PORTLAND, Maine — The candidates in the race for Maine’s First Congressional District engaged in a policy-heavy debate during NEWS CENTER Maine’s Voice of the Voter Forum on Thursday.
Democratic incumbent Chellie Pingree is seeking her ninth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, facing challenges from Republican and Army Special Forces veteran Ron Russell and unenrolled independent Ethan Alcorn, who works as a landscaper.
The three began the debate on a cordial tone that would last the night, thanking each other for their service and for seeking public office. NEWS CENTER Maine moderator Brian Yocono then began the discussion on the issue of affordable housing.
With Redfin putting the median sale price for a home in Maine at roughly $415,000, all three echoed the need to bring prices down.
When asked for specific solutions, Pingree, a former produce farmer from North Haven, emphasized the role of federal investments to build housing, citing the Home Investment Partnership Program of the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, which provides states with money to construct affordable housing.
“We need a lot more affordable housing, and we do need help from the federal government,” Pingree said.
Russell proposed building smaller homes with fewer bedrooms as a way of lowering the barrier to entry for homebuyers.
“You shouldn’t start off with a three- or four-bedroom home with a small family. This two-bedroom home solution seems like a good idea,” Russell said.
Alcorn favored a private sector approach. “We really need to let the free market take over, and stop making government be the answer to everything.”
As the conversation moved to other economic topics, Pingree and Russell sparred on Social Security, specifically on how to keep the program financially viable.
Russell entertained the idea of raising the age Americans can first receive the benefit. “For folks who are coming into the system right now, yes, they probably should expect a later retirement age.”
“I’d have huge concerns about that,” Pingree fired back. “If you’re a fisherman or you’re a carpenter and you’re working in the woods every day, you don’t want to have to wait until seventy to have to collect your retirement.”
The three also faced off over immigration. With a large number of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years, Pingree and Russell echoed their respective party platforms on immigration, with Alcorn in line with the Republican.
“What we need to do is stop all illegal immigration coming into the United States. We do that by continuing to build the rest of the wall,” Russell said.
Alcorn spoke strongly against government assistance for immigrants. “When our ancestors came here, we didn’t have the government handing us cell phones and money. We've got to start taking care of our own people,” he said.
Pingree touted her ability to compromise on the issue of immigration, and blamed former President Donald Trump for killing a bipartisan bill in the Senate this year that sought to address the large numbers of migrants crossing at the southern border.
“I can’t basically talk to any Republican about immigration right now because the fact is, we had a compromise bill in the senate," Pingree said. "Donald Trump called ... up and said kill the bill.”