording of the forum on Channel 7 at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3 and at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 5. and Friday, May 6.