COVID-19 Policy Options

Last updated: May 26, 2020

Managing the coronavirus pandemic is likely to have a significant impact on Maine's budget and may require new legislation.

I am reaching out to all candidates and local officials to understand their policy ideas. (Here are my initial thoughts on the pandemic.) Once I've had a chance to review candidate statements and position papers, I'll provide a summary and analysis.

Candidates for the Maine Legislature

The next session of the Maine Legislature, whose members will all be elected in November, will assume most of the responsibility for policy decisions that will either help or hinder Maine's recovery.

My Race (Maine House District 49: Brunswick)

Poppy Arford

Carole Graves

Fred Horch

• Maine Can Overcome Coronavirus

Corey Perreault

Kathy Wilson

Other Maine House Districts

HD 50: Brunswick

Michael Lawler

Ralph Tucker

Maine Senate Districts

SD 24: Brunswick, Freeport, Harpswell, North Yarmouth, Pownal

Mattie Daughtry

Stan Gerzofsky

Bradford Pattershall

Candidates for the Federal Legislature and Senator King

This November we will elect two members of the House of Representatives, and one United States Senator. Most of the funding for recovery from the pandemic, both here in Maine and around the country, will need to be approved by the next session of Congress.

US Congressional District 1: Southern District

Jay Allen

• What Mad Cow Disease Taught Me About Corona

Chellie Pingree

• Pingree, DeLauro, McGovern, Lee, Fudge, Hayes, Haaland, Pocan Introduce Emergency Food Security Bill Amid Growing Coronavirus Outbreak

US Congressional District 2: Northern District

Adrienne Bennett

Eric Brakey

Dale Crafts

Jared Golden

US Senate Candidates

Susan Collins

• Senator Collins Convenes Meeting with Heads of Maine Health Organizations to Discusses Coronavirus Pandemic

Sara Gideon

• Washington’s COVID response has put partisan politics ahead of state, local needs
• Sara Gideon Statement on COVID-19 and Campaign Events

Bre Kidman

Lisa Savage

• US Senate Candidate Savage Outlines Covid-19 Response Plan

Betsy Sweet

• Looking at a post-COVID-19 world

Senator Angus King

Angus King

• King Reacts to President’s Declaration of National Emergency

Governor Mills and Her Administration

Janet Mills

• Governor Mills, Maine CDC Announce First Presumptive Positive Case and Additional Steps to Respond to COVID-19

Candidates for US President

This November we will elect the President of the United States, who will need to work with Congress to provide the bulk of the funding for recovery from the economic impacts of the pandemic.

Joe Biden

Donald Trump

• President Donald J. Trump Has Mobilized the Full Resources of the Federal Government to Respond to the Coronavirus

Local Officials

Brunswick Town Council

Dan Ankeles

Dan Jenkins

James Mason

Toby McGrath

John Perrault

Stephen Walker

Christopher Watkinson

David Watson

Kathy Wilson

Brunswick School Board

Beth Bisson

Teresa Gillis

James Grant

Celina Harrison

Mandy Merrill

Joy Prescott

Sarah Singer

Elizabeth Sokoloff

William Thompson

Tyler Patterson (student representative)

Maddie Wayne (student representative)

Policy Proposals from Other Sources

James Myall, Maine Center for Economic Policy

• Coronavirus highlights the need for all workers to have paid sick leave

Maine Medical Association, Public Health Committee

• Public Health Policy

World Health Organization

• WHO, UN Foundation and partners launch first-of-its-kind COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund

Issues and Solutions »