Cordial first debate underscores alignment among 2nd District Democrats

Democratic candidates vying for U.S. Rep. Jared Golden’s seat in the 2nd Congressional District met for their first debate Tuesday.

All four candidates attended the debate: Joe Baldacci, Matt Dunlap, Paige Loud and Jordan Wood. Each worked to distinguish themselves, but ultimately agreed on many of the issues. 

Baldacci is currently serving in his third term as a state senator, and was previously the mayor of Bangor. He emphasized his experience standing up for Mainers — including facing off with former Gov. Paul LePage, who is the presumptive Republican nominee for the second district. 

“Unlike others, I have a proven record of delivering results for Maine families,” Baldacci said. “I have been there for the important votes to protect seniors, veterans, women and workers.”

Matt Dunlap has served as a state representative, secretary of state and now state auditor. Like Baldacci, he emphasized his experience and pushed back on the suggestion that he is a career politician. 

“And I think, you know, rather than simply smear it with the term ‘career politician’ — I have decades of experience that I can put to work for people, and that’s something I think most people would find attractive,” Dunlap said. 

Wood has worked in Washington D.C. for years, including as chief of staff to former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter of California, executive director of democracyFIRST and as vice president of End Citizens United PAC.

He said he is running for office now because the current moment is a “historic crisis.” Wood originally declared his candidacy for the U.S. Senate race before switching his campaign after U.S. Rep. Jared Golden announced he was not seeking reelection.

When questioned by the moderator on that move, Wood said “because that’s where I was needed.”

Paige Loud, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a social worker, is certainly the newcomer on stage. Loud said she never thought of herself as a politician, but felt CD2 should be represented by someone who understands residents’ struggles. 

“Being a social worker is inherently political,” Loud said. “Everything I do has to do with policy and what’s happening in Washington. And I think the second district deserves someone who is fighting the fight with them, who understands how hard it is on the ground, someone that understands the stakes seriously.”

When asked what bill she would propose in her first 30 days in office, Loud said her first act would be to reintroduce legislation for Wabanaki sovereignty, and give the Wabanaki Nations access to federal programs. 

“Giving the tribes access to all 150 bills and laws opens up huge financial pathways that all the other tribes in America have had access to,” Loud said. “It can put billions of dollars of investment into infrastructure, healthcare. And it’s not just to benefit the Wabanaki people, but it’s to benefit their neighbors as well. We all live amongst one another.”

Asked the same question, Baldacci and Dunlap both highlighted healthcare proposals: Baldacci to expand Medicare coverage to people 55 and older, and Dunlap with Medicare For All. 

Wood said he would introduce legislation to address corruption, by banning members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks and accepting contributions from lobbyists.

Wood said he feels fighting corruption is still a bipartisan issue, but “I have fought this fight for a long time, and I can tell you, it is alarming how many people in our own party refuse to admit and change a broken system that has failed to deliver.”

All four candidates emphasized the importance of expanding healthcare, childcare and other social safety nets, and echoed that the broader issue is reprioritizing federal spending to pay for those programs.

“We need to reorder our priorities as a country and invest in people, invest in healthcare, education, infrastructure and we don’t need to invest in wars,” Baldacci said. “This particular war is not serving any legitimate national security interest and is only driving prices through the roof.”

The group criticized President Donald Trump’s spending priorities, on the Iran War and other items.

“We have the money,” Loud said. “We’re spending it on wars. We’re spending it on ballrooms. We can spend the money on Mainers here at home and make sure people are taken care of.”

Candidates criticized the war in Iran more broadly, saying the conflict doesn’t have a clear objective or a well-defined end.

To the military service members, Wood said, “I feel terrible for them that they are being put over there for senseless reasons.” 

And Dunlap said Congress should be working to restrict Trump’s actions in the conflict, which he called unconstitutional. 

“We need to send people to Congress that are actually going to stand up to President Trump,” Dunlap said. “Right now, you can blame President Trump all you want, but Congress has been sitting on its hands and letting him have free reign.”

Voters will select a Democratic nominee for the race at the primary on June 9.