AUBURN — Candace Bower Gleason has announced her campaign for the Maine House of Representatives, District 64, serving parts of Auburn and Minot.

The seat is held by Republican David P. Sawicki.

For nearly 40 years, Gleason has been teaching her students the art of speech and debate. The Edward Little High School English teacher will retire this year.

Gleason, a Democrat, lives in Auburn. In a written statement, she attributes her sense of altruism, community service and public speaking from her ancestors.

“My grandfather, George A. Bower, wrote the school song for Edward Little High School in 1903,” she said.

Her great-grandfather, Charles Cummings, served as Auburn mayor in the 1920s; he was also chief of police and a Methodist minister.

Gleason, a 1972 ELHS graduate, has taught there since 1981 and served as chairwoman of the English Department for the past five years.

“One of the essential assets I bring to the House is an ability to communicate effectively, see both sides of an issue and make sense of what the best solution would be,” Gleason said in her statement.

She describes herself as “socially liberal but fiscally conservative,” explaining her desire to see state-mandated common core education retracted while letting individual communities decide what works best for them.

In addition, Gleason favors accepting Medicaid expansion in Maine, funding more rehabilitation centers to assist opiate-dependent individuals in lieu of more jails, as well as promoting “work for welfare” programs.

Gleason said a significant aspect of her personality is a dogged determination to get things done.

“I’m a scrapper, I’m honest and I don’t mind hard work,” according to her statement.

“I can promise this — I will fight for what’s right and fair for all of us,” she said.

Gleason and her husband, Doug, have been married for 36 years. They have two sons, Brian, 29, and Danny, 25.

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