OXFORD — Rep. Kathleen Dillingham, R-Oxford, has formally launched her reelection bid for House District 72.
Dillingham, who has held the seat for the past six years, was elected House Republican leader in 2018. She uses her experience and strong ties to the region to advocate for families, local jobs, small businesses and communities across Western Maine, according to a written statement.
Kathleen Dillingham
“Having grown up in the Oxford Hills area,” she said, “it has been a true privilege to serve and represent my family, friends, neighbors, former classmates, and district residents these past six years. I know that as we continue to find our way through this pandemic, we are going to need experienced leaders,” she said.
Dillingham said the next Legislature faces some stark challenges, including a $1.5 billion budget shortfall projection over the course of three years. She is no stranger to budget negotiations, having worked as the Republican leader to restore cuts to career and technical education funding in the governor’s last budget proposal and gained Democrats’ support for increases in revenue-sharing and the homestead exemption.
According to her statement, “To address the projected massive shortfall, it is going to require some tough decisions and the ability to put aside partisan rhetoric in order to address the prioritized needs of those we represent.”
Dillingham, who was named Distinguished Maine Policy Fellow by the Margaret Chase Smith Center at the University of Maine last year, has worked hard to build strong relationships across the aisle to ensure that all voices are heard in shaping policy, according to her statement.
If reelected, she has submitted several pieces of legislation for consideration during the 130th Legislature. Dillingham is asking that the Legislative statute 37B be amended in order to reaffirm the co-equal branches of government in times of emergency, municipalities be given the choice to determine if they would like to make citizen remote participation in board and committee meetings permanent, and to allow businesses to keep a percentage of the meal tax that they collect on behalf of the state to cover their administrative costs.
She is being challenged by Democrat Jennifer Blastow of Otisfield.
District 72 includes Otisfield and Oxford in Oxford County and Mechanic Falls in Androscoggin County.
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